I underestimated the impact a new cartridge would have

@mijostyn,


“My best advice unless you are filthy rich is, ignorance is bliss. Enjoy your Benz and stay where you are until it shows signs of wear then do your educated crap shoot again.”

That’s some sage advice their. I also experienced the special sounds of the Benz cartridges; LP, Ruby Z, and LPS. Each of these are wonderful sounding, but, they have turned into rare earth items in the last few year’s, and the prices have risen dramatically. They have been my own benchmark for what I liked in musical qualities in an MC cartridge. 
Also, as mentioned by MillerCarbon, technology advances over the years and newer products incorporating those advances equates to a gold rush of great cartridges for anyone’s budget and tastes. Trust me, and as others have stated, only your ears will let you know how good anything sounds on your system and in your room. Don’t be fooled by the bling or latest fashion statement in this hobby. Your apt to be frustrated and aggravated if you don’t choose wisely. Enjoy the Benz and music like your sipping Blue Label...nice and slowly.

Auf Deutsche “genießen.”

Glad you've found something that brings excitement and re-spark that audio flame. I'm also a Benz SM user and very much enjoy my SM, it is a great all around cart and one that I play very frequently. Get as many years out of it as you can until you get that itch to try something else, different and better cartridges still awaits.

"I started out in the 1960s and ’70s with MM cartridges including a top of the line Shure V-15 

@kayleerex1 

V15 wasn’t even a top of the line from Shure :)

Top of the line is Shure ULTRA 500 Series"


Ultra series Shures were introduced in the '80's.  In the '60's and '70's the V15 series, in its many iterations, was the top of the line Shure - as kayleerex1 alluded to.

I recently upgraded my cart on my TT. I had a Dynavector 20XL2L and over a month ago my dealer installed a Dynavector Karat 17DX. This was a big move up. Detail much more defined. Surface noise non existent. Almost like a tape recording. I finally feel I'm getting the absolute best out of my TT. 

I started out in the 1960s and ’70s with MM cartridges including a top of the line Shure V-15

@kayleerex1

V15 wasn’t even a top of the line from Shure :)

Top of the line is Shure ULTRA 500 Series

..........

To all "specialists" this thread: 

People often compare a mediocre MM to some MC and for some reason they think they are done with MM, but they did not even try a decent MM.

Try the Audio-Technica AT-ML180 OCC (MM) and I bet nearly all your MC will be outperformed by that monster. 

On the other hand, some people prefer high frequency exaggeration and overall sound coloration associated with mediocre MC cartridges. Not to mention that after refurbishing process with different parts they goes far away from the original sound. 

And finally, there are exceptionally great MC, MM and MI cartridges. But to judge about MM/MI versus MC each one must buy and try many of them using best examples in each category. 

If you prefer a mediocre MC to some MM then most likely your MM is a junk. 

The situation can be totally different once you will find some of the best MM (not the most expensive) and will compare them to some very expensive MC. 





  

Dana, that is the hook, the thought that there is something better. How do you know what you are getting? At best it is an educated crap shoot as in your case you took your friends advice. 
What is the most accurate cartridge and what is the best sounding one are two very different issues.
I have 24/192 downloads and vinyl of the same material. I'll match volumes and compare. The Clearaudio Da Vinci and Ortofon Windfeld Ti sound almost identical to the download. The Da Vinci is perhaps a bit more dynamic and a tad brighter than the Ortofon. The Clearaudio Charisma which I just purchased is obviously darker, larger and a lot more dynamic than the files. I think it is safe to say the Da Vinci and Windfeld Ti are more accurate but boy when it comes to rock the Charisma is so endearing. When you listen to it doing The Red Hot Chili Peppers who cares if it is accurate or not.
Now you have an additional problem when you start liking different cartridges for different music. Two Tonearms? Two Turntables? Two phono amps? Are you going to change cartridges every time you switch genres? 
My best advice unless you are filthy rich is, ignorance is bliss. Enjoy your Benz  and stay where you are until it shows signs of wear then do your educated crap shoot again.

To help people get the fever, like they did in the pure analog days..we had to have ’budget MM’s that blew people away’. The kind that have the flavours, the hints, the smells... that made people realize that there was really something fabulous in those record grooves.

I find that some of the budget cartridges today are real under performers. Or, conversely..that we don’t have the choices we used to have, where you could find that mind blowing mid-low cost cart that really shakes things up.

It is also a problem of R&D and money over time. As in sales numbers. To get to the juicy mid level MM’s that really sing, the manufacturer needs volume.

Or... the situation needs some modern technology to provide a small time manufacturer with the opportunity to take some innovation and apply it on a small scale in a viable manner. And bring that quality of the analog audio market back. So people can get the opportunity to really understand what analog is all about.

On a personal note, I’ve been trying to get to that point, for over 15 years. And now, modern technology provides that ’chance’. So, Teo now does MM cartridges.

I’m a budget audiophile like Dana, and all of the equipment in my system was used (Pioneer PL-600 -> McIntosh MX110z -> Yamaha M65 -> early 80’s Cornwalls).
I remember when I finally broke down and got a Denon MC cart, the DL-160, which replaced an AT440L, which is a fairly good tracker. The difference for me was immense, and I never went back. Unfortunately, they don’t make the DL-160, so once it wore out, I had to replace it with a Denon DL-301, which I didn’t quite as well. Since then, I’ve had Soundsmith retip the DL-160, and I can’t imagine how I could improve that without spending hundreds of dollars I don’t have.

I started out in the 1960s and '70s with MM cartridges including a top of the line Shure V-15.  Using first a Garrard changer, then Miracord 50H, and, bought in Hong Kong on R&R in 1969, a Thorens TD 125 turntable with Shure SME 3009 tonearm, efforts were made to achieve better reproduction.  Despite these turntable upgrades, there was little, if any, improvement.
In 2001, a VPI TNT 3.5 with 10" JMW Memorial tonearm and a Grado moving iron cartridge were acquired with little enhancement.  Transition to a Shelter MC cartridge occurred in about 2005 with a Clearaudio Concerto cartridge followed by a Clearaudio Stradivari V2.  The MC cartridges did offer noticeably better reproduction, but at a cost in the case of the Stradivari of over $3,500.
A couple of years ago, I read a very favorable review of the HANA low output MC cartridge.  Since there was by then quite a bit of stylus time on the Stradivari, I bought the HANA.SL for just $750.  I was amazed at the improvement.  For the first time, I realized what was recorded on an LP; it was far more "life-like" than I heard on vinyl before and on CDs, too, for that matter.  The accuracy of the sound and the ambience was as close to live reproduction I had heard.
When the HANA ML came out, I bought one.  It was surprising to find that as good as the SL was, the ML was noticeably better. There is no longer any impetus to continue the search for a better phono cartridge, although the Hana Umami Red Moving Coil Cartridge is tempting.  It's price is in the neighborhood of the Stradivari, though, which is intimidating.

In my experience, the phono cartridge is the most significant determinant of sound quality in record reproduction.  The phono preamp is the next most significant.  It is with pride I mention that mine is the third and latest that I have designed and constructed.  It is just a two-stage affair with low-noise BJT input stage and MOSFET output stage, yet in testing done at a famous high-end audio manufacturer, was noted to be surprisingly low-noise, additionally tracking the RIAA curve with little deviation.
The two preceding designs had JFET input stages, but a low-noise BJT is a better choice when the output impedance of the driver (phono cartridge) is low.  This is the case with with MC cartridges.

dynavectors are just wonderful... they and benz’s are my faves among a few random others

been thru many others (art9, koetsu, shelter, zyx (ugh)) - come back home to my glider, gull wing and xx2 and tkr

Years ago got off of my CD player and got on an Ortofon 2M red. Then blue. Then bronze. Then black. I thought that I was pretty close to what I could justify spending after the addition of a Hagerman tube preamp and vintage Mullard tubes. After all, this is an indulgence for me as I’m a family man. But, I got a serious deal on a vintage Dynavector Karat 23RS MR. I had it serviced by Andy Kim at the Needle Clinic (he repaired the suspension). From the first test track, I understood the difference between MM and MC. I believe that I plateaued in the MM world. Everything was quite enjoyable and fairly detailed with the 2M black, but with the Dynavector the depth of the music, the whole rhythms, cords, and tones that I didn’t know were there on the same LPs that I’ve been playing.....it was like going from a 1080p television to a 4k. Quite remarkable. One year spent at every cartridge progression helped me to appreciate fully appreciate where I am now. 

I'm guilty of chasing components for better and more and I feel I've neglected to recognize how good my Hana EH is. When I'm ready, next will be a big jump up the Hana line. Thanks for the reminder!

My first Benz was a Micro Glider back in the 90's. Superb cartridge. After that came a Benz Ruby H. All the same great Benz qualities, only in much bigger doses. The same only better as they say. Really like that sound and really happy, nothing to fault at all, just wanted more and Koetsu seemed the logical next step. Because no way I am trying a lot of the usually recommended contenders, not when already knowing what I like. Sure enough, Koetsu Black Goldline isn't really any different than the Benz's, just a whole lot more of all they do right. 

So the answer is yes there definitely is even more out there to be had. Do NOT buy another! Because if you break it soon, well then you do. But if you don't- and if you are careful you never will - then in a few to several years as technology advances there will be even better choices and you will be able to have everything you have now only better for the same or maybe even less. Which of course means if you're willing to spend more then you will be amazed all over again just how much better things can get.

Its not a challenge at all. Simply move up the Benz line to the next one you can afford, paying attention mostly to output. Or if you get to the point you can afford it then move to the cheapest Koetsu you can afford, again paying attention only to output. 

But that's a long ways off. All this same stuff applies equally if not more so to the phono stage.....

rega tables are well known for being sold (new) with very underperforming cartridges, expecting the owner to upgrade sooner than later

yes benz’s are wonderful cartridges, in an absolute sense, as well as in terms of performance for $ - they have afforded me with years of listening pleasure without fail