2. analog
  3. 156255-79729

MC Cartridge Ideas

I'am looking to get a low output cartridge and need your advise and recommendations on which ones to research.
The Price Range is $2000-$4000.
The Sound I'am after is excellent detail retrieval (match digital) with pin point and spatial imaging and most important of all Huge Bass (sub bass slam and low extension)

I know its a hard question as most will recommend one or the other as audiophile we don't necessary keep swapping cartridges, but may be you are an audio dealer - Ideally you would be selling 20-50 cartridges and a few in my price range. Based on my Sound Characteristics you might be able to say Cartridge A is $2500 and surpassed Cartridge B at $4500 in the area of detail retrieval but not with Sound stage.

That's sort of what I'am hoping to achieve from this exercise, some in depth advise.
As with everyone I would like to keep the spend low but really go to the upper extreme its definitely worth it compared to the offerings at the opposite end.
128x128kunalraiker
Ag insider logo xs@2x
drrsutliff
860 posts
 
@Kunalraiker

The Koetsu RSP is absolutely beautiful in its presentation but its strength is in the midrange.  It provides more of a musical immersion than a digital like reproduction.  The Purpleheart is one of the most emotionally engaging cartridges I have owned.  Again not as crystalline a musical producer as the Windfeld Ti, but I have found myself so enthralled with some pieces I have ended quite a few album sides almost holding my breath as the music’s emotions peaked.  Each has a roll to play in my system.  Both of these are twice as difficult to mount and optimize their set up due to stylus location compared to the Ortofon IMO.
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
I actually bought the turntable with the 17D3 Karat, but the cantilever broke a few years back. It was an awesome combo and then I got the xx2 which improved on the bass. Time to get a new cartridge.

I see, new cartridge is always good idea. Compliance for KARAT series is 15cu but most likely measured at 100Hz like all Japanese carts?

If it was measured at 100Hz then when we convert it to 10Hz is will be about 27cu. 

For example Koetsu Black compliance is 5cu @ 100Hz (about 8.5 @ 10Hz) and this is very low, another heavier arm tube must be used for such low compliance cartridges. 

Here is more about tonearm/cartridge resonance

 


audioquest4life
772 posts
 
“My present go-to recommendation for cartridge questions, is to call Soundsmith with your system info and budget, and listen very carefully. You will get a quality US made product with a reasonable stylus replacement cost and spectacular imaging.”

Highly suggest this recommendation. Some really good suggestions such as Benz, but higher end Benz models unobtainium so to speak. What you want is a cartridge with a wide frequency response and if you want a digital equivalency I would suggest mid output or high output which due to their higher output allows you to use a wider range of phono amps.
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
My present go-to recommendation for cartridge questions, is to call Soundsmith with your system info and budget, and listen very carefully. You will get a quality US made product with a reasonable stylus replacement cost and spectacular imaging.

@oldears
Peter at SoundSmith is recommending to avoid any MC cartridges in his lectures, none of his own cartridges are MC.

His cartridges are Moving Iron, but the OP is asking for LOMC
SS carts are definitely the best in terms of service, this is great, but they are not the best cartridges in the world.

I will ask Soundsmoth, but would prefer something Japanese.

That’s right, Japanese is the way to go.

Before you will ask Peter at SoundSmith please watch his lecture.
Most likely Peter’s the answer will be SoundSmith cartridge as he’s not a consultant in choosing cartridges from some other manufacturers for anyone.





enginedr1960
173 posts
 
I would try a Current injection phono stage . I have a LYRA Clavis Decapo and a BMC MMC1 phono stage it rivals and in some ways surpasses my digital front end  
More to discover