Just Snagged a Micro Seiki DD-35 - Need Help With Affordable Cartridge Options for SM-505

Awesome! I should have a stylus by early next week and will open it up for a cleaning if it plays nicely. Very excited. I sample vinyl for music production. Currently using a Sony PS-LX520. I love the automation, but MS looks way cooler. Wonder how they'll compare...

If you sample music from the records you need the best possible cartridge to get exactly what's on the record in the best possible quality. You can't extract music from the vinyl groove with your cheap cartridge. The key factor is stylus profile, check it.  Look at the contact area in white. This is natural "nude" FineLine diamond under my macro lens. 

This is from the vintage Ortofon Hi-Fi catalog: "The 'FINE-LINE' shaped DIAMOND (on the right) distributes the stylus pressure over a much wider contact area within the groove (look at the white marks) than is possible with conventionally shaped diamonds such as Conical (on the left) and Elliptical (in the middle). This provides greatly reduced wear on both record and stylus at the recommended tracking force. In addition, the 'FINE-LINE' STYLUS also provides better tracking ability and lower distortion at high frequencies in the critical inner turns of the groove.
Diamonds used in Ortofon styli have several different shapes, each designed for a specific purpose. We look upon diamonds as our best friends. We use them exclusively. Compared with other stylus materials they do cost more, but the extra expense is fully justified by the resulting superior performance and extended life."

For the sampling for music production your current cartridge is the worst ever. You also need a decent hi-fi phono stage (not necessary expensive), but definitely not a dj mixer. I think you already have a high quality Analog to Digital converter. 

I think your new turntable and toneam is nice, but cartridge is much more inportant. Those DJ carts does not have "nude" diamonds and normally they are all conical (worst profile ever) or elliptical, but very low quality. Grado made a better cartridges for DJs, but for sampling you need a Hi-Fi cartridge if you want the best. I think it worth $300-400 investment and you will be blown away by the difference between your cheap cartridge and a decent hi-fi cartridge.  

  

Thanks Chakster. That’s very helpful information and not something I had any knowledge of. I currently run into a Denon receiver (found on the road for free) then into a Mackie mixer, FX send into a 90’s Symetrix compressor (with Valley People chip) and finally into a Roland audio interface. I’ve been sampling vinyl for well over 10 years, but never considered the sound quality as a relevant variable. I do so much within my DAW that the samples are processed well beyond recognition usually. These days I sample more from digital content for convenience, but I still prefer the color and noise of vinyl. I love the idea of starting from a nude sound and working with a higher quality source material. Although I can’t afford $300 now, what you said makes sense so this is definitely going to be a goal.

Current setup:  https://imgur.com/a/6KJ11Yt