[MichaelFranks]

Just got this bad boy up and running today with a new budget stanton 500 MKII and it sounds really good for the money, which of course makes me wonder what a 100$ cartridge would sound like

It will take some time before I have the cash to upgrade, but I want to hear what you guys think I should be on the lookout for. All suggestions appreciated, resources on proper turntable "tweaking" when changing tonearms/cartridges appreciated as well.

 

[Gopher]

A couple of weeks ago I would have given you an unconditional recommendation to go with the most expensive Grado you could afford, as I found myself very pleased with the Platinum on my scout setup and heard good things about the gold. In the last couple of weeks however, I've become a real fan of my new Dynavector high output MC cart. The one I have is a 20X-H which is a bit out of your budget, but I suspect some of the plastic bodied carts could be afforded on the used market.

Also, I've liked Shures from what I've heard (V15?). I know it was purchased by my friend for $200 new and suspect used it would fall into budget.

 

[lini]

Michael: I'd recommend to try the Audio-Technica AT120E - very nice for the price. And it can be upgraded with better needles.

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[Anders]

I have had a TD 166 and it is a good but rather basic turntable. I think a cartridge in the $100 - 150 range would be optimal.

The most important "tweak" is to read the manual very carefully and mount and set up the cartridge correctly! It is also important to clean the clips that connect to the cartridge and the output plugs. These are not gold plated and there are some years on them. It must be more than twenty years old. DeOxit recommended.
A further tweak can be to change the external cable and also get some better output plugs, not to something expensive, only something decent for $20 or so. I never did that because the next step, changing the internal tonearm wiring, was difficult and I was afraid to destroy it instead.

Some setup and tweaking resources:
http://www.gcaudio.com/resources/howtos/ttsetup.html
http://www.originlive.com/troubleshooting.htm

(Some adjustments cannot be made on TD 166, as VTA, vertical tracking angle).

 

[MichaelFranks]

Thanks for the tips guys, keep them coming! My budget will most likely be around 200$ for the package.

Anders: This table has interconnects that are attached to the inside of the turntable, wouldn't that make upgrading them rather difficult/inadvisable? I know the interconnects make a big difference when dealing with such delicate frequencies, but that mod seemed a bit out of reach...

 

[JefferyK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelFranks Just got this bad boy up and running today with a new budget stanton 500 MKII and it sounds really good for the money, which of course makes me wonder what a 100$ cartridge would sound like It will take some time before I have the cash to upgrade, but I want to hear what you guys think I should be on the lookout for. All suggestions appreciated, resources on proper turntable "tweaking" when changing tonearms/cartridges appreciated as well.

Jack's Music Factory is selling the latest version of the Shure V15 for $199 (free shipping). This is a great deal: the most common retail selling price is $325.

I have a Technics SL-1200 MKII, and over the past year I've tried a Grado Silver, an Audio Technica AT440ML, a Stanton 681EEE MKII, a Stanton 500 MKII and the latest Shure V15. Of all of these, I prefer the Shure, although the Audio Technica is very close in quality (and costs half as much, around $100). I prefer both of these cartridges over the Stantons, which sounded muddy. I liked the sound of the Grado but I could never get it to track properly on my TT.

The Shure has a flat frequency response, good bass, loads of detail and very, very clear imaging. The built-in stabilizer brush means you can use it with any tone arm. It tracks at 1.0 grams, meaning minimal record wear. Also, it comes with useful accessories: a protractor, a screwdriver, a stylus brush, and plastic wedges that can be used to keep your platter stationary while you set up your cartridge.

Jeffery

 

[Anders]

The cable runs through an opening in the chassis and is soldered inside. I am not shure it is identical on all model variants, but it was easy to see and reach on mine.