Cartridge under $600 for VAC VPI HW

Have you tried any moving coils? I believe your preamp supports both. If you might want to try a MC you should look at the Hana line of cartridges. There are many reviews out there and based on what you’ve said one of them might fit the bill. 

If you want to stay with MM you may want to look at the Clearaudio Artist. Music Direct is having a sale on them right now and it’s a really good cartridge, as is the even cheaper Performer.

 Ideally you should try to hear the cartridge you are interested in with your preamp and even better in your system. Your ears are the best judge. Good Luck!

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.

Thanks for those suggestions.  I will look up what is said more about them.     much appreciated.   

@stereo5 i just checked the specs of the cartridge you are advising to @nazuk and it’s perfectly illustrate that modern MM cartridges are inferior in quality, cheaper in materials used, and very expensive. The reason to advice is just because you bought it or because you think it’s a great cartridge?

SPECS: Vasari Gold
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Duraluminum machined body
Aluminum cantilever *
Copper coil wire
Alnico magnet
elliptical diamond *
suggested tracking weight 2.0g
output level 4.0mV
frequency response 15-25KHz *
impedance 1KOhm

* the diamond is not nude (it’s bonded elliptical), cantilever is the cheapest, frequency response is very thin.

It’s very easy to outperform Denon DL-103 with its conical tip, but it is not easy to outperform great vintage MM cartridges with the materials and technologies way ahead of the time. Below you will find the spect of Victor X-1 for example, this cartridge can compete with $3000 MC cartridges.


SPECS: Victor X-1II
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Beryllium Cantilever *
Stylus: 0.15mm Nude Shibata diamond tip *
Frequency response: 10-60,000Hz *
Tracking Force: 1,5g (+/- 0,2g)
Output: more 3.0mV (1kHz, 5cm/sec)
Impedance: 2.2 kOhms (1kHz)
Load: 47 to 100 kohms
Weight: 7.5g

*  Shibata stylus shape of the Victor X-1II cartridge distinguishes itself by having the necessary small contact surface at the horizontal level for playback of the ultra-high frequencies found on CD-4 quadraphonic records. At the vertical level, the special shape of the stylus gives a wider contact surface than is the case with either spherical or elliptical styli. Various cartridge manufacturers have been inspired by the Shibata shape and now produce very expensive cartridges with stylus shapes that give the same advantages as the Shibata. These have names such as bi-elliptical, pramanic, quadrahedral, hyperbolic, pathemax, and Fine Line. Although CD-4 and other quadraphonic systems never really caught on with consumers, they have helped to speed up the development of stylus types that improve playback of stereo records in the form of a more precise treble reproduction, lower distortion, and less record wear. The cantilever is made of beryllium, a metal that is far lighter and stronger than widely-used aluminium or titanium. It has greater velocity of sound propagation, and it’s flat response extends into the super high frequency range.

And this Victor is only one example of the great vintage MM cartridges from the 70s and 80s.