I could also get an outboard phono stage for the second system.
Cartridge recommendations for second system turntable please
So I have been thinking of assembling my old gear, which I have never sold, into a second system. The turntable would be a Music Hall MMF-7. I need a new cartridge for it, as the original Goldring Eroica that came with it is very old and has a bent cantilever. The rest of the system would be: Project Speedbox, MF KW500 integrated amp, MF Tri-vista DAC, MF A3.2 CDP, Transparent Powerbank 8, all Transparent cabling, Carver Amazing Loudspeakers. I listen to a lot of jazz, as well as rock, vocals, "world music," classical, pop. Thanks in advance for the cartridge recommendations. Would especially love to hear actual user experiences.
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Hi, arsh, I have a Music Hall mmf-7 and in addition to the Goldring Eroica H that came with the turntable, I have enjoyed using a Goldring 1012GX, a Dynavector DV-20XL, and an Audio-Technica AT-33PTG, which is currently on the tonearm. Each of them has worked well on the ’arm and sounded very nice. The tonearm on the mmf-7.1 is a decent ’arm (Pro-Ject 9c) and is more than capable of bringing out fine performances from these cartridges. I also have a Michell Engineering Gyro SE with a SME 309 tonearm and have used the DV-20XL and AT-33PTG on the ’table. In comparison to the mmf-7 the sound is more revealing and dynamic with a more quiet background but the Pro-Ject 9 tonearm holds it’s own. I’m currently using an Audio-Technica ART9 (on the SME 309), which replaced an aging Dynavector Karat 17D3. After a hundred hours or so I can say that I prefer the ART9 because if its better tonal balance (less emphasis on the lower frequencies), improved bass control, and a more natural sounding mid-range and uppermost frequencies (cymbal crashes for example). Plus, it does a better job of tracking difficult high-energy passages. I think the AT9 would sound very good on your Pro-Ject 9c tonearm if you decide to spend more money on the cartridge. Regards, Tom PS: I’m using a MF A3.5 integrated and Rogue Audio Stealth phono stage with the mmf-7 so other than the speakers, the electronics are similar. The speakers, on the other hand, are quite different. I’ve wanted to hear a pair of those Carver speakers. |
Thanks Tom. That is very interesting information. I really appreciate it. My turntable is the MMF7 not the 7.1. Is the tonearm the same? I have read with interest the information on this forum about the audio Teknika art 9 cartridge. I would be very interested in trying it on the music hall turntable if it is a good match. |
The mmf-7 came with the Pro-Ject 9 aluminum tonearm while the mmf-7.1 came with the first generation of the Pro-Ject 9 carbon ’arm. I haven’t tried the ART9 on the mmf-7 but given that it plays fine on the SME 309, which has a lower effective mass than the Pro-Ject 9, I’m assuming it would also work well. Using a resonance calculator the resonance frequency is somewhere between 7Hz and 8Hz. Not ideal but not in the red zone. Tom PS: You may want to read this thread: http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/vinyl/messages/114/1141823.html |
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