[jnewman]

My old cartridge is so old it finally just broke and fell apart, and there's nowhere in town that sells good ones, so I'm limping along with a very, very bad stanton cartridge. I need a new one, but I can't spend any more than $150 and would LIKE to spend around $100. I wish I could spend more, but I can't, and I'd appreciate people's opinions on what sort I should buy. The old cartridge was a Shure N97, which I understand has now become the M97 and is $80 at ttvj. Honestly, I was pretty happy with it, but if there's anything a lot better than it that is not a lot more expensive, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks,
Jimmy.

 

[lini]

"Better" often enough is a matter of taste -- but you could try the Audio-Technica AT120E, AT440ML or AT450E as well as Ortofon's VinylMaster Red or OM20 Super or the Denon DL110 or DL160 (or the DL103, in case your phono-stage also works with standard (= non high-output) mc pickups, too), anyway. But that's about it, I'd think...

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[jnewman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lini "Better" often enough is a matter of taste -- but you could try the Audio-Technica AT120E, AT440ML or AT450E as well as Ortofon's VinylMaster Red or OM20 Super or the Denon DL110 or DL160 (or the DL103, in case your phono-stage also works with standard (= non high-output) mc pickups, too), anyway. But that's about it, I'd think... Greetings from Hannover! Manfred / lini

It just so happens my preamp will use MC carts as well MM carts... Do you think the DL103 is an improvement over the other Denon cartridges in that price range?

Jimmy

 

[jnewman]

By the way, if it has any effect on the issue, the turntable is a Philips 212 Electronic from about 30 years ago - I'm told that it was a very good turntable when it was first introduced.

 

[lini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jnewman It just so happens my preamp will use MC carts as well MM carts... Do you think the DL103 is an improvement over the other Denon cartridges in that price range? Jimmy

Honestly, I couldn't say so - because it all depends very much on the phono stage plus cabling. For not too great phono stages I'd usually rather recommend mm pickups, because ~ 5 mV are easier to handle than ~ 0.5 mV...

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[jnewman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lini Honestly, I couldn't say so - because it all depends very much on the phono stage plus cabling. For not too great phono stages I'd usually rather recommend mm pickups, because ~ 5 mV are easier to handle than ~ 0.5 mV... Greetings from Hannover! Manfred / lini

The phono stage I'm using is one built in to a late 1980's Carver C-11 Preamplifier. To my ears, it has sounded very good with a number of different MM cartridges and turntables, but it has an entirely separate input for MC cartridges that I've never used before.