Do You Play Or Save Your Best Cartridges


I suspect I am like many here, I have a small collection of cartridges. Until recently I would keep a casual playing cartridge set up and I would save my "good" cartridges for evening listening sessions where I am focusing on listening to music at the listening chair. I always had a casual cartridge mounted on an arm, maybe an Audio Technica OC9 III or something along those lines. These days its either an Ortofon MC3000 II or MC5000. 

 

Earlier this year I finally decided to use the DAC in my Trinov pre amp, and this involved getting a subscription to Roon, and hardwiring the computer and preamp to the router with CAT 6 ethernet cable. The sound is remarkably good, to the point where this can easily be my casual listening format. 

I almost wonder if its necessary to have a casual cartridge. Or should I just play my best ones as often as I want and bite the bullet and know I am getting a new diamond fitted every few years. 

 

Anyone else go through this kind of decision process?

neonknight

Showing 11 responses by grislybutter

oh boy :) I imagine how they gather around you on Father's Day, tell you stories and make you smile

vinyl is not that good (and I listen 70% of my time to vinyl and I love it) to think cartridges will make such a difference

this is a new level of insanity. Why don't you guys put the cartridge in a glass safe and watch it. You can play the song in your head :)

@macg19 

if you can hear the difference and can afford it, they sure do. Some people's entire system cost less than your cartridge

@macg19 of course it is. Although diminishing returns must play a role. Our ears can only do so much for us. I tend to think that there is a price point where you get the best return for a given media and room size ("normal people's" room)

@wolfie62 

I believe you... because.... no one can make this stuff up :)

I have to add, if you have to go full crazy, better to collect cartridges than guns. No one ever died from negligent handling of a cartridge. 

and you must be some genius or cyborg if you can handle 150 cartridges in your head with distinct info about their sound.  

what does a 10,000 dollar cartridge do better than a $1,000 one?

I don't know, and I am curious.