Looking for a Warmer Sounding Phono Cartridge

@baylinor I must be looking for the wrong things, as when I've fooled around with VTA, I wind up at parallel again. It may be that I can't discern the subtleties of this adjustment well enough to set it.

Please explain what you look for and what the new alignment will be compared to parallel.

@drvinyl01 Hi, could you elaborate on your post? In your opinion what exactly is wrong with my system?

I very carefully align my cartridge to the arm and table. I perform all the needed adjustments. I use an arc protractor that I created from an app on this website. I adjust azimuth electronically. I measure and set antiskate. I use the Ledermann technique. I measure FR, distortion, etc. I level the arm balance using a ruled clear arylic block. VTF is set using a digital scale placed in the plane of the LP. I do not alter VTA (perhaps I should).

I perform these adjustments to the best of my abilities. I am a "lab rat". At work, I am an optical engineer with an MS degree. I perform theoretical as well as lab duties equally well. Many optical adjustments are as fine or finer than the ones needed for cartridge installation and alignment.

I have the skills, the knowledge, the tools, and the patience to perform an exact alignment (usually. Lofgren A).

These are the reasons why I am a bit confused by your statements. If you could be more detailed, I will be able to follow and perform your suggestions.

Since I don't adjust VTA/SRA, I would like to have some guidelines for getting the adjustment right. The usual method is by ear. But what does one listen for? Gotta be more exact than "you'll know when you get there, the sound snaps into place".

Thanks for your comments. I would like to hear more about your ideas.

Stanton 881S with the original Stereohedron stylus.

If you want warm, and enjoy Koetsu already, I assume you are looking for an alternative to Koetsu, rather than asking us to say "More Koetsu!"

I guess Benz Micro are renowned as warm MC cartridges. I'm biased towards MI cartridges, as their liveliness is a major win on a different axis to frequency response. Two people have mentioned the Nagaoka MP-500, which is price:worth winner. You can get better still in that way, and the more you spend on a Grado or a Soundsmith the more you can have. If londondecca.com ever make a new Reference cartridge I could say buy that, but it might not happen.

Or I could get cheap, and suggest different loadings to tame your existing MC cartridges.

@kevemaher Stated,  "I find also that I'm not as interested in "getting everything that's on the vinyl". Not anymore. I want warmth with quality. "

I like this type of approach, there is nothing like cutting through the BS and Fantastical Ideas that can be commonly seen touted.

@kevemaher I have this approach myself, I like to experience music exactly as I like, if there is a frequency that is not represented in a way another can't settle with that is fine by myself.

My Speakers are suggested by many to have shortcomings at certain frequencies, I have been loyal the the Speakers for nearly 30 Years. Also interesting when at a Public HiFi event where there were 50 Exhibitors of their Systems and more than 500 Paying Audio Enthusiasts attended, my Room was given the Best in Show Merit. So much for those Speakers that are exposed to commonly seen discrediting.

My next preferred past time with Audio, is one where I like to experience other systems that are especially created, as a result of the the owner of the system being very sure footed about how they like their musical encounters to be created for themselves. 

I am to suggest something maybe already experienced by yourself or maybe not.

I have a 5mv Output LOMC, that I can use with a few different owned Phonostages and and a few owned SUT's. Additionally I have also been able to loan SUT's and  >Head Amp's to increase the configurations.

I know the differing configurations offer a variety of the perceptions of Richness that can be created.

A Audio Innovations 800 or 1000 model SUT, is the Richest Tone I have been able to create using the MM Input.

My Cinemag 1254 is my favourite SUT and is the SUT with least Rich Tone I have encountered using the MM Input, it is almost parity with a Head Amp design I use, which I will refer to as being leanest ancillary used on a MM Input. 

I have used the MC Input option, but I have not been able to Wed to this as a permanent method to use a LOMC.

I also use the 5mv Output LOMC directly into the MM Input, this as a method does mean the VC will be dialed clockwise more than usual to get the required listening levels. 

The 5mv Output directly into the MM Input also produces the Richest Tones I have heard in any replay in any system. 

I tell friends that immediately available is a variety of Cart's traits all to be found in one Cart'.  

Does the method get everything that is on vinyl?, does it really matter?

I suggest the Shelter is first selected to be tried through the MM Input as I believe it has a 5mv Output, I feel confident you will experience a substantial increase in the perception of a Rich Tone being produced.

I don't know how the 4mv Output Cart's will adapt to this method, but it is well worth a try.   

IF your hearing of highs is diminished, presumably by age, this problem should not occur, and I believe any different cartridge will not solve the problem.

I suspect it is a combination of cartridge alignment, and your specific sensitivity to specific frequencies.

For vinyl only, the final solution, after checking all arm/cartridge alignments will simply be using tone control to reduce the treble.

Do you personally have the inexpensive tools and skills to do all the alignments? starting with spindle/pivot/overhang distances; moving on to the two null points; then azimuth; then simple VTA (arm parallel when playing); tracking force; last anti-skate. (VTA need not be perfected, just the simple parallel arm method)

All correct, I expect the problem will be lessened. If not, simply cut the treble with tone control a speck or two when playing vinyl.

If you do not have the tools, skills, tell us where you live, I suspect many like me will come to your house and do the alignment for you. I'm in Plainfield, NJ, 07062. If you have a removable headshell, I could bring a couple of my cartridges to see if you hear any significant differences.

I have owned both a Soundsmith and the Charisma. The Charisma is a significantly warmer sounding. It is also very dynamic and quiet because of it's Gyger S stylus. 

The Soundsmith is more accurate and just as quiet but the OP wanted warm.

First thing I would do is lowering your VTA. It might just be enough increase in the low frequencies to soften up the top end. Worth a try since it costs nothing.

Second the opinion of @noromance the Nagaoka MP500

Your brightness is do to the fact that your table and arm are not optimal. You have a ton of noise and tracking issues, Get an arm that can be properly set up and a TT that does not introduce noise and vibrations.

Nagaoka MP500

It's outside your price range, though not outside the Koetsu you mentioned, but you should consider the Benz LPS.  It is a wonderful, full bodied sound, without becoming flabby or losing detail.  Exquisit midrange.  It is a heavy cart and works best with a higher mass tonearm.

My more detailed cart is the Ortofon Verismo.  I don't think either is better or worse, just different in very musical ways.

Check out any of the Air Tight cartridges lower than the PC-1 Supreme and you will get incredible warmth with a hint of roundness at the top. This is true for the PC-1s, PC-1 Coda, PC-1, PC-7 and PC-9. 

More affordable My Sonic Lab cartridges will be similar - Air Tight and MSL are made by the same engineer.

Audio Technica ART9-XI is another really good one, one of my favorites and its predecessor the ART9 gained a lot of love on this forum. Do a search for that one to see what people say. 

@ghdprentice  You can find the listing of my gear at the bottom of my OP. I forgot to include the arms. I have a Micro Seiki MA-505L on a separate pod aligned with the Technics SL-1200G, the stock arms on the Technics and the Denon and several others in the bullpen (3 MA-505 arms, and an Audiomods 6).

The Koetsu is truly wonderful. But it will not last forever. I need another good warm cartridge as backup and eventually main. I have three cartridges mounted, aligned and ready to play, all the time. I could surely use another warm one!

Go with a Shibata or Elliptical.

I just purchased  an open box Grado Hi out-put sonata and I love it! I too was tired of MC carts they are great on good recordings but not so on others. I used a AT760 MM cart till it developed a hum on the right side and ill be sending it back for repair or replacement . The Sonata can be picked up for around 400 to 450 as a demo or open box . My first MI Cart and I'm sold!

I thought the mention of Koetsu RS by the OP was the Rosewood Signature.  It is hard to think of anything more like what he is asking for than that cartridge—a great sounding, warm, rich, and not at all strident or bright device.  If even more of that quality is needed, perhaps other components need to be examined, like the phono stage.

Sorry you are having trouble. I have struggled with walking that thin line between detail and harshness up to twenty years ago and since have progressively improved my system by moving up to better components on the natural / musical side.
 

Over the last ten or fifteen years my system has been warm, natural and detailed. I have run out of so many demonstrations with my hands clasped over my ears it is not funny… high end systems. So, I completely understand your point of view.

My inclination would be to discuss your system. But you said you did not want that. I use a Koetsu Rosewood Signature, it is a wonderful natural sounding cartridge. Probably why you like your Koetsu. You can see my system under my userID. I’d really be interested in seeing yours. Looks like you started to create them an stopped.

Doesn’t the koetsu already meet your requirements?  That is one of the least strident, yet still reasonably clear sound cartridge on the market.  There are some Ortofons that are also rich and not very bright sounding, like the Quintet Bronze (the higher-priced Black is brighter and more strident), and if you had a tonearm that can take an SPU headshell, the Ortofon SPU cartridges would also probably fill your requirement.  It has been quite a while since I heard a Grado, but their older cartridges were also quite mellow and lacking a harsh and bright top end.

I'd get a SoundSmith, the best you can afford. Made in USA and very reasonable retipping fees.

Get a Clearaudio Charisma