Best cheapo Cartridge

Personally, I prefer the conical stylus from the MP-10 for my vintage jazz Micro-groove LPs.

Why?
I always prefer MicroRidge or LineContact for my vintage LPs.
Nagaoka cartridges are overrated, there are much better carts from the same era.

P.S. for the fans of conical tip there are Denon DL-107 MM    

Chakster,

Because to me the conical stylus sounds better, that’s why.  But that’s just what I like.  Probably why I’m such a big fan of the Denon 103 and the Yamaha MC-11.  
 Nagaoka cartridges are overrated?  Hmmm.  Never heard that before.  What exactly is that based on?  The fact that you don’t like them?

For me, (which is what is important) I find them some of the finest sounding cartridges I’ve ever heard, with absolutely no listening fatigue, which is why I still use them.  

Nagaoka has built almost the exact same line of cartridges for over forty years.  Only  subtle changes have been made.  So clearly, they must be doing something right, as they are still enjoyed by many.

N.

  

#Nagaoka4Lyfe

Dear @normansizemore  : "  So clearly, they must be doing something right, as they are still enjoyed by many. "

you are rigth on your common sense statement and I gree too because I owned and I think still own at least one Nagaoka cartridge but some people like to talk mybe by ignorance or  personal " agenda ": who knows.

R.

I have an old moving coil Denon 103, it’s a little dark for an MC, but the midrange is killer. My other favorite is the Nagaoka MP-11 Boron, which to me sounds almost exactly like the Denon.

Maybe for certain genre of music, or maybe in a horn system ... 
103 conical is definitely not my type of sound, not for everyone

Personally, I prefer the conical stylus from the MP-10 for my vintage jazz Micro-groove LPs....     Because to me the conical stylus sounds better ... 

It explains a lot, different preferences, indeed

Nagaoka has built almost the exact same line of cartridges for over forty years.  Only  subtle changes have been made.  So clearly, they must be doing something right, as they are still enjoyed by many.

I believe Nagaoka / Jeweltone MP-50 or MP-500 with Boron cantilever and some nice stylus profile are good MM, not sure how many people are using them with conical tip over its LineContact. 

Sumiko moonstone mm cartridge $299
Audio technica at f7 mc cartridge $250

I'll be grabbing both, just because I can lol...but seriously, both well reviewed and pretty cheap for what you get. 
Fremer loved the sumiko and what hifi gave the AT 4 out of 5 stars...

Shure V15-111 with a Jico stylus

Empire EDR .9

Both are outstanding MM cartridges that are easy found md relatively inexpensive.   

Sonics are wonderful- quiet backgrounds, deep bass, clean midrange and extended HF response.   Both require low mass arms to perform at their best.   

iopscrl

I agree.  I still have a Shure V15III.  I have also found the Pickering XSV 3000 to an outstanding cartridge.  So many to choose from.  

N.  

@rauliruegas  I'm wondering if in your experience with many, many cartridges you have auditioned the Denon 103 M.  As I am sure you know the M is quite different from all the other 103's.  i picked mine up for $250 and, while it is not up to my far more expensive mc cartridges, for the price it is very nice.

 I have also found the Pickering XSV 3000 to an outstanding cartridge.

this is true, also Stanton 881s or higher models. 
don't have my XSV-3000 cartridge anymore, but still have a NOS (sealed) original Stereohedron stylus for this model . 

Dear @vpi  : My first LOMC cartridge was the 103 that I still have. In those old times Denons puts in the market several versions of the 103 like the one you named, some only for the japanese market, that unfortunatelly I never had the opportunity to listen it.

I have not an opinion on that specific model.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

@rauliruegas,@rauliruegas,  I just sent my 103 M off to Andy Kim at Needle Clinic for an upgrade.  I'll let you know how it sounds when it comes back.  The 103 M is a very low output MC at .12 mv.   That said, running it through a Herron VTPH 2a into my CAT SL-1 gives me more than enough gain.  
Cheers,
H

Dear @vpi  : Really low output and similar to its very top brother DL 1000A, I owned this one. My latest model was the DS1.

Good luck with the re-ttiped sample.

R.

Hello @rauliruegas ,
My Denon DL 103 M arrived back from Needle Clinic with boron cantilever and micro ridge stylus.  Very smooth without being being too sweet.  Nice extension on the top and bottom.  Lots of heft in lower midrange/upper bass.  I'm very pleased with it.  I'd say it competes with MC cartridges in the $2000 + range.  My total investment $650.  Don't know if this qualifies as "cheapo" but in my experience you would have to spend at about three times that to find a MC its equal.

Dear @vpi  : Good and for what you said Needle Clinic made a good job.

In the other side 650.00 for that kind of quality levels is really good and almost a bargain.

Enjoy it !

R.

Denon DL 103 M arrived back from Needle Clinic with boron cantilever and micro ridge stylus.  I'm very pleased with it. I'd say it competes with MC cartridges in the $2000 + range. My total investment $650.  

At this price (or very close) there are many decent original MC cartridges available with Boron Cantilever and MicroRidge diamond. What's the point to invest in Denon 103 refurbishing? I just don't understand it, sorry.   

I spoke to an excellent cartridge re-tipper and he explained that the DL103 is very good for two main reasons:

1. consistently well made
2. economies of scale production

You will find that each one comes with a readout - and you will find the left and right channel exceptionally well balanced - better than many more expensive cartridges.

the only thing holding it back is apparently a rubbish stylus.

That said, apparently, the market for a replacement body is a waste of time. 

Dear @parrotbee  : You are rigth. From some years now exist several truly expensive LOMC cartridges ( over 5K-6K prices. ) that use the DL 103 cartridge motor with different build materials in the body, cantilever build materials, stylus shapes and kind of wire in the coils but the " motor " is the one by Denon.

As I said I still have the venerable 103 and between other of its brothers the 103D that's good performer and competitive with today higher price cartridges.

@vpi  move with the 103M was and is really worth to do it and he knows by the rewardings he is achieving in quality level performance.

I own and owned several Denon audio items: TT, tonearms, cartridges, electronics, etc, etc, and never found out any Denon audio item where I can say: that is a bad item, never.

Now, I have more than " curiosity " about the 103M.

R.

@rauliruegas 
I knew I wasn't seeing things when you wrote:
'From some years now exist several truly expensive LOMC cartridges ( over 5K-6K prices. ) that use the DL 103 cartridge motor with different build materials in the body, cantilever build materials, stylus shapes and kind of wire in the coils but the " motor " is the one by Denon'

On another note too many people get fixated with boron cantilevers, having no regard to other elements. Boron is much stiffer than aluminium - so the suspension of the cartridge gets altered with a change of material. It's usually the overall effect you should look at. I know that aluminium is not a fashionable material for cantilevers, but i'me sure that there's either a Zyx or Shelter which has an aluminium cantilever on the more expensive model than the cheaper one. I bet Raulrigas will know the model.

Part of me feels like getting a few 103's to do arm/turntable comparisons - that said 103's do like a heavy arm... that's a whole other thread...

Dear @parrotbee  : That ws the Shelter Hrmony but the top 9000 comes with boron cantilever.

Normally top cartridges from almost all the cartridge manufacturer models comes with either boron or diamond.

R.

@rauliruegas when you speak of the top cartridges I agree with what you say - that said the designer/maker tends to consider the whole cartridge package - not just one part in isolation.

Out of interest - which carts do you know use a dl03 motor?

Dear @lohanimal  : Yes, cantilever is only one part of the cartridge.

This is an example of cartridges using the 103 motor:

https://audiofederation.com/dealership/prices/magic-diamond/

and that model is not its top of the line but is around 5K dollars.

R.