Looking for cartridge recommendations

[Stevemtno]

Hi everyone. This is my first post. I'm thinking about getting a new cartridge and heard this is a great place to come for or info.

My current vinyl playback system consists of:
Shure V15VxMR >
Technics SL1200-MK5 >
SimAudio Moon 110LP

Overall, I'm happy with the way things sound, but I'm thinking about moving to a moving coil cartridge. The Audio Technica AT33EV has been recommended to me. I'm not really sure what to expect going from MM to MC, but I've heard "better everything" is what it boils down to.

I'm also thinking about some of the Denon line, specifically the DL-301, DL-304 and possibly the DL-S1. However, I'm not sure which of these would be the best match for my preamp. I seem to be leaning more toward one of the Denons (hopefully the DL-S1 if i can afford it and its a good match for my preamp) over the AT, but I haven't ruled anything out yet.

Ideally, I'd like to get a little more high end, more detail, etc. I listen to rock, blues, jazz, classical, acoustic, soul/r&b, pop, pretty much everything but hip-hop.

Thanks in advance for any feedback..

SteveMTNO

[thommo_work]

FWIW, I found on the Shure M97xE that replacing the default stylus with a Jico SAS really opened up the top end detail without sacrificing the richness that the Shure gave by default.

They make one for the V15: http://stylus.export-japan.com/product_ ... ts_id=1524

Just something to consider if you're only after some more top end clarity.

[nabil]

I can highly recommend the DL-S1. Wonderful cartridge! I have found that it sounds best when loaded between 50 and 100 ohms. Any higher and it gets a bit strident. Does your phono stage allow for this kind of adjustment? Additionally they are currently available at Comet Supply again at a very good price.

[Stevemtno]

I can highly recommend the DL-S1. Wonderful cartridge! I have found that it sounds best when loaded between 50 and 100 ohms. Any higher and it gets a bit strident. Does your phono stage allow for this kind of adjustment? Additionally they are currently available at Comet Supply again at a very good price.

That IS a good price! I've never heard of Comet Supply before tho...

I contacted SimAudio yesterday and they told me "The 110 LP phono preamp can accomodate any phono cartridge on the market."

Here's a link to the page for the preamp. Looks like the load should be fine:

http://simaudio.com/moon110LP.htm

[HT Performance]

If you could get your hands on the Ortofon MC-A90...

It´s the most impressive cartridge I have heard in my life!

Link: http://www.ortofon.com/products/cartridges/moving-coil/a90


Cheers!

[Zebbo]

Just re-mortgage the house and you can have one.

[Stevemtno]

Yeah, that's just a little out of my price range...

[HT Performance]

Yeah, that's just a little out of my price range...

Well of course...

Same here Steve!

Maybe this could be a wiser choice.

Link: http://www.needledoctor.com/Audio-Technica-OC9-MKII-Cartridge?sc=2&category=402

I have never heard it, but AT never disapointed me.

Check out the specifications and reviews!

You just can´t go wrong!


Cheers!

[Alec124c41]

Then there are the Benz Micro and Dynavector cartridges.
I have Denon DL-301 II, AT33E, DV10x5, DV 17D3, Benz Glyder - you get into this territory, and you can't go too far wrong.

Cheers,
Alec

[nabil]

I can highly recommend the DL-S1. Wonderful cartridge! I have found that it sounds best when loaded between 50 and 100 ohms. Any higher and it gets a bit strident. Does your phono stage allow for this kind of adjustment? Additionally they are currently available at Comet Supply again at a very good price.

That IS a good price! I've never heard of Comet Supply before tho...

I contacted SimAudio yesterday and they told me "The 110 LP phono preamp can accomodate any phono cartridge on the market."

Here's a link to the page for the preamp. Looks like the load should be fine:

http://simaudio.com/moon110LP.htm

Comet supply has a very good reputation-if the item is in stock then you will receive the item quickly, if out of stock it can take awhile-but you will receive it. Their price on Denon cartridges is the lowest on the net.

Personally, I think that the DL-S1 out performs any cartridge in the sub $2,000 range. It is a very fine cartridge.

[EdAInWestOC]

Steve,
I agree with Alex in that the cartridges that you have mentioned are all very good performers with slight differences that give them their "personality".

I feel like I should warn you. The Denon DL-S1 is a wonderful cartridge but most phono preamps will not be able to handle its very low output. Everything else about the cartridge is designed to work readily with almost all tonearms but its very low output moving coil (VLOMC) design puts it in a place that is beyond most phono preamps, MC head amps and stepup transformers.

You need about 70db of gain to get the DL-S1 to sing and most phono stages that work with LOMC cartridges are designed to work with a minimum of 0.25mv/ch. Its no accident that a lot of phono preamps that have support for MC cartridges also have 60db of gain in the MC setting.

A cartridge with a nominal output of 0.25mv/ch coupled with a phono preamp with 60db of gain in "MC" mode will yield an output of 250mv. That figure is an industry standard for line level signals so you have what you have in phono preamps. Your Moon phono preamp is like most phono preamps with 40db gain in "MM" mode and 60db gain in "MC" mode.

Although the DL-S1 is a very fine cartridge I don't think you would be very happy with the DL-S1 coupled to your current phono preamp.

My preference leans towards the Denon cartridge line but Dynavector makes a very fine cartridge as well as MC models from Benz, Lyra and many others.

To make this shorter, I would settle on the Denon DL-301II. As a cartridge you get a lot for your money and its output will work well with your Moon preamp. The DL-304 is like the DL-S1 in that it has very low output and requires about 70db of gain to get the sound you are looking for.

The AT-33EV is supposed to be one of AT's better cartridges. I am not a fan of AT cartridges but the AT-33 series is supposedly an exception in that they have a nice personality and do not possess the sterile AT house sound. The AT-33EV is the AT-33 with an elliptical stylus. The AT-33 is a very old cartridge design and variants of the AT-33 have been around for quite some time now.

This probably indicates that it is a very good cartridge. There is also an AT-33PTGII that has a better cantilever and stylus. If you can afford it I would buy the cartridge with the best cantilever and stylus you can afford. The cantilever and stylus is the working end of the beast and if those two items have been compromised the resulting sound is also compromised.

I have also considered buying the AT-33 multiple times over the years but my prior experience with AT cartridges ran me off and I never pulled the trigger. It is absolutely certain that the DL-301II will work wonderfully well with your turntable and phono preamp and that cartridge is reasonably priced.

With the DL-301II you will be able to answer your question about whether you've missed anything by not going the LOMC route. I like the choice but other cartridges may work also.

Best of luck whatever you choose,
Ed

[Dimal]

Have to add my support to what both Alex and Ed recommend above. Can't really go wrong with their knowledge and experience in this wonderful hobby....

Mal.

[Stevemtno]

Thanks to everyone for all the feedback. Sounds like the DL-S1 is not the ideal choice after all.

So aside from the Denon DL-301II, can anyone recommend something from the Dynavector, Benz, or Lyra MC lines?

I've also heard good things about the Soundsmith line. The Boheme and Carmen models have been recommended to me as well.

[Tedrick]

Thanks to everyone for all the feedback. Sounds like the DL-S1 is not the ideal choice after all.

So aside from the Denon DL-301II, can anyone recommend something from the Dynavector, Benz, or Lyra MC lines?

I've also heard good things about the Soundsmith line. The Boheme and Carmen models have been recommended to me as well.

I've got the Dynavector 20XL and 17D3 Karat and the Lyra Delos in my cartridge stable, and can heartily recommend them all. I listen to mostly jazz and classical with a little classic rock thrown in for good measure, and find all 3 of these cartridge serve these genres very well. As a first dip into the LOMC pool, the DV 20XL (and the newer 20XL2) is a great choice. It is a natural sounding cartridge with good soundstaging and good detail retrieval. By natural sounding, I mean that it is neither lean-sounding nor overly warm. Stepping up to the 17D3 Karat gets better detail retrieval and more refinement.