Best cheapo Cartridge

I bought an AT150MLX back in 2008. I got a lot of good sound and good wear out of it for around 10 years. Then I got a bent cantilever. At that time, AT was having trouble getting boron for the cantilever, so they switched the cantilever/stylus on the AT150 to a tapered aluminum cantilever with a nude Shibata. Price was really good and I mail ordered it from Wal-Mart of all things. I've been using that combo ever since. I thought I liked the MicroLine stylus, but I *really* like the Shibata.

It stands to reason that the Shibata would be an even better tracker because that stylus shape was designed to track discrete quadraphonic LPs, which have the back channels modulated up to 40Khz. So my Shibata negotiaates every part of an LP flawlessly, especially when it comes to the inner groove area, where it tracks without a hint of fuzz or grunge.

Its really not the cartridge that makes that much difference in the 300 - 400 dollar range but the stylus type.

Here are roughly the stylus types in ascending quality order:
conical
elliptical
hyper elliptical
micro line
shibata
line contact

The break point is around micro line.  Get a moving magnet (cheaper and does not need expensive moving coil phono amps) with a microline stylus: VM50040ML
 
Check out the following:

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/S/aplus-media/vc/d8d67b8f-5ee3-455f-a9cb-a551423af5e9.png

PS: There is an argument as to whether shibata or microline is better.  I think they are very close:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eltkbgtr4O4

@uberwalts

Be hard pressed to find a good FR-5E for much less than a $100 nowadays Chakster. And nearly all I have seen for sale of late are in Russia or Japan, hard to find one here in USA.And it is a very light cart so not going to suit all arms for sure.

I’ve been there, tried it years ago, i think i sold mine for $100-120 to a friend. It was better than the new Grado in the same price range. It’s lighweight, but with 13g shell it’s fine. To my ears FR-5e was better that FR-6se. You’re right that Japanese cartridges are cheaper in Japan. But in the USA you have some nice Stanton / Pickering at garage sale i hope :) The 881s is great, but on ebay it’s more expensive.

@cakyol

Its really not the cartridge that makes that much difference in the 300 - 400 dollar range but the stylus type.

Not only stylus, but a cantilever type and effective mass also responsible for frequency response. It is possible to find vintage MM with Beryllium Pipe cantilever for example. But it’s impossible to find/buy any new cartridges with beryllium cantilever at any price (the closest is Boron).

@johnnyb53 

It stands to reason that the Shibata would be an even better tracker because that stylus shape was designed to track discrete quadraphonic LPs, which have the back channels modulated up to 40Khz. So my Shibata negotiaates every part of an LP flawlessly, especially when it comes to the inner groove area, where it tracks without a hint of fuzz or grunge.

Yep. Shibata is great, originally invented by JVC Victor, the X-1II was the best.

Thanks for all the feedback, just what I need.

@onhwy61 retipping is certainly an option.  In addition to SS, Ortofon offers a rebuild service on the Jubilee for a minimum of around $1200.  Not cheap.  

Also considering searching someone to possible repair my Proteus after only 450 hours.  That one burns a bit since for me it was ultra expensive.  Bought that one before I retired!

Dear @pops : I posted about MM cartridges because you ask for but in reality you own two LOMC cartridges that can't be outperformed by MM ones.

I owned the Jubilee and owned the the Transfiguration Temper and Phoenix S and listened the Proteus that is excellent performer.

To fix both great cartridges is the best alternative if you want that high quality level performance.

Other than SS exist other rettipers as Van den Hul or Northwest Analogue (  https://www.northwestanalogue.com/cartridge-repairs.html )
or Expert Stylus and some others out there. So you have option about.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.