Last night I played a few test tracks and did a few swaps. It is easy to understand why the dl160 was so highly regarded as its creamy presentation works sooo well with the Technics, just a pity they are no longer available. The 681 with the Jico stylus is probably more accurate with tighter bass than the dl160, and not as warm. The widest cart is the 881 with the jico, very accurate with clean highs and great bass, this for me is the best cart by far, but I wont be getting rid of the dl160 either as it has a presentation like nothing else that with some records nothing else will do. I dont think there is a one cart fits all solution why I like the interchangable headshell of the technics
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Dont worry too much either about compliance either, it does matter but only up to a point. My experience is very high compliance carts like the 881 are perfectly fine on the Technics provided you remove the stub weight and use light headshells like the stock one. I now remove my lid, initially I thought the boom I was getting was compliance related, but since trying different carts to a more or lesser degree the lid causes boom with all my carts regardless of compliance. If you are worred about compliance you could always add a damper to the arm which will widen the arms compliance some what, but not sure it is needed.
Regards
CL
Edit.. If you are coming up the range one day let me know and bring some records and listen to some carts for yourself
by ColoKurt » 13 Apr 2012 15:07 
