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Best cheap cartridge for college student

Two of my college sons have adopted my analog affliction by picking up cheap TT's (read free) but without any cartridges. One recently came home for Christmas break with a Dual CS2110 table from the 80's that used to have some Ortofon cartridge on it. He has a Rotel integrated amp with MM and MC and listens mostly to reggae/Ska music. He can afford perhaps $150 for a cartridge. What should I advise him?
1) Forget it, put the money into CD
2) Put the Dual back in the trash bin where you found it and wait til you can afford at least a used Rega2
3) wait to be able to buy something like a Denon DL103
4) Buy the 'X' cartridge (you fill in) it's a deal for the price and OK until you get a better TT.
5) Other advice
128x128jyprez
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rwwear
2,867 posts
 
Grado's are a good value as well as the Shures.
larkyparka
23 posts
 
I use a Shure M97xE and am quite pleased with it.

Google "Jack's Music Factory", they sell them for a good price.
tobias
1,534 posts
 
Oh, I had a Shure M97 (not the xE) a long time ago and I wouldn't buy one again, sorry. I didn't like the midrange balance. Any cheap Grado, like a Black, would be my preference now. They sound fine in the mids where the music is, are rugged and won't damage LPs. Not that Shures won't keep your discs safe too, it's just that IMNVHO, Shures don't hit the magic music-for-money mark until you get to the V15 IV or better.
celtic66
1,651 posts
 
Love Grados, however for this tonearm the Ortofon was a good match with high compliance cantilever. This is not a bad sounding table. Cheap Ortofon and you are in.
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