Cartridge question

seems to be a pretty good TT (until you get the bug to move up).

https://vintaudio.pt/yamaha-yp-d6/

Signal to noise ratio: better than 70dB
Wow and flutter: less than 0.035% wrms
Tonearm: S-type static balance
Effective length: 222mm
Overhang: 17mm
Suitable cartridge weight: 4 to 15g
Headshell: aluminium die-cast plug-in type

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I would NOT buy any ’spherical’ stylus like you mentioned

at least buy ’elliptical’, but preferably buy an advanced stylus shape: Line Contact/Microridge/Shibata/SAS: they cost more, but last much longer, thus over time not so costly. And, they track at lighter tracking weights, make more groove contact, thus less wear to your LP’s grooves and the stylus itself, thus stylus lasts much longer.

AND, without a doubt Sound better, deliver much improved imaging, ...

Microridge typically lasts twice as long as Elliptical, thus paying twice as much (or less) initially is actually the same or less money over it’s life. Get all the advantages now IF you can scratch up the $, or wait a bit longer to save more or sell something.

• Spherical / Conical - 150hrs
• Elliptical - 250hrs
• Shibata/Line contact - 400hrs
• SAS/MicroRidge - 500hrs

https://www.sound-smith.com/articles/stylus-shape-information

For excellent Imaging: I prefer both wide channel separation, and importantly, tight channel balance, I recommend this cartridge if it fits your budget

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/cartridges/type/moving-magnet/vm540ml

If too high price, then this one isstill microlinear stylus (however: less channel separation, wider center balance)

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/cartridges/type/moving-magnet/at-vm95ml

elliptical stylus $99.

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/cartridges/type/moving-magnet/at-vm95e-h

keep in mind, eventually you can buy ’extra’ headshells, and have alternate cartridges mounted, i.e. MC/MM/Mono ... If you ever move to a different TT, get a Tonearm with removable headshell, and they will fit that tonearm.

@rocky1313 - I see a couple of conflicting views in the posts above

• support for Sherical
• support for the more advanced stylus profiles

So it really depends what side of the fence you are leaning toward - DETAILS or MUSICALLITY

• a sherical profile is not able to get into the groove details as much as the more advanced profiles
  • lack of details can be interpreted as being more musical, which is why many people gravitate towards them
• BUT, the more advanced the profile, the more they are able to extract finer detials
  • BUT,they require a lot more attention to detail WRT cartridge allignment/setup
    • but using some type of mirrored protractor, you can achieve very precise allignment/setup
    • which will deliver stunning details and imaging
• a happy "medium" might be the Shibata profile or even an very good eliptical profile that provide musicality with improved details

For many years I used eliptical, then changed to a Denon D103 with a sherical styus profile, which delivered excellent musicality.

Then more recently I had the D103 modified by Soundsith with an Optimzed Countour Contact Line profile stylus and Ruby Cantilever. This provided a noticeble improvement in details and imaging but it took myself and a much younger pair of eyes about 2 hours to setup correctly

Of course, it's not that simple - with the more advanced profiles you will need a better phono stage, but I found the rewards were worth the investment

Going forward, I would rpobably opt for a Shibata profile, simply because it is not as demanding from an allignment/setup perspective and would still provide more details than the sherical stylus..

Hope that helps with your descision

Regards - Steve