Best value in a HO movig magnet $150-$200

Thank you to all have responded so far Seems incredible that the Denon output is 1.6Mv, the Dynavector 10X5 which I sold was 2.5Mv.

Unfortunately, with the Rogue Sphinx integrated's phono stage I have to turn the volume up to 2'0 clock to get comfortably loud volume. The output of the new Ortofon 2M series is between 4-5 Mv. (or did I read that wrong??)

*******BTW, did Ortofon change the outer shell design of the 2M BLue cartridge?? I ask because there is an dealer in Bottop, Germany who offers the cartridge for $194.00 but the outer shell looks different.....Careful!! Are there possibly knockoffs of this cartridge being sold on e-bay.???

Will have to check out the Pickering cartridge recommend by one of the members Happy Holidays.

Thanks to all who have responded. Special thank to MoFi for pointing out the faux pas of not seeing the freakin stylus guard. It seems everyone loves the Ortofon 2M Red. Nevertheless,I have to ask why is the 2M Blue $136.00 more, and how does this translate into supposedly better performance?? Is the difference just marginal??

Virdian, Thanks for the advice, have you personally used either of the Nagaoka cartridge you mentioned?? I have two concerns about this brand. Is the cartridge shieled against hum?? the Rega P3-24 does not have a ground wire??.

Second, there is a host of OVERSEAS internet dealers on e-bay that sell the SAME cartridges at a variety of prices. Are they trustworthy, and how do you know you won't get a knock off of their brand??

Lastly, you stated that sound is "smooth".... and chucky. What do you MEAN by chunky. Thank you, Jim

To Virdian, Thank you again. The information was very helpful.

I am also putting the Shelter 201 MM cartridge on my short list of choices (which has a an output of 4mV.) It list for $225.00. but have seen it on ebay for under $200

I believe it was reviewed last year in Stereophile.... Happy Holidays to all Audiogon members.

I should have responded sooner, but holidays partying, lady friends, late nights.....I am making up for lost time wasted in graduate school

Nevertheless, I bought a AudioTechica AT120 cartridge for $119.00. It took 3 hours to install on in Rega P3-24 freakin headshell which is fitted with slotless screw holes, and makes almost impossible to tighten down the screws and align the cartridge I used a Geodisc to set up the overhang, VTR. etc. Well it was worth the effort, though a few more minor alignments may be called for.

Actually, I was stunned by how clean, undistorted, and generally quiet the AT cartridge is. Its major strengths are the midrange and mid highs (you can hear the cutoff beyond that range, that is, the upper highs were just not there. I was also surprised at the quality and depth of the bass response

However..... As the old English saying goes, "....Me thinks I got hoisted on my own petard"..... That is, I began to wonder what might be up the line still at $200 or a few bucks less. I am convinced I have found the roots of "audio nervosa", that is, to wonder what a few extra bucks may yield in better sound. I realize many members have gotten almost orgasmic over the sound of the Ortofon 2M RED at $99.00 and want to crown, "Component of the Century"

Judas Priest, even Bob Reina of Stereophile is reviewing the Ortofon 2M Red this month, even though his audio beat is generally speakers.

But like the interconnect and speaker cable merry go round of trial and error, a similar bug may have captured my attention. Someone mentioned the Nagaoka MP150 as superior to the Ortofon, Sumiko, and possibly AT120.

Fortunately, there is no urgency in any of this rangling which in the end actually makes it fun. However, the other possibility would be to sell the Rega with its (now) spanking new AT120 spike, and buy Music Hall's new table called the "Ikura" that comes set-up with an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge for $1195. Nah, Roy Hall is a jerk, so why make him richer (e.g. check out his response letter to Bob Reina's super positive review in Stereophile in Dec. 2014)

Nevertheless, thanks to all members who responded with comments and advice and helped me suit up for yet another quest in audiophilia