Changing from an XV1-S

I agree with the other posters that "new" technology does not necessarily mean better. I don't know of anything about the Cadenza Black's design/technology that makes it any "newer" than the Dynavector. If you liked the Cadenza Black more, it could be for a variety of reasons -- personal taste, system matching/synergy, better alignment (could happen just by chance), the Dynavector having become "tired" and worn, etc. So many factors come into play that it is hard to offer anything more than a suggestion on what to try (if you have a dealer that lets you try cartridges) or to gamble on if you cannot do an in-home trial. Just one factor alone -- how a cartridge works with a particular phonostage -- is such a big deal that it becomes almost meaningless to speculate on a winner.

But, if you happen to like the Ortofon house sound, then of course the A90 should be a contender. There still is the possibility that the A90 will not suit your needs.

As a very rough guide into what to consider, if you are looking for a more incisive sound (faster sounding transients and more "jump"), then, the Titan is a contender, as would be the Van Den Hull Colibre, or the Decca London and even the Transfiguration Orpheus L. I haven't heard the A90, but a friend has its close cousin the Per Winfield. The PW is a very good sounding cartridge. Again, as a rough generalization, you probably would not be looking at a Koetsu (unless it is something like the Onyx Platinum), or an Allaerte.

As crazy as it sounds, there are dealers who will loan out cartridges for a home trial. I got to try the Orpheus L before making the purchase. I know of a dealer that lent out $12k Allaerte cartridges. But, one has to have a pretty close relationship with a dealer to get that kind of privilege.

Even a home trial is not entirely definitive because it does take some time to acclimate to the new sound, evaluate the result and then make the myriad adjustments (change loading to the cartridge, change VTF, change VTA, change tubes in the phonostage). The adjustments are particularly tricky because they are interactive. For example, changing VTA affects frequency balance as does changes in loading. So, one should do both at the same time to find the right combination -- one cannot optimize just one parameter then go on to another.

Still, one can determine the basic character of a cartridge fairly easily WITH EXPERIENCE.

Dcarol,

I am happy to hear that you found a cartridge that pleases you more than the Dynavector. I never doubted that your table was more than suitable for bring out a high level of performance from your candidate cartridges. It is clear that, in your system, and for your particular sonic preferences, the Ortofon is more suitable.

My issue is not with your choice, but, the way others will take that information and try to glean a rough "consensus" about the relative merits of particular cartridges. I know it is not easy for anyone to audition a wide range of alternatives, so a rough poll might be better than nothing, but still, one should be open minded about negative views of certain candidates. I would also add that there is often a herd mentality when something new is introduced that may unfairly favor the newer product when it comes to toting up raves on the internet. Examples would be the opinions on Shelter, ZYX, Miyabe. . . the list goes on and on.

From the opinions posted above, I noted that some thought of the Titan as a "classical music cartridge." While I do listen to a lot of classical, I actually listen more to CDs for classical (much wider selection) and use my phono system more for rock and jazz. In my system, the Titan sounds VERY good. If I were forced to make a choice, I would pick the Titan over my other cartridge, the Orpheus L, and I really like the Orpheus L too. In his review of the Orpheus L, Michael Fremer noted that he has made CD-R recordings of the Orpheus L and the A90 for making head-to-head comparisons. He stated that most of the listeners preferred the Orpheus. I don't know how fair such comparisons are, but, it does show that the list of contenders is WIDE. My own short list of contenders would include: the Air Tight PC-1, Lyra Titan, Orpheus L, London Decca, Allaerte Reference, Koetsu Onyx Platinum, and Van Den Hul Colibre, and Ortofon PW (I have not yet heard the A90). These all sound different, but, I've heard them all sound really good in well set up systems.

Ptmconsulting,

I liked the Temper/Temper V cartridges, but, they were a bit dynamically dull and polite sounding (some would say "dark") for my taste. The Transfiguration line changed quite a bit toward a punchier sound with the Orpheus and with the cheaper Phoenix. There is not that much talk about the Phoenix, but, for a lot less money, that is a very good, lively cartridge.