Best budget cartridge for SME 3009 Improved

by **Apokalypse** » 07 Apr 2004 07:46

So now I have the task of buying the best cartridge I can for the amount I want to spend.

I have a technics SL-120 with a SME 3009 improved and I'll be using the TT for heavy metal and rock music, so I need bass and middle. I've compiled a shortlist of candidates with most of the prices from http://www.needledoctor.com.

What do you guys think would be hte best for my intended use/setup?

Sumiko
-black pearl $75
-pearl $95

Shure
-M97XE $90

Audio Technica
-440ML $100

Goldring
-Elektra $90

Walco
-ES 30EX

by **WAPFU** » 07 Apr 2004 08:59

Hi,
My Vote is for the Shure, but I'm biased. Never heard M97 but I have the V15Vxmr. If as some have said, they are built to the same standard and both have a good pedigree. The UK Mag HiFi World has done a test on the M97 but in NZ that month isn't available yet.
The plus for the Shure is the replacable stlus.
Anyway my pennies worth FWIW.
Regards
bill

by **sreten** » 07 Apr 2004 10:43

Well IMO you can discard the Elektra,
in the UK its a very budget cartridge.

I'd also discard the Sumiko's budget tips again.

The Shure would be the classic SME combination.

The AT is good but on the bright side.

the Walco is a great budget choice.

For value you can throw in a Grado Black.
This does have a rich balance, with restrained treble,
Far better value than the Goldring and Sumiko's.

sreten.

by **Apokalypse** » 07 Apr 2004 10:46

Is the grado blue a lot better? I'd probably go for that if I was to go grado. Decisions decisions...

Anyone got an sme with any of those carts?

by **sreten** » 07 Apr 2004 11:05

Put it like this : its not twice as good as the Black.

sreten.

by **Apokalypse** » 07 Apr 2004 17:21

I've done a bit of homework. It's basically down to the AT440ML and the Shure. The grado's are ruled out because I have a DD deck and it will most likely hum.

So, for the SME arm and Technics deck, what would you guys recommend?

I'm leaning towards sreten's suggestion of the shure, unless anyone else has a fantastic reason to change my mind.

by **sreten** » 07 Apr 2004 19:28

You should consider also a line contact stylus lasts 2 to 3
times longer than an elliptical tip, gives lower record wear
and in some cases the larger major radius reads a less
damaged part of the groove for records that have seen
better days.

Why have you ruled out the Walco ? Would be my budget choice.

Nice tip and again I think the AT is nowhere near twice as good.

idleman said this about the Walco :

The frequency balance of the Walco is actually much better than that of my Grado Platinum...but in the midrange, the Platinum simply retrieves much more detail and imaging...but overall, the Walco goes deeper in the bass, higher in the highs, and sounds very even-handed into the bargain. Also surprisingly detailed (which is why I was forced to dismount the Grado to see what was what). I would rank it with the Grado Silver or Gold (not knowing the Ortofon MM sound), great value. The Walco has demonstrated its usefulness, as I just received an Ariston RD11S, popped an Audio Technica arm in it, and the Walco fit right in so I could listen to it within a 1/2 hour of my getting the 'table, being good enough to give me a good idea of the 'table's capabilities (in a Black Widow on an Ariston RD80, the Walco had me thinking of buying 10, as it sounded so good, detailed, lively, rhythmically-adept and even, I was thinking this I could live with permanently).

sreten.

by **Apokalypse** » 08 Apr 2004 00:49

I was thinking about going for the shure because it's more beginner friendly than the AT440ML. I have read that the AT is very finicky to set up and since I'm new to this I thought maybe this wouldn't be such a great thing.

I like the idea of the micro line sylus but I don't want to have to deal with a bright sounding cartridge. I'd definitely go for the AT if I haven't read everyone saying it was so bright. I like the idea of the suspension system on the shure too.

And about the walco... well I'd rather put in a bit extra and either get a microline stylus or the shure suspension system. It's basically now down to weighing up those two things and taking into account the brightness of the AT.

by **cgb** » 08 Apr 2004 07:08

Hi,

go for the Shure. It has a very good resolution at the high end but it's not too bright and it has GREAT bass without being muddly. The dust brush keeps a lot of dirt from the stylus (if you don't want to clean every record you play) and acts as a dampener on warped records.

Cheers,

cgb

by **sreten** » 08 Apr 2004 11:39

Apokalypse wrote:And about the walco... well I'd rather put in a bit extra and either get a microline stylus or the shure suspension system. It's basically now down to weighing up those two things and taking into account the brightness of the AT.

Just note the point of the Walco is it does have a
line contact tip, which makes it exceptional value.

Personally IMO the Walco will be well good enough,
if you had an arm of something like Rega quality
then I'd go for the AT over the Shure anyday.

AT's can be bright, they are sensitive to capacitance
loading, often shortening the arm lead helps a lot.
(And removing any loading from the amplifier)

My experience of turntable arm and cartridge combinations
is that the arm and turntable dominate the resultant sound.

The cartridges main effect is tonal balance and the
quality of the tip affect treble distortion and detail.
(As long as its not a poor cartridge)

If you could try both the Walco and AT, tonal differences
aside I think you'd be surprised at the lack of differences
in your arm on your turntable.

Or put it another way, the Walco in say a Grace G707
would probably take any cartridge you care to mention
fitted in the SME to the cleaners. Note I'm not trying to
knock the SME, its just the arm is that important, and
the G707 is very good with MM cartridges.

Not that I'm implying the AT or Shure would be
bad choices either, of the two I'd go for the AT.

sreten.

by **TRIPOD** » 08 Apr 2004 14:22

Hi Apokalypse,

I don't want to confuse you even more but Sreten is right, to my taste the AT has a more gutsy, punchy edge to it than the more neutral Shure, I have a SL-1100 with SME 3009 and an AT is the main driver on it ! And when someone tells you a cartridge is bright just answer compare to what ! I still have old Empire's and Ortofon's that are quite heavy in the bass department, after that, it's evident you'll find the AT a little brighter but the real term for that is : UNCOLORED !

I wouldn't discard the Walco either, I've read good reviews on it ! The Shibata stylus is what was riding the carrier wave on the 4 ch. CD4 technology in the mid 70's with very good trackability ! The frequency response is also very good : 10 Hz -35 KHz !

For the purist, the AT has a better score in the channel separation though !

TRIPOD

by **sreten** » 08 Apr 2004 20:15

I've also been checking the cost of a new stylus.

Seems to me for an MM this is a good strategy.

I remember obtaining an ADC XLM mkIII very cheap
as they'd stopped making it, which at the time fitted
to my turntable was fantastic, two years later when
I needed to buy a new stylus not a chance of a
new stylus or a new cartridge at the same price.

But when I bought the cartridge I could of bought
a spare stylus at a similar discount to the cartridge.

Regarding the AT440ML :

http://www.garage-a-records.com/atcart.html

TBH $70 is a ridiculous price for such a high quality
stylus, if its genuinely a Microline stylus. (That is if
its equivalent to a VDH or Gyger multifaceted tip)

Obviously for the Walco you'd buy two. (discard
the stylus guard and araldite the stylus in place)

sreten.

by **Apokalypse** » 13 Apr 2004 01:09

I have decided to go for the AT. I can afford the AT and like to buy the best I can afford, also the place I enquired about the walco have sold out. I take these things as a sign. The swaying factor over the shure was that I like the idea of the line contact tip not damaging my precious records and lasting twice as long.

Thanks very much for all the great responses, I read and carefully considered each one.

Incidentally, I contacted one of the local hifi shops here and they were selling the sumiko oyster for $130au (!!) which is $99USD. That is $5USD more than what I'm paying for the AT+postage! The sumiko oyster usually retails for $55USD on the internet. I'm glad I have the internet and am not afraid to do some research. I feel for the poor people who rush headlong into these things and buy from the shops.