Still looking for a new Moving Coil Cartridge
I noticed that Music Direct has 20% off cartridge sale on select cartridges. I am still using a ZU/Denon DL103 MC cartridge Series 1 with the cartridges tightest tolerances. I purchased it here from “Audiofiel” back in 2010 and have used it sparingly since. I had been using a Dynavector DV20XL cartridge which I bought a couple of years ago but my 6 yo nephew destroyed it (that’s another story) so I am back to the ZU/Denon.
My table is a Technics SL1200G which I truly love. I have been looking at the Hana Low out put MC cartridges. I am interested in the low output “S” series as the $600.00 price is right where I want to be. Now, the million dollar questions: I listen to 95% 60’s, 70’s and 80’s Rock and want whatever cartridge I purchase to make the records sound good without excessive surface noise. Will the Hana S be up to the task? My Mac C2500 tube preamp has cartridge loading from 50 ohms up to 1000 ohms so I should be ok. I just want to be sure this cartridge will be very musical and full bodied sound. I do no want a thin sound. So there you have it, yay or neigh?
@elliottbnewcombjr I have a method where my Wife goes out, I then go for it in her Kitchen. I clear all work surfaces in the and protect them with News Paper, I have a Pump Up Spray Bottle for Distilled Water Jet Nozzle Rinsing. Lab Sponges and Micro Fibre Camera Lens Cloths are great for excess water removal. Apart from her OCD on placement of items, I am not usually captured in the act🤣 |
dogberry There are some great cartridges $700. or below here’s my AT33....for a great price these days, returns accepted Microlinear on Boron, great separation, tight channel balance for superior imaging. I’ve listened to many other cartridges in my system, mine and friends. It’s my first MC, I just made a lucky choice. Others here on the forum think highly of it. Many people prefer elliptical, typically on aluminum, new Denon’s are aplenty, here’s a Benz Micro Near me, come listen, bring yours 07062 |
I think I may order the new version of my broken Dynavector. Although I hate to throw $1200.00 into it, it doesn’t seem like the cheaper cartridges will do what I want. I was really hoping to get out of this for $600 to $700 bucks. I will have to check with member “Kron” as he sells new Dynavector cartridges at a small discount. |
Neither you nor I nor most of the rest of us, regardless of experience, have the capacity to account for a zenith error; there are no readily available tools to use for that purpose. I have a feeling there soon will be, from either Wally Tools or elsewhere. And yes, no zenith error with a spherical stylus. At the CAF, the person at the Wally Tools kiosk (not JR, who was taking a break at that moment) told me they will take your cartridge, measure for zenith error (and every other possible parameter), and sell you a shim to correct for the zenith error. He showed me an example of a shim, but it didn’t make sense to me how the shim he had on hand would do the job. In any case, Wally do understand the problem it seems. Unfortunately, there current solution costs $500, which pays for a thorough assessment of the cartridge, not just the zenith shim. |
This is the indisputable truth that so many don’t want to hear or believe. I have spent somewhere north of 50K on various cartridges and have a few set up professionally by Brian Walsh (whom I can not recommend enough). The hard truth is that the exotic cartridges set up optimally will not convey audio nirvana upon your lap and ears. Yes, there are incremental improvements, but only with optimal pressings which are few and far between. The sweet spot for me is with the Ortofon Cadenza Bronze and the Benz Glider SL. I have two of each just gathering dust and I am presently wearing out my Lyra Etna SL and Van den Hul Crimson Stradivarius XGW. When they are worn out I will "revert" to the Ortofon Bronze and Glider with zero regrets. This is just my take, I don’t claim it is right DESPITE my strong introductory proclamation. It is my truth, not yours. A very short comment on pressings-it is amazing that nothing can be assumed. I have purchased expensive boxed re-issues that were only "good" and small indy pressings that are amazing. |
