Ortofon 2MBronze; Quintet Red; Vivo Red???


I am trying to find the right cartridge for a Rega P3-24 turntable. Ortofon offers several choices in both MM and MC

The 2M Bronze is at the upper end of that MM series.($499)

There is a new low output MC, The "Quintet Red" reasonably priced at 299.00

Last the Ortofon Red Vivo (high output at mV 3.5) retails for approx. $350.00 and may be discontinued

This is small but confusing spread of phono cartridges. Has anyone had experience with one or all of the above mentioned in terms of overall sound quality. Thank you!!
sunnyjim
There really is no such thing as a "right" cartridge for any table or arm. Everyone has something different they are looking for.

I have owned and sold and installed hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of carts and they all sound different.

I have a fully modified Rega P25 and have tried at least 40 different carts. One of my favorites, (that is currently installed) is the Audio Technica AT150MLX. The Dynavector carts are one of my favorite brands of carts, but on this table, none sounded as good as the AT.

To answer the OP's question, out of the carts you have listed, I'd go with the Bronze.
"There really is no such thing as a "right" cartridge for any table or arm"

I totally disagree.

As much as there are WRONG cartridges for a given tone arm, their are also RIGHT cartridges. And that's what I was recommending, a right one.
Matt...with all due respect, the "right"
cartridge is for "you", not for the tonearm.

Yes, there are some carts and arms that have an
incompatibility issue, but if you take 20 carts that will
work on a given arm, you will likely have 20 different
responses to the sound of those carts.

Please don't get me wrong, I LOVE Dynavector carts, but
to say that the 10X5 is the right cart for the Rega P3/24
is, well...just wrong. If it's right for you GREAT, but to
make a blanket statement like is just irresponsible, By
saying it's the RIGHT (your emphasis) cartridge, you are
implying, it's the only cartridge.

Let's just say the Dyna 10X5 is "one" of the
carts to work well with this table, but there are many
others.
Matt and Mofi. I had a Dynavector 10X5 for 5 years with moderate use. I sold it because I was fearful of ot getting it trashed in transit from Hawaii to the mainland. I also mistakeningly thought that an MC wear faster and so it was time to put it on selling block

It provided very good sound over the course of my ownership. BTW, I also ran it for a while with a Musical Surroundings Phonmenon II phone pre-amp which provided greater overall smoothness. Nevertheless, I sold MSPII along with separates to make way for the Rogue Sphinx integrated amp wkich has only a MM stage. This MM stage's output was low and with the Dynavector, I had to jack up the volume to above 2 o'clock to get loud.

Mofi, I am considering an AT 150MLX MM which is slightly used and on sale. However, this design cartridge engine is vintage 1997....and probably makes a difference when compared to the newer Ortofon 2M Bronze engine. The Bronze received only OK reviews compared to the less expensive models below, but also noted that it sounded better than the 2M Blue.

Again, the issue is compatibility with the Rega arm; I was warned by several members that it would be a BAD MATCH with Denon 103R.

Will take a look also at the new Clearaudio V2 MM which is about $300.00 (n0t the V2 Ebony which is about $1200 at retail.....way way above my pay scale Thanks to all who have respomded so far.
I have always been impressed with the synergy between a Rega 3-series turntable and the Rega Exact (now series 2) cartridge. It's a little more money than what you've mentioned, but it has this "rightness" on a wide variety of material, and although MM, is well regarded among high-priced LOMC enthusiasts, e.g., Jeff Dorgay of Tone Audio. You might find this thread enlightening from Steve Hoffman's website.