Good cartridge for Audioquest PT6 arm ???

Wayne, Since you wish to preferably stay with MM, one good recommendation would be to find an NOS Shure V-15 Type III off Ebay. These, in NOS unused condition will go for $300-$350.

While I'm sure there are many other good recommendations, as there's tons of people here more knowledgeable than I, the Shure is still one of the all time greats, incomparable tracking ability, very good sonics. I've seen a few of these pop up lately on ebay, and they seem to be a sort of common item lately.

Downsides are: Getting a replacement stylus for these has become very tough, and they also go for big bucks.

Of course, the latest Shure (was it the VxMr?) might be easier to get as new, and to also get a replacement Stylus when needed.

With your Mac equipment with MM Stage, you'll need a Cartridge that will typically have an output of 4.5Mv to 5Mv. Cartridges like the Hi-Output Glider, will not have enough output to work well with typical MM Phono Stages in the Mac Gear.

Of course, other, less costly options would be a Grado, and another nice cartridge I was always partial to, and that was Audio Technica. I always dug the older Shibata Stylus units such as the AT-14S, AT-15S, and the rare AT-20SLa. Audio Technica I believe also has compatible current offerings that are good. Mark

Wayne, If you have your McIntosh Manual, check it out, and see what it says. I've never known any Mac gear that had an internal Phono Stage suitable for MC cartridges. Even at 2.5Mv output (like the new Gliders are), a Moving Coil just isn't going to have enough output. You would most likely be cranking the volume control to 75% to get "maybe" medium volume.

With this kind of arrangement, just one mistake switching inputs on the pre over to CD, FM, or Tape, and you'd likely damage something like a speaker due to excessive volume difference.

I'm not personally familiar with your particular unit, but many Mac Pre-Amps have provision for Aux (or a Phono/Aux), and this is where you'll need to insert a Phono Pre-Amp if you desire to use an MC with your set-up.

That is why I say, your options for low cost good performance will be with a high quality MM Cartridge, versus running the gamut with a outboard Phono Stage, and two additional reasonably high quality interconnects.

For years I used a Shure V-15 type III myself, with a Pioneer Pl-51 manual Turntable, running through my Mac gear. Always had a very good detailed sound. I'm sure with the AQ Arm, and VPI Turntable, much more can be extracted from this particular Shure cartridge, and should sound much better than one did on my Pioneer table.

Your options are numerous, and I reckon a decision you'll need to sleep on a bit. Bottom line is, how much can you invest into your analog set-up?

There are other options as a step up device, as I can remember my buddy using one some years back to boost the output of an old Ortofon OM-10 going into a vintage Sansui Seven Reciever. Mark

Generally Dreadhead, having the Cantilever Tube of the Tonearm level to the LP's Surface when the Cartridge is in the playing position is a good place to start with the PT-6, and generally any Tonearm.

To set overhand which is essential, You'll need some form of Cartridge Protractor, there are many from a cheap piece of paper, then up up to the Mobile Fidelity GeoDisc, (which is what), and then of course, one can go beyond, and things like the WallyTractor, are probably the best, But I think it's unnecesary to go to this extent with what you have.

Since there's no azimuth adjustment on the PT-6 Arm, (Tilt of the Headshell itself) this is one area you shouldn't have to concern yourself about.

Now onto Vertical Tracking Force, and Anti-Skating.

I've found that the provided Toneram adjustments on my own AQ Arm's Counterweightm and AntiSkate Control are pretty close, so first balance the Tonearm so that it's neutral (Balanced) in a level position hovering over the LP (Be careful here), Make careful adjustments clockwise/counter-clockwise on the Tonearm's Counterweight until this is achieved, then I return the Arm to its rest. Now carefully, without letting the counterweight turn on its shaft, set the circular slip dial at the front of the Tonearm to Zero. After this is done, then grab the rear of the Counterweight, and screw it in on its shaft to the desired Tracking Force Weight (ie: 1-1/2gms-2gms-etc)

It will be close, but I recommend at least getting an inexpensive Shure VTF Gauge.

Now to set the AntiSkate. Whatever your VTF force is, let's say 2 grams. set the little round Antiskate Knob to this same value. Provided nothing is broken on the arm, you'll be kind of close. If your vertical tracking Force is 1-1/2 grams, set the little Dial between 1, and 2. make sense?

A better method to achieve very close Antiskate Adjustment, will be with a Test Record which has an area with no grooves. The Hi-Fi News LP, or the Cardas Test/Demag LP is good for this. The final process is to test by ear, and a test LP can help in this regard also.

These adjustments should get you into some form of close Ballpark, and make the Arm usable without incurring damage to either Stylus, or LP.

As far as VTA, there's almost really no book you can look to for precise adjustment with any given Cartridge. This ultimately has to be done by ear.
Hope this helps, and if I missed spmething, please folks feel free to chime in. Mark

Hey Dreadhead, thank you for the kind compliments, and you've made my day knowing that I've helped someone here.

Actually, I consider myself a "Dummy" in this forum. There's people in here, who's system costs more than the house I live in!

None the less, I've been on this earth 51 years, started learning Drums at Frank's Drum Shop in Chicago in Dec 1965 from a Master, Phil Stanger. (Jazz)His teacher taught him, Gene Krups, Louis Bellson, Ed Shaugnessy, William Ludwig II, and countless others.

My mother nurtured my love for music. From the '60s and spinning 45's, and playing in bands, onto the '70's, learning to play Bass Guitar (Fender P-Bass) and the 8-track, my uncle's Barbara Striesand's albums, Sgt Peppers, Santana, Steve Miller Sailor,l the oldies like the Temptations, Little Anthony, Miracles, Stones, and all that wild music of that time.

Then came the mid-late '70's, and Musicraft on Chicago's north side Oak St. They used to roll out the Red Carpet when I walked in that store!

All the great gear back then I listened to, and owned! Sansui, Marantz, Tandberg, Revox, Pioneer, Unique Speakers that stick out in my mind till this day, like AMT-1's with their ESS Heil Drivers, and the Bose 901's that they always pushed on you, but I never personally liked. Eventually, I settled down with McIntosh Gear, and never looked back.

Me, the JBL West Coast Sound always stood out. The quality of the Drivers, the beautiful veneers, the expensive, and almost untouchable price tags.

Fast forward to the 80's, and 90's with MO-FI LP's, Mark Levinson Model 33 300wpc Monoblocks, which you could literally cook your breakfast on, Apogee Ribbons, MBL Spaceship speakers with stratosheric price tage, Martin Logan, and Maggie Electrostatics with their crystal clear mids, and highs, B+W 801's with their appearingly "bulletproof" Kevlar Cones, VPI Aries, and TNT Tables, Krell top of the line CD playback. Ahhh what nirvana!!!!

Now, if only somebody would hire me as their hit man so I could really afford today's real hi end! lol

None the less, I can remember my first good analog enjoyment, listening to a freind's meager Garrard Plastic Turntable with Shure Cartridge playing some Elton John.

I've been to some of the best concerts ever known to man, such as Led Zepplin, when they came out with Houses of the Holy ('74), and they were throwing M-80's and LP's into the crowd at that concert (Bonham was alive then) ELP when they came out with Brain Salad Surgery, Elton John, Chicago (They actually stunk), Yes with Rick Wakeman, Paul McCartney, and Wings over America (I got in free to that concert!), Jethro Tull when they came out with Thick as a Brick, Neil Young, Stanley Clarke, Ted Nugent, and the Amboy Dukes at the Aragon Ballroom, Santana at the Aragon (With people OD'ing all over the place) and standing right in front of him watching him play that Gibson with his eyes closed for 1/2 the concert, Rush, Foghat, seeing the original Dave brubeck Quartet at the Civic Opera House 6 months before Paul Desmond died, seeing Buddy Rich in Concert 4 times, the first in 1967 at a Franks Drum Shop Clinic, where I sat right next to him on the stage.

The bottom line is, to hopefully appreciate what you have, and to sit back, and truly appreciate what these artists, musicians, composers have given us, and to enjoy, and totally immerse ourselves in it. Tough to do sometimes in this day, and age, but we all should take the time when we can to isolate ourself from the outside worls, and enter our own little world of Sonic enjoyment.

Unfortunately, sometimes, the equipment can get in the way, but I think we all are striving to approach the same degree of enjoyment, no matter how deep (or shallow) our pocketbooks are. Mark

Dang, reading back on a few of my posts, I noticed many typos, and I'm sorry to all for this.

One error I see I clearly made in the earlier post, was referring to the Tonearm-Arm Wand as a Cantilever Arm....Ooops!

Dreadhead, Yes, I'm sure your Cartridge will require some time to settle down, and play it's best. No doubt 40-75 hours of playing time. That doesn't necessarily mean the Cartridge won't sound good from the get go.

Best way to break it in, is to lay back my freind with some good LP's, and enjoy! Ya just gotta remember when that Stylus had gotten to the end of the LP, to come out of your happy euphoric dreams, quickly get up, and grab that cueing lever! lol

Once in a while, I forget this myself sitting in a dreamy stupor at the end of an LP.

Try to get in the habit of labratory cleansliness with your LP's, and Stylus, and your collection will literlly last decades with like new sound, just as many of my own LPs have. Mark