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New cart for under 1K

I am looking to buy a new cartrdige for my setup. My current system consists of a VPI Scout II with a Black Knight platter and 10.5SE tonearm (the TT Michael Fremer demonstrated a cartridge setup at last years show in NYC), JM Focal 936's, Mac solid state power & pre, and a Dynavector P-75 phono pre-amp. The Focal's are very accurate and tend to be bright in the highs. Brightness is what I am trying to avoid. I've found the highs to be too harsh for my liking, especially with vocals. Sibilance is also an issue and something I have attempted to control with speaker placement, VTA, damping fluid, and the tone controls on my old Mac preamp. My current cart is a Grado Gold. I am hopeful that upgrading to a new cartridge helps eliminate some of the treble harshness and provides a sweeter overall sound. I'm interested in the Dynavector 20x2 so far. Any other suggestions for 1K or under, Benz, Ortofon, Sumiko (Blackbird, a little over 1K, but what the hell)?

Thanks for you assistance!
davidlillis
chaskelljr2001's avatar
chaskelljr2001
476 posts
 
Davidillis:

In pursuit of my own Vinyl Setup (which is no where as being close to your VPI Scout II + Black Knight Platter + JMW Memorial 10.5 Arm...... Mines will be a restored Thorens TD-160 + Jelco SA-750D Arm), I am looking to top mine off with an Ortofon 2M Blue Cartridge (another subject matter entirely).

In the case of your Vinyl Setup, in pursuit of taming the brightness of your Speaker System, I would look at trying either an Ortofon 2M Black, or a Sumiko Blackbird. The Ortofon 2M Black is about $700.00, while the Sumiko Blackbird is a little over $1,000.00. I would also look at one of the Benz Wood Bodied Models as well.

Hopefully, one of these fine Cartridges would cure the brightness issue that you are currently having.

Good Luck In Your Search.

--Charles--
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Sturgus, Only bachelors are allowed (by themself)to do such things. Don't you know that everything connected with furnishing is the born right of the 'weaker' kind of the human kind? Besides the limit 'under 1 K' may suggest some other rights.
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
I've owned two of the carts named above, the Ortofon 2M Black and the Soundsmih Zephyr, both on a VPI JMW 10.5 tonearm. IMO the Zephyr is superior in every respect to the 2M Black (sold last year). I recognize that this could be a system issue, YMMV and all that.
dweller's avatar
dweller
3,813 posts
 
Harsh high freqs can result from poorly shielded ICs in a "hot" RF environment (i.e. urban, military, etc.).
I had issues like this in Chicago.
wntrmute2's avatar
wntrmute2
188 posts
 
I like my Sumiko Blackbird. No upper end harshness but good detail across the range. Probably not the last word in carts but an all a rounder that is not fussy about VTA. I have an easily adjustable and repeatable VTA adjustable tonearm and the characteristics do not change much as one raises and lowers the VTA. So if you want a set it and forget it cart that does NOTHING wrong, the BB may be for you. Used ones or even new ons are found here often! I also find that exposed cantilever makes setting the alignment just that much easier.
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