What cartridge to replace my Audioquest 404 BH?
Well, my AR ES-1 turntable was in a closet for about 15 years before I
set it back up a couple months ago. The tonearm is an Audioquest PT-5.
It actually sounds pretty good, with the exception of the louder, more
complex passages, which sound a bit strained or harsh(I don't think the
problem is mis-tracking). As to the cartridge itself, it was used
quite a bit back in the day, and I have played quite a few LPs since
setting it back up. With my vision, it is difficult to really see the
stylus and I don't have much experience with how a stylus is supposed to
look anyway. I just have a feeling that the stylus is worn(not to
mention just old) and I can improve my sound with a new cartridge.
The 404 BH was a pretty highly reviewed high output MC cartridge in its
day, and I wouldn't want to take a step down in audio quality. Its
rated output is 2.2mv, which is on the low side for my receiver and I
have to crank the volume fairly high.
So, can anyone recommend a few MM or high output MC cartridges that I can check out? I am seeing great reviews on the Dynavector 20X2 H and
10X5
.
Thanks much.