Cartridge Opinions - Sorry


Yeah, another dumb "what's your opinion on these cartridges" thread. Back in the late 80's we had dealers where you could listen to the stuff.

So anyhow I have a Linn LP12 with Ittok arm and a 30 year old Audioquest B200L cartridge. I'm running it through the phono stage of a Jeff Rowland Coherence One into a Spectral DMA90 through a set of Kef R300's.

I prefer a little more laid back sound (err on the side of forgiving instead of fatiguing) but I like a lot of upper end detail, precise soundstaging, air, etc.

So far I'm considering an Ortofon Quintet S Black, Hana SL or a Benz wood - something at or below the $1k level.

I'd love to hear any opinions, suggestions, and experiences with those cartridges or others in the price range. I could possibly go higher if there is something out there that really shines for less than $1,500.

Thanks.


klooker
@kennyc : good that you are near an expert on set up but till now you don't answer my questions to you:

"  How do you mantain exactly those 90 degrees ( which groove do you choice to make the alignment and why and where in the LP surface and with which LP. ? ) and 92 degress at each single groove ? ""

or you are only trolling in the subject?

R.


Raul,  The Allaerts cartridge REALLY exhibits 70db separation at 100Hz?  That's about as unbelievable as the other specs on stereo separation you posted, not to mention 0.1% distortion!!!
Allaerts can say what they want, but don't tell me you believe those absurdly good numbers.  You're too smart for that.
I do not buy used cartridges Raul. It is too risky. I am tempted to buy an Allaerts cartridge. Hopefully he will still be in business when I get the chance. I have other fish to fry first. I REALLY want to get a Schroder LT and put it on a Dohmann Helix 2. Dream on.
Dear @lewm : and that tracking ability number ! .  Those " incredible " specs that sounds " absurdly good " as you said comes in Jan site.

Now, I never measured it and what I can say to you is exactly what I posted in those threads that are confirmed by other Allaerts owners in the forums.

Now, Jan is not only very professional designer and manufacturer but very serious and honest on all what he does.

The first hand experiences I ahve with both models in the tracking ability issue said that does not matters in which tonearm ( because I mounted in different tonearms. ) it tracks everything and in the 1812 not even the 26/27 can makes a better job.

If you read in several of the wbt and here references on the cartridges confirm not only about TA but about that huge separation and those gentlemans not even mentioned cartridge specs as I did it here.

I have to tell you that I bougth my MC2 Finish Gold with out knowing its specs but because what owners posted.
Lewm, even M.Fremer was a little surprised about but not even at Stereophile they measured.

The Allaerts quality performance levels makes that those specs go unimportant.

Yes,  I thought exactly like you when I knew the specs. Perhaps a gentleman like J.Carr could be who can confirm if those specs can be achieved but in case he remotely comes here and remotely could says that can be achieved then the first question to him will be why not in Lyra cartridges.

R.
Those specs would be OK for a phono stage, but for a phono cartridge seems unlikely, to say the least.  This is not to say that the Allaerts is not a wonderful cartridge.  I'd love to hear one.