Marantz TT15/ Clearaudio Satisfy for MC carts?

@big_greg

I am using SL1200MK2/4/6 TTables for a long time, love them much for reliability and performance, here is my OP:

1): you will get nice SQ by adding Audio Technica MM cartridge, I personally found  the best sounding one is Audio Techinca AT20! Other AT MM carts will work well too, to name a few: AT-150MLX, AT ML160/170, haven’t tried yet latest 740/760 series, but those should be similar. For best results I am using high end AT head-shells, LS/LH/MS series.

2): the best tonearm for SL1200 I tried is SL1200MK4, which is Technics own “audiophile” version of S shaped arms, and uses Titanium to dampen resonances.  MK4 TT arm has handy RCA connectors for exploring variety of phono cables. Latest original series SL-1200MK6 table arm is cool too, seems it uses less resonating not fully disclosed alloy, and better wiring, SL-1200MK6 has better main body dampening as well, so, that table is worth to try.

3): There is one improvement I would recommend if you hear inner tracks 60Hz hum noise, is replacing power transformer with better shielded / toroidal one. 

The Best MM cartridges are MP cartridges from Nagaoka. I have two TT and run the MP200 on my Clearaudio Concept and the MP110 on my Thorens TD145. Fantastic. 

Nagaoka cartridges are very nice. Having said that, I had a MP-500 and sold it, while keeping the Clearaudio Virtuoso. I no longer have a Clearaudio turntable. Again, I would suggest listening to the TT15 with the Virtuoso and then decide if you want something else. 

I think it would be hard to go wrong with the Marantz. I even bought a $20 gizmo from Amazon, which is a grounded female outlet, wired to a male grounded plug. This comes with a mini hand held remote enabling you to turn on/off anything plugged in to it.... Sort of a heavy duty version of the ones Home Depot sells for turning a Christmas tree on/off via a remote. This device will allow me to bypass the power switch which is located on the rear leg of the TT15. So no chance of moving the motor like a few owners have mentioned. Another interesting option would be the Merrill GEM Dandy, but since Jelco is no longer making tonearms, that has become a pricier proposition. The Mo-Fi Studio/Ultradeck tables also look interesting. The shop where I listened to Marantz also had the Mo-Fi. They felt the Mo-Fi was more laid back sounding. I think my system balance with the Compact 7’s would appreciate the more lively TT15.

I have heard the Mofi Ultradeck, but not head to head with the TT15.  I thought it was a nice sounding deck and appeared to be more straightforward to operate and more user friendly than the TT15.