Dear friends: Over the time and testing/trying different cartridges ( " old " and new ones ) with different tonearms to find the " best " performance on each cartridge I find some interesting subjects that I want to share with all of you:
Denon 103: this is one of my oldest cartridges that I own and I use it for a while many years ago. In the last three years every time that I mounted and hear it I can't heard it for more than half hour, that's why I always treat it like a " rubbish cartridge " in my posts about. I try it with almost every single tonearm that I own and the result was always the same. Then, I take in count that in all the tonearms ( removable and fixed headshell ) I can't tighten to much the headshell screws because the 103 is " open " ( input to output ) all the way where the screw goes and if I try to really tighten then the screw goes out of the cartridge body ( it is dificult to me this explanation because my English problems, I hope you can understand ). I don't like to tailored the cartridge sound through tight ( more or less pressure ) the headshell screws, I always tighten the screws at " its limits " where IMHO and experiences there are less resonances/vibrations on it with better overall performances. So, what to do?, it happen that I have an Audio Technica AT-LH18/OCC headshell ( headshell weight: 18grs. ) that has screwed holes underneath the headshell ( these holes are 2mm in deep, don't cross/pass the headshell ) in this manner I can tight the screws at maximum with out any trouble, well this was a great solution ( along with the weight of the headshell ) because I mounted the 103 in the Dynavector 505 ( similar to 507 ) and the performance change for the better like night and day, now I can hear the 103 for more than half an hour: very good improvement, this not means that now the 103 is at the XV-1/Myabi/etc performance level: no, but now the 103 has a decent performance that for its price is very good.
Dynavector XV-1: this one is one of my favorite cartridges, I really like it. It is a cartridge that almost always perform very good in almost any tonearm. Well I never be satisfied with " very good " performance I always look for excellent/exemplary performance. I read some posts where XV-1 owners posted that this cartridge is a very good match with the Dynavector 505/507 tonearms and this was not my own experience about, it sounds good but nothing more. I decide to try a little hard on the subject with: VTA/VTF/load impedance/etc,/etc with out any " great " results. Then I decide to try with different headshells ( other than the original 507/505 ones ) till I find that with a light weight headshell ( Denon 100% magnesium, 6gr. The Dyna headshells weight: around 14-15 grs. ) the performance was/is glorious for say the least: I never heard ( any where ) better XV-1 performance that in this set-up.
Fidelity Research MC 702: this is a very " old " MC cartridge design. It is an integral headshell design, bulky one ( " ugly " ? ) at 30-32 grs, low compliance 6-7 Cu, low output 0.2mv and likes VTF 2-3grs.
I own this cartridge for at least 20 years and I buy it second hand in almost new/pristine condition. After many years I set up ( last December ) in my Micro Seiki MAX 282 tonearm ( it likes tonearms like: Ikeda, Dynavector, Audiocraft, SAEC, etc, etc ) and for the very first musical note I knew that this cartridge was something very special. After 20 hours the sound performance was/is formidable/marvelous, I don't have words to describe my " surprise ", the best I can tell is that the music flow easily through this cartridge like in almost any other ( any where ) cartridge I heard. If you " see " it ( second hand ) and if you have the right tonearm and phonolinepreamp then buy it!!!!!
Supex SDX 2200R: Another " old " MC design with screw open body type design ( like the 103 you need the right headshell ), ruby cantilever and low output 0.2mv. Man
I make the set-up on the Lustre GST 801 tonearm and sound was terrible at the begin, I have to wait 30 hours for the suspension settle down. This was/is a great cartridge too, IMHO it competes with cartridges like the Universe ( are very similar in quality performance ) or any other today ones. Many people look for the Supex 900 series ( that I owned ) well the Supex Ruby beats easily those ones.
Audio Technica ATML 180 OCC: One of the greatest MM cartridges ever made. This model ( I understand ) never sale in USA, the one that was on sale was the ATML 170 and 160 ( still very good ).
Till you hear a MM cartridge with the right phonolinepreamp you can't understand how good/great are the MM cartridges. During my last trip I was in San Diego and Norm heard in his system ( I think for the first time ) a MM cartridge the Empire EDR.9: he was happily surprised, he really likes the quality sound performance of this 100.00 dls MM cartridge.
Some MM cartridges like this one not only compete with any top MC cartridge out there but in some ways beat them, yes ( IMHO ) is better that any single Koetsu I heard it, that any ZYX or Lyra. It is incredible that a 500.00 MM cartridge could be better performer than a 6-8K MC one. This cartridge I mated with the Technics EPA 100MK2.
Technics 205CMK4: A marvelous MM cartridge. As good the Audio Technica is this one is better!!!! What can I say about?, almost nothing but: Magic Diamond, Allaerts, Dynavector, Transfiguration, you named: the Technics is at least at the same level in any single sound performance parameter and beat almost all those MC cartridges for neutrality/natural tone balance, like I already say: marvelous cartridge!!!!!, if you have the tonearm and right phonolinepreamp then buy it!!!! Mine is matched with the Micro Seiki MAX 282.
Ikeda 9REX: This one is a today MC cartridge with a unique design characteristic for a MC cartridge: it does not use cantilever ( like the cutter lhate/heads on the recording ), the design is with out cantilever. It is a very low output 0.16mv, weighty: 17grs, low compliance: 6CU and like VTF 2.8grs.
It is obvious that this cartridge is not for everyone, not only need the right tonearm and the very best phonolinepreamp out there but a lot of patience to obtain the best performance. When you achieve this " best performance " you knowed because you will be in heaven. The sound performance of this cartridge is a " little " different for all we know: the inmediacy of the sound and transients are second to none, the pitch/texture/no overhang/tight/fast bass is second to none, the high frequencies extension and speed are second to none, etc, etc. You can't be near the live music like with this Ikeda cartridge: this one really is truer to the recording audio device!!! You have to be a experienced music lover who attend very often to live events to understand what you are hearing through the Ikeda cartridge, you can't compare its sound performance with the sound performance of any other cartridge: it is not only the subject if it is better or not but the subject is that is different/near the live event. It is an infamous bad traker: it does not like any single dust in the LP or in the stylus, we have to have everything in pristine condition. It takes more than 200 hours to hear it at its best. Like I told you: we need patience and know how.
Dear Matt: Yes, I owned and own too 160 and 170. The 150 is very good but the 180 has more refinement and better tonal balance with a little more opening sound.
It is good to know that other people bend cantilevers. Misery loves company. I bent one on my Colibri a few months ago. Fortunately, it only cost me US$400 to get it repaired. Ouch.
I have seen replacement stylii advertised for the Empire MM cartridges. However, they are not Empire originals, but current manufacture. Has anyone tried them and can comment on the quality? Any one have a source for original Empire replacement stylii? I would love to keep my ERD.9 and 750LTD running forever.
I am intrigued with the ATML180. Audio Technica seems to make a current/similar cartridge, the AT150MLX with a Gold plated Boron cantilever. Have you had experience with the 150?
Just bought an Empire 900GT from France. A bit expensive, but having lived with the edr9 for a while, I couldn't resist it. So let's hope it performs good also.
Hi: I most to say that the EDR.9 that Carlos heard had only one hour of play ( day before I bent the cantilever in my other EDR.9, this is my spare one. ), right now that has around 12 hours and everything improved!!!!!!
I have now got a Graham Phantom on my Raven AC, an are running the EDR.9 on it. It sounds simply amazing. I love it, and I hope I will be able to find a replacement stylus. I also would like to try out other Empires and other MM carts if it is possible to find any that performs near this level. As I live in the homecountry of B&O, I am on the lookout for the MMC20CL. I have the oppertunety to get a cheap MMC20EN right now. Do you think I should get the EN or wait for the CL Raul? I could probably get the EN for $60.
Dear friends: before I forget I whish to share with all of you one of my last experiences on my audio system.
Many years ago I buy ( from germany ) a Luxman PD310 TT with a FR64s tonearm ( as a fact I buy it because I was looking for that tonearm and I don't care about the Luxman. ). Like a month ago I decided to try the Luxman TT and I connected in place of the Micro Seiki RX5000.
The PD310 is a belt drive design ( beautiful made ) with a vacuum hold down record system ( btw, works great ). For tonearm I choose my Sumiko MDC800 ( this TT accept only one tonearm ) and mated with the Empire EDR.9 ( that were mounted in the RX5000 and Acoustic Signature TTs through the MAX282 tonearm ). What a wonderful surprise: it quality sound reproduction is remarkable and better than in the other setups, its figure to me that the MDC800 and the EDR.9 belongs to each other, period. Well, I was thinking how to mount a second tonearm to have a better know-how about the quality performance on the PD310 but there is no space to make an additional drill, suddenly come to my mind that my Dynavector 505 can be mounted with out any drill/holes, only using a carpet double sided tape could work, I do it and mounted the 505 at the opposite corner where the Sumiko is, the 505 along with my XV-1 and here my surprise growth up because this time the only variable/variant was the TT.
In those days Carlos ( Cardani ) comes to my place and he had the opportunity to heard these setup. First we heard through the XV-1 and in second time through the EDR.9: I'm only want to tell all of you that Carlos never ask to return to the XV-1!!!!!!!!! If he read this post I would like that him share directly to you his experience about.
Dear friends: It is interesting to know about Bang&Olufsen to understand why its cartridges are so good, this is a link where we can read about B&O:
http://www.beoworld.org/articles.asp
Every single additional hour that I'm listening to the MMC20CL I admire more these B&O people. In many ways the B&O experience is a unique one and I think that we can understand it only through listen its products.
Btw, right now my MMC20CL is mounted in an Audiocraft AC3300 with S shaped arm wand along the B&O universal headshell. It's running at 1gr. VTF, with 300pf and " dead " parallel to the record/LP: well the special shape of the cartridge preclude to take a reference point to see that " parallel " point, what I have parallel is the rear bottom side of the headshell where the headshell has the overhang/azymuth screw. I don't know which are other people experience about but till today that one is what is " singing " in my audio system.
Like almost always our experiences are system dependent and in this MM cartridge subject the quality of the MM Phonolinepreamp is critical.
Dear friends: Many years ago I owned my first B&O MM cartridge a MMC20CL that I remember had a good quality performance, I sold to someone and never come back to till a few months ago whe I ask me: B&O? why not and I buy ( on ebay ) the MMC20EN with a universal B&O headshell ( very light plastic weight ). The B&O cartridges are designed to fit B&O own tonearms so we can't take it directly into our " normal " tonearms, we need the B&O universal headshell or an adapter for it: both could be find through ebay ( with patience ) or through Soundsmith that is a good B&O cartridge source ( note that Soundsmith build new modified for him B&O cartridges, this ones are different, I'm talking here of the original ones. )
Well, I receive the MMC20EN and I have many troubles to mount in my tonearms due to its extremely light weight where I can't balance in a natural way on the tonearm. After a while I find ( with some tricks ) a place in my Dyna 505 and start to play where I have a very nice surprise because this cartridge is very good and worth all the effort about.
So, I go a little on deep on B&O cartridges and I buy ( second hand ) a MMC20CL and my surprise growth up because this one is a wonderful one: very good natural tonal balance handling both extremes of the frequency extremely well, when you hear/heard it you can ask for more!!!!!! With this cartridge I go a little more in deep with tonearm match where I find that perform very well on: Dyna 505, Technics EPA100 MK2, Denon DA407, Audiocraft AC300 and 3300. I prefer on the Audiocraft AC3300 and Dyna 505.
About the Soundsmith modified cartridges I can comment this: yesterday I have the opportunity to play with the SMMC20CL ( Sounsmith one ) and the original MMC20CL. Overall ( at least for my taste ) the original has a better quality performance, near to the live event, the Sounsmith one is more on the hi-fi side it sounds good but the original one is more natural performer. Well as a fact both cartridges are different at least with different kind ( material: saphire in the original and Ruby on the SS ) of cantilever/stylus.
I really recommend those original B&O cartridges, are really good and worht the effort. Btw, you can find a NOS original MMC20CL right now on ebay Canada.
Dear Rgordonpf: Thank you for your report on the 750LTD and I concur with you: " . At its price point it is an outstanding value. ", IMHO a must to have along the EDR.9. I think that you will have a nice and a little different experience with your EDR.9, good listening!!!!!
I will try other Empire cartridge models on my collection and " see " what happen.
Dear Freshpuma: Nice to hear that you are happy with the Empire EDR.9. It is important too that every single person that already try those Empire cartridges are satisfied with its quality sound reproduction.
This is a follow-up on my post above about my acquiring an Empire 750LTD:
I have about 200 hours on the 750LTD. At about 100 hours I traded in my Herron VTPH-1MC phonostage for a new Herron VTPH-2 which has both MM and MC inputs. So, while the first 100 hours were played through a Vacuum State JLTi, the last 100 hours were played through the VTPH-2. During the time I was listening to the 750LTD on a Moerch DP-6 with 12" red dot arm on a Garrard 401, I was also listening to a ZYX UNIverse S-SB on a VPI 12.5 on the 401s second armpod, and also listening to a VdH Condor XGM on a Schroeder Reference on a Nakamichi TX-1000. The three cartridge/arm/TT combinations all sounded different. They were all musical and fun to listen to. The 750LTD did not have the silky smoothness of its much higher priced brothers. Its soundstage was smaller and it had slightly less detail. However, the 750LTD seemed to be more dynamic. It boogied more than the other two combinations. When I wanted to play rock LPs, where soundstaging and detail is not as important, I preferred playing them on the 750LTD.
What I would like to do is to mount the 750LTD on my VPI 12.5 and then on my Schroeder to see if what I am hearing is due to the 750LTD or due to the difference in tonearms. However, the 750LTD needs a lightweight arm. Neither the VPI 12.5 nor the Schroeder are light weight arms (both have an effective mass of 12grams) so I can not do that comparison. Darn.
So my unscientific conclusion is that the Empire 750LTD is a very good sounding cartridge. At its price point it is an outstanding value.
Raul, thanks for recommending the 750LTD to me. Now I have to mount my Empire ERD-9 and see how good that cartridge is.
I like my Supex carts so much that I created another in their honour. Amazing how taste and hearing capabilities change, however. I still have the two Supex carts and listen to them occasionally - for old times sake.
@ dgob, here are the specs from my Spectral MCR (mine also says "Signature") - hope it's the same):
Output: 0.2mV Impedance: 2.0 Frequency range:10 - 40'000Hz Tracking force: 1.8g Compliance: 8 x 10? cm/dyne Weight: 9.0g
Mine is played very seldomly. I don't really like it very much. No bass weight and lack of dynamics.
I bought the last two Super Stereohedron stylus, which is a finer profile than the regular Stereohedron. The Stereohedron II is almost as finicky as my Ortofon X-5 MC's Fritz Geiger.
Psychicanimal - did you buy Kevin's last stereohedron stylus? I'm runninig a KAB modified Stanton Groovemaster II AE w/nuded stereohedron tip purchased this winter. Kevin says none of the stereohedron styli are left. :-(
I'll sell my Empire 750 LTD. It's not even broken in. It's no match for my newest addition: KAB modded Stanton Trackmaster I. Kevin soldered a NOS Super Stereohedron stylus and the cartridge just SINGS!
I have had about 30 h on the edr.9 now, and I must say it's very impressing. I am enjoying music like never before. I have played around with the VTA, and for the moment I have setteled on 1.1g.
First, right now I have it mounted on an Audio-Technica ATP-12T, which has far too much mass to be optimal. I need to mark up and drill an armboard for my Rega. Table is a Technics SP-15 with the SH-15B2 plinth.
Even on the wrong tonearm, the EDR.9 sounds great. It has much better detail than my Shure V15 without being edgy, and the midrange is really great - male voices especially are just right. Bass is tighter than the Shure with not quite the extension yet, but it's not fully broken in. Overall, it's definitely a keeper and will be worth looking for a low mass tonearm to match with it. I'll try it with my Rega first - that may be enough. Has anyone yet tried the EDR.9 with a true low mass tonearm?
One amazing tidbit is that the EDR.9 moved past the first stage of break-in faster than any cartridge I've used. I started it at 1.2 and after only 5-6 hours it got muddy and slow. I've backed it off to 1.0 and it sounds great again. I'm guessing it won't be long until I move down to .7-.8. Guess it's time to get a VTF scale with .01 g resolution!
I really like this nice projekt on digging up cartridge gems from the past. On your advice I bought one of the last remaining EDR.9's, and I find it really marvellous. It really knocks out cartridges costing alot more $$. So thank's a million times for the tip, and I encourage you to continue the search.
Piedpiper,thanks for the suggestion. The thing is, the Empires were doing well against much more expensive models up to $8000!!! Amazing
For what they allow for trade in towards another Sumiko it looks like I`d be further ahead with a Denon DL 160 @ $160 instead.
A Denon 103/Denon Au-300 would cost about the same as a trade towards another EVO III. And as far as the other models...seems there may be better cartidges available at the same price or lower... Don`t know what to think. Steve
Very interesting thread. My BPS EVO III is non-functional and I`m searching for another cartridge. Unfortunately the Empires are no longer available. That`s a shame, the 750 LTD looked like something I would have given a go at...oh well. Any other looked over cartridges out there ? Steve
Carlos, many thanks. However, the site only has a basic photograph and scant information. Any information that Agoners can give would be truly appreciated.
Based on Raul's advice I purchased a Empire 750 LTD. It is mounted on a 12" red dot (6 gram) armwand on a Moerch DP-6 mounted on a Garrard 401. Phono stage is a Vacuum State JLTI, preamp Herron Audio, deHavilland 845-G SET monoblock amps, and VMPS RM30M speakers. VTF is set at 1.22g.
I currently have a ZYX UNIverse S-SB mounted on a VPI 12.5 arm on the Garrard's second arm pod and a VdH Condor XGW on a Schroeder Reference on a Nakamichi TX-1000. With only 8 hours on it, the 750 LTD is holding its own. It sounds different from the other cartridges, but it is very listenable - dynamic, detailed, with good bass. Last night I was listening to Judas Priest and Depeche Mode. Really good. Today I was listening to classical RCA Shaded Dogs and London Bluebacks. Also very good.
Once the cartrdige is broken in, I will fine tune the set up and do some comparisons with the other cartridges. Comparisons will be difficult as my other cartridges are low output MCs with low compliance. I will have to use a different phono stage and a different arm wand.
The Empire 750 LTD sounds extremely promising so far
Here's my Empire 750 initial report. After 12 or so hrs I can say the recommended loading is incorrect--it should be higher, like many other cartridges of that era. My Monolithic Sound phono pre was set up to go up to 75K Ohm impedance or so (I think slightly lower) and last night I selected that loading for the Empire. It started sounding closer to my other two cartridges in presentation and refinement (Audio Technica AT25, Ortofon X-5 MC ).
Many manufacturer's publish 47K Ohm as a úniversal'spec but more often than not it's incorrect. Seems Benz is one of the few companis around that actually publishes correct loading.
Dgob: There is some info of your Spectral at www.cartridgedb.com Raul: I just ordered also the empire 750 ltd, i have not yet put the edr9. I,ll report when i do so. regards, Carlos
I have a Spectral MCR Reference with its full blue body but have only played it as a spare when all other cartridges are down or out. I cannot find any information on it and wondered if you could point me in the right direction? It's only played for about 150 hrs and has it original box and perspex casing but I'm not certain which arm(s) might make the best match etc. Also, how much do you think this would fetch at sale?
Also, finally, thanks for the advice Raul and I look forward to putting the Empire's through their paces.
My compliments. The best mini/multiple cart/headshell/arm review I've read this year. I have some of the cart/headshells or arms you mentioned and your observations are very astute. Regarding the Supex carts. I have two of the old 'blunderbus' types, including the black SD 900 Super 11. Other carts I have is an integrated h/shell (mm) AT23a - a good looker but slightly 'lame'. Then there's another AT2003VX 'Reserved Series' which is much nicer and approaching mc performance. Last of the mm's is a very nice Grace F-9 which I'm soon going to fit with my own damper and a Gyger FG11 ruby cantilever. Oh yes - I forgot: another mc - Spectral MCR moving coil sans body.
Dear Maxon: About the bass, this subject is ( in some ways ) tonearm dependent.
I " feel "/think that the 750 LTD ( or the EDR.9 ) has a very good low bass response against other MM cartridges and against too to other MC ones, of course that I have the advantage to could match in a better way the cartridge with a tonearm and that my cartridge has now 50-60 hours and all these could make a differeence for the better.
I've got 10-15 hrs on my 750 LTD, and finding like you to be much better with surface noise than the EDR.9, also less tizzy in the highs. Still not broken in, of course, but bass is not as tight as the Shelter 901, tho just as deep.
I believe that you're onto something here Raul, so I picked up an Empire 750 Limited from the guy in France. I fitted it yesterday and first impressions are very positive.
Surface noise is way quieter than the EDR.9. I like the tonal balance, which is just on the warm side of neutral. It's very dynamic, detail retrieval is good and it plays music with a great sense of coherence - no anomalies.
Using my trusty Kate Bush reference, the tracking of vocal sibilants is superb and the somewhat "tubby" fretless bass guitar is reproduced faithfully. On Donald Fagen's Nightfly, in comparison, bass guitar and drums are tight and punchy.
The 750 LTD doesn't define and spotlight instruments in space as well as the EDR.9, however it is a very pleasant and enjoyable performer which I'll be using as a benchmark, along with the Artisan arm and Lenco, to demonstrate how much more can be achieved by avoiding the most marketed audio brands.
Dear friends: This post goes specially to the Agoner's/music lovers that own top analog rig systems.
It is no doubt that our beloved MC cartridges are really great and make us to enjoy the music every time we hear it. Well some MM cartridges could bring to us ( at least )the same music enjoy level ( as a fact they did ) and in some ways give us " additional experiences ".
I know that many of us could think how a inexpensive MM cartridge could do that?, well this is the name of the game: a MM top quality performance discovery and you could only experince testing/trying those great MM " babies ".
One advantage that you have ( I think ) is that with the high resolution quality level of your systems you can detect not only the differences but the very subtle reproduction nuances on the music and the special way in that the MM cartridges makes all that. Yes we need a top and very well designed MM phono stage in the same way that we need it for a MC cartridges. The subject it is not to see which is better MC or MM, the real subject is to have a " new worthy " music experiences: that's all.
My advise is that you don't let go the opportunity ( for almost " cents " ) to hear some of those wonderful MM performers, in many ways these MM cartridges are " state of the art " and IMHO we must to hear it: we need to know what we are missing ( in the sound reproduction ) all these days, don't be afraid to do it, I'm sure that almost all of you will have a " happy/fun " experiences.
You can find it new and " used " units, I think it is worth the " hunt ".
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