Best cheapo Cartridge


In a bind, I have 2 cartridges that have seen better days.   My Ortofon Jubilee has at least 1500 hours on it and I’m starting to hear a drop in performance.  My Transfiguration Proteus only has 450 hours but is on the fritz and they are OOB.

I have too many irons in the fire to spend alot and need one to hold me over for a while.  Thinking about a MM, like Ortofon or Grado.  Would be mating with a Basis Vector 4 tonearm, Basis 2200 sig, and either Allnic H3000 or ARC PH 5.  Speakers are Thiels.  

Analog heads please give me some advice.   I have no experience with MM or MI or than many cartridges in my system  for that matter.  


pops

Showing 3 responses by sleepwalker65

Second vote for the Audio-Technica VM540ML. I have 2 of them and couldn’t be happier. Detailed midrange is one of its greatest attributes. But it’s a category killer in pretty much every respect. The micro-line-contact stylus is the crown jewel. 
Price is not an indicator of performance above $500 for MM cartridges and above $1000 for MC. Law of Diminishing Returns applies here. 
Raul, why/how do you feel that MM cartridges categorically cannot equal or outperform MC cartridges?