Ok, cart choice time.

M

MusicDirector

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1) I need to replace my wrecked AT95E on my Pioneer PL510. I could get another 95E or try something different. My choices are:
AT95E
AT100E
Ortofon OM5E
Ortofon 2M Red
Grado Prestige Black
Grado Prestige Green
Grado Prestige Blue
My delema is that this is for my vintage system which sounds different depending on what receiver I'm using. My Yamaha (which I'm using right now) is my least favorite in sound. It never sounds quite right. I'm always having to twiddle knobs and flip switches and push buttons to dial in sound. I currently drive Polk Monitor 7s with it. (Perhaps I should try my DCM Timeframes)?
My Marantz has a forward sound to it, while my Sansui 8080db when driving my DCMs, has what I could describe as a warm tube sound, but not laid back even though it's not tube. (Before anyone gets mad at me thinking I'm knocking tubes, I'm not! I'm merely describing a sound, that's all). I can also describe the sound of my Sansui as something that will melt anyone within ear-shot.:D
I mention all that because I realize that every cartridge has some kind of roll off someplace or some compromise, subtle or otherwise. In other words, there is no perfect.
So I'm asking for those who have used any of these carts what your opinion is and what you think might work well for my given the info. I just want to get one cart to handle all genres of music I have.

2). I also want to get a Mono cartridge just to see how it makes my few mono records sound. My choices are Grado MC+ Mono or nothing it seems. I don't want or need to spend even $90 on a mono cart, but It's the lowest price for a Mono cart I can find.
The problem is that even on the Grado website I can't figure out if it is a Moving Coil or Moving Magnet. I assume the MC stands for Moving Coil, but I've been wrong before. I wonder what the ME stands for even though it's way too pricey for me just to try the few mono records I have with a mono cart.
If it is a moving coil that will restrict me to trying it on the other system since it can handle moving coil carts. My vintage system I assume can not do MC carts because there are no MM/MC switches or choices on any of my receivers and I don't want get another expensive phono preamp for that.
Any suggestions or recommends on this?

~Eric
 
NorthStar said:
Try the AT120E.
Click to expand...
Hmm, I seem to have forgotten to put it on my list. I should have included it.
What can you tell me about it? If it pretty much performs that same as the AT95E or not as good due to roll off issues or such or sounds like a Shure, then it is not worth paying double for. If it performs twice as good as the 95E then that is a different game.
 
Eric

I agree with Bob. For that TT I would try the AT 120 E/T. As to the Grado mono cartridge, you are looking for the M+. It is a Moving Iron design. It has a 5mv output. To my ears the worst of the bunch you have listed is the 2M Red. I friend loaned me a fully broken in one to listen to and I couldn't stand it. Their higher end models are supposed to be better, but you already have one of them. Whatever happened to the DL-110 you bought from Comet? Another option in that price range is the Nagaoka MP-110.
 
Eric

The 120 is considerably better than the 95E. Nothing like the M97xe at all. For that matter no other Shure I have ever owned sounds like the M97xe. If you are considering the Ortofon OM series I would start with the OM10. TTN has the bulk pack one which is black instead of white on sale for $59. The black one is the one they sell to TT manufacturers.

Ortofon OMB 10
 
Eric

Here is the Grado. Don't know why they are calling it the MC+. It is clearly marked M+ on the face and that is how it is listed on the Grado site.
 
MusicDirector said:
Hmm, I seem to have forgotten to put it on my list. I should have included it.
What can you tell me about it? If it pretty much performs that same as the AT95E or not as good due to roll off issues or such or sounds like a Shure, then it is not worth paying double for. If it performs twice as good as the 95E then that is a different game.
Click to expand...

I do have both the 95E and 120E. ...I prefer the later. ...More resolution, better punch (emotional impact). :)

As for double the performance you pick the wrong guy; there is no such thing as double the price double the performance.
It is simply a better cartridge, overall.
 
Jack said:
Eric

I agree with Bob. For that TT I would try the AT 120 E/T. As to the Grado mono cartridge, you are looking for the M+. It is a Moving Iron design. It has a 5mv output. To my ears the worst of the bunch you have listed is the 2M Red. I friend loaned me a fully broken in one to listen to and I couldn't stand it. Their higher end models are supposed to be better, but you already have one of them. Whatever happened to the DL-110 you bought from Comet? Another option in that price range is the Nagaoka MP-110.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jack. Ok, I'll give the AT120E/T a go.

As to the Grado: So is a Moving Iron the same or close to a Moving Magnet? Still, I'm thinking $90 for a mono cart and I have about 4 or 5 Mono records and am just curious of there is improvement if I used a Mono cart on them seems a bit extravagant now. Are there less expensive Mono carts out there? I haven't seen any.

I agree about the Ortofon 2MRed. I have the Bronze and frankly I think it's ok and generally gives me what I want, but I won't get another one when it comes time though as I feel it is definitely over-priced by almost $200 personally. I've tried one other $400 cart (Sumiko) and it was far worse. I have come to the "personal" conclusion that any cart over $200 or $300 is more diminishing return than performance. I think things change more with tweaking around with tracking force or the type of stylus used and what have you. Just my view though.

I still have the Denon DL-110 in the box unopened. I'm waiting to try it when my Bronze wears out. I can't try it in my vintage system as none of my receivers have an MC option on them. The Nagaoka is about $50 more than the Denon was and hard to get.
 
NorthStar said:
I do have both the 95E and 120E. ...I prefer the later. ...More resolution, better punch (emotional impact). :)

As for double the performance you pick the wrong guy; there is no such thing as double the price double the performance.
It is simply a better cartridge, overall.
Click to expand...

What I was getting at is I don't want to pay double for the same cart as the AT95E.
However, according to Jack and you, it is clearly a step up for a reasonable amount, so I will try one.
 
Eric

The AT-120 is definitely an upgrade from the AT-95. The ever popular AT-440mla I don't like at all. It is way to bright unless you "load it down" to about 36kohms. As to the Denon, it will work just fine on a MM phono input so that may save you money and trouble. It will just need a couple of more notches on the volume control. It will work fine on the Pioneer tonearm. In the case of the Grado mono cartridge, I wouldn't spend the money with that few Mono albums.
 
Jack said:
Eric

The AT-120 is definitely an upgrade from the AT-95. The ever popular AT-440mla I don't like at all. It is way to bright unless you "load it down" to about 36kohms. As to the Denon, it will work just fine on a MM phono input so that may save you money and trouble. It will just need a couple of more notches on the volume control. It will work fine on the Pioneer tonearm. In the case of the Grado mono cartridge, I wouldn't spend the money with that few Mono albums.
Click to expand...

Thank you Jack, I appreciate your fabulous help.
So if a MC cart will work with a MM phono input, I may try it out on the Pioneer. I'm still going to pick up an AT120 though. I've tried an MC cart on a MM unput in the past and it was worse than fingernails on a blackboard.
Yes, the Grado Mono cart is not worth it at this time sense I don't know if a Mono cart would make all that much difference and the fact I have so few mono LPs. If I had something like 20 Mono LPs and I knew a Mono cart would be an improvement in some way, then it would make more sense. For now, my mono LPs play just fine with a stereo cart.
 
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