Which cartridge for Graham 2.2 arm?

To Buy a worn MC cartridge is nonsense, even the worst Koetsu Black cost much more than your limit. Garrott Brothers, who rebuild cartridges for decades, claimed the original Koetsu was poorly made!

I’m wondering how people can recommend a worn/used Koetsu for a person you said his budget is $500 max??? A good Koetsu cost probably $5k. This is overpriced cartridge for reach people, the price for them is irrelevant (higher price for them is always better, no matter if the quality is not any better).

If you don’t mind used (as you said) buy MM or MI and look for a NOS stylus at least! The stylus you can swap yourself in 10 seconds (not that retippers crap).

Read about Garrott, because 99% of audiogon users never heard about it, but you can search audiogon to find a story written by R.Andreoli (he was like a son for them). Unfortunately the brothers are no longer with us, otherwise they could be number one cartridge repair service!



The P77 is legendary series of Dynamic Coil cartridges (MM), at $500 you can’t buy any better cartridge (new). The P77i is the latest version, still in production in Australia. The cartridge is sweet on top quality tonearms. I’ve been using mine on Reed 3p (it’s €5k tonearm). 

Even JICO SAS stylus is compatible with old and new Garrott.

Thanks very much for all the input everybody, I will take it all under advisement.
I have a high-output Grado wood cart so I could try that to start.

Excellent choice. For fun, I put a Grado Opus3 on my Graham 2.2 mounted on a full Pedersen modified (and other mods) Michell Orbe SE. I ask folks how much they think the cartridge costs. Answers so far are $600 - $3k. The Opus3 retails for $275.

High output MC cartridges in your price range will easily be beat by either Grado (MM) or Soundsmith (MI) cartridges in the same price range.

Nice. I was looking at the Soundsmith carts as well. I have owned several B&O tables and did enjoy the MMC designs. 

@chakster , Correct, it was very poorly made. I had one.

@tzed , check out the Grado 1042. Also, you can always add mass to the tonearm to make it work with somewhat less compliant cartidges.