Best Budget Phono Cartridge?

Thanks to the moderators for deleting the hateful post above. It's difficult to believe that matters such as VTA could invoke such nastiness. To clarify, there is no such thing as a "negative VTA." Claiming that there is reflects an ignorance of the geometry of phono cartridge alignment. Here is a link to a graphic that clearly illustrates VTA and SRA and shows how they are related - but very, very different - angles.

Understanding these angles is key to achieving proper phono cartridge setup. However, it is critical to also achieve proper overhang and tangency in phono cartridge setup. That is why I always recommend using a mirrored gauge such as the Mint or WallyTractor, which align the actual stylus/cantilever assembly, and don't rely on the cartridge body or anything else to get those parameters correct.

 Sounds like I missed an interesting post- @viridian and @cleeds obviously disagree on how to refer to VTA, so I will read up, and draw my own conclusions. Nevertheless, thank you both for trying to educate a newbie. 

viridian

Just to clarify, I have no issue with disagreements on matters of phono alignment and welcome the discussion. So, contrary to cleeds wanting to paint my ire as a reaction to these differences, he knows that is not correct.

The post that was deleted by the moderators was ugly - truly vile. That's why they deleted it. If you object, you can share your thoughts with the moderators.

You correctly note that the link you provided refers to "negative VTA." The link is simply mistaken, and I've sent an email to the audio dealer asking them to correct it. We'll see if they do.

Humans can communicate because we use words with shared definitions. When we lose that, we lose out ability to communicate altogether.

The question seems to  remain: What is VTA (Vertical Tracking Angle)

Here's an accurate definition, courtesy of PS Audio: "... vertical tracking angle is the angle the cantilever makes with the surface of the record. Typically in the range from 10 to 30 degrees for cartridges, this should be matched to the VTA of the cutter head cutting stylus’s pivot angle as it cuts the record ..."

Here's another accurate definition, courtesy of tnt-audio: " VTA is represented as the angle the cantilever makes with the surface of the record, generally around 20-30 degrees. This is the widely accepted definition of VTA ..."

Here's yet another good definition, courtesy of hi-fiworld: " You can roughly visualise it as the angle a stylus cantilever makes with a disc's surface, although to be more precise it is the angle between a line drawn from the stylus pivot to the stylus point of contact with a disc and the disc's surface, denoted by A in the diagram ..."

Do you know where the "V-15" designation comes from in some phono cartridges, such as Pickering and Shure?  "The vertical tracking angle is 15 degrees, thus the 'V15' name." Surely we can all trust Shure to know what VTA is!

This link on Analog Planet contains the definitive article on VTA and SRA, published by Jon Risch and Bruce Maier. It explored SRA in away that had never been thoroughly considered previously. It's from Audio magazine. (That's the US version of the magazine. A briefer version of this was published elsewhere around the same time, perhaps Popular Electronics. But the Audio version is the best reference.)

Roy Gandy has a particular perspective on VTA. It's interesting.

Viridian, you are free to call me pedantic for setting the record straight on VTA. But the fact remains: There's really no such thing as "negative VTA." It's either physically impossible, or it relies on a mistaken definition of VTA. Choose the one that makes you most comfortable.