Cartridge under $600 for VAC VPI HW

I went from a ZU DL103 cartridge on my Prime to a Gold Note Vasari Gold MM Cartridge. The sound is much more than a 500.00 Cartridge should be. I bought it from the Canadian distributor as there doesn’t seem to be a presence in the US. Best part is 500 Canadian is about 425.00USD.

@chakster

i recommended the Vasari Gold because I happen to like it very much. Specs mean nothing to me. The Cartridge sounds wonderful on my system and since I listen to 90% Rock Music, it is perfect for my needs. The ZU Denon 103 was a much more expensive Cartridge as it was the top grade at 700.00. Unfortunately I bent the canteliver by accident and off it went to Soundsmith. I bought the Vasari Gold Cartridge based on a fellow Audiogoner’s recommendation as he listens to the same kind of music as I do. He gave me good advice and I stand by what I said.  This new Cartridge was just going to be a back up but it is so good that the ZU Denon will now be the back up. 

If if you haven’t heard the Cartridge then as far as I am concerned, your opinion means nothing to me. Listen to the Cartridge and then tell me what you think.

@ chakster

The closest I went for vintage was a used McIntosh MA6600 integrated which I bought from audio Classics. I bought a used Dynavector DV20L here on Audiogon and I got a Cartridge with a collapsed suspension. The seller gave me half my money back. Never again will I buy a used Cartridge. I wish I had kept my Shure V15 type 3 and 4 and my Pickering 681eee but at the time I got sucked in to a Ortofon MC20 and then realized a year later I wasn’t spinning vinyl any longer. Forget the specs, if you ever get a chance to listen to the Vasari Gold you will realize it is something quite special. It makes beautiful music with my Conrad Johnson amp, Rogue RP5 preamp and GE Triton References speakers