Help with cartridge needed
I’d like to get some opinions as to a new cartridge for my turntable. Since I don’t have the opportunity to test drive any of the below listed candidates, I’m having to rely on what I can read.
When I purchased my turntable a couple years ago, I skimped on the cartridge in order to get a better quality table, fully planning to upgrade as soon as I could. Hopefully that time has come.
My analog path is as follows: VPI TNT 6HR turntable with a JMW 12.5 tonearm into a VAC Renaissance Signature Mk II preamp (with MC and MM phono section), then to Wavac MD 300Bm monoblock amps and finally to Khorn speakers (with Crites tweeters, ALK midrange and new crossovers). My phono cable is a Purist Audio Venustus and the interconnects and speaker cables are Stereovox. I listen primarily to late 50’s to mid 70’s rock and jazz.
I’ve had a number of suggestions as to cartridges. My list of possibles, at the moment, looks like this:
Air Tight PC-1
Dynavector XV-1s
ZYX Universe
I realize this is a pretty lofty (and pricey) group, and I suspect I wouldn’t go too far wrong with any of them. Due to the cost, I’m willing to consider used. Based on what I’ve read so far, I’m leaning toward the Dynavector as there is a fair body on information as to that cartridge’s compatibility with the JMW arm. I have seen and continue to follow the recent threads as to cartridges etc. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.