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High Performance Moving Iron Cartridge Candidates?

I have decided to simplify my analog set up a bit. removed the fussy cartridges and SUT's, and am down to one external phono stage, and the internal one in my Trinov preamp. 

 

The Trinov preamp is MM only, and I don;t want to use a step up or headamp with it. So that means high output moving coil or a MM type cartridge. 

I read on these boards that a MI cartridge can have lower moving mass than a moving coil I would like to experiment. 

What are the viable candidates these days? I imagine most vintage ones do not have OEM styli available still. The Soundsmith ones are interesting, but get very spendy. This is meant to be a casual cartridge for me, but I will spend some money on it. Just not Air Tight or Koetsu money.  

What are other choices? Not typically fond of Grado I heard in the past. Otherwise I think Nagaoka is the only other one I know of?

neonknight
dynacohum
740 posts
 

Did you mention the tonearm to be used?

ADC XLM/VLM was a favorite MI of mine but needs a low mass arm. 

neonknight OP
432 posts
 

Tonearm is going to be a low mass version of the Audiomods Series Six. Effective mass is 8.9 grams. 

oceanandmountains
53 posts
 

As someone mentioned up thread, a new Nagaoka is coming out in a month and would seem to fit the bill (assuming Nag’s bill is more than their TOL but far less than anything Air Tight). Based on the MP500, I’m in.

I was about to buy a new Decca a month or so ago, but I think I want someone else to go first.

markmoskow
50 posts
 

I have several Grado and Soundsmith. The sweet spot for me was Soundsmith Zephyr MKiii (not the ES), which you can get with a couple hundred hours for 750 or so. Unlike most, I find lower hours used cartridges worthy, especially since they are broken in. And if you need a Soundsmith rebuild for some reason you are still in a decent price range. I even bought one of these once after the seller shipped to Soundsmith for an "all clear" from them. Good company to deal with I've found.

jasonbourne71's avatar
jasonbourne71
1,458 posts
 

I have a Dynavector 10B high output mc cartridge. I think it sounds better - more "lively" - than moving iron cartridges like Grado or Nagaoka. 

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