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High Performance Moving Iron Cartridge Candidates?

I have decided to simplify my analog set up a bit. removed the fussy cartridges and SUT's, and am down to one external phono stage, and the internal one in my Trinov preamp. 

 

The Trinov preamp is MM only, and I don;t want to use a step up or headamp with it. So that means high output moving coil or a MM type cartridge. 

I read on these boards that a MI cartridge can have lower moving mass than a moving coil I would like to experiment. 

What are the viable candidates these days? I imagine most vintage ones do not have OEM styli available still. The Soundsmith ones are interesting, but get very spendy. This is meant to be a casual cartridge for me, but I will spend some money on it. Just not Air Tight or Koetsu money.  

What are other choices? Not typically fond of Grado I heard in the past. Otherwise I think Nagaoka is the only other one I know of?

neonknight
neonknight OP
430 posts
 

Tonearm is going to be a low mass version of the Audiomods Series Six. Effective mass is 8.9 grams. 

oceanandmountains
48 posts
 

As someone mentioned up thread, a new Nagaoka is coming out in a month and would seem to fit the bill (assuming Nag’s bill is more than their TOL but far less than anything Air Tight). Based on the MP500, I’m in.

I was about to buy a new Decca a month or so ago, but I think I want someone else to go first.

markmoskow
49 posts
 

I have several Grado and Soundsmith. The sweet spot for me was Soundsmith Zephyr MKiii (not the ES), which you can get with a couple hundred hours for 750 or so. Unlike most, I find lower hours used cartridges worthy, especially since they are broken in. And if you need a Soundsmith rebuild for some reason you are still in a decent price range. I even bought one of these once after the seller shipped to Soundsmith for an "all clear" from them. Good company to deal with I've found.

jasonbourne71's avatar
jasonbourne71
1,363 posts
 

I have a Dynavector 10B high output mc cartridge. I think it sounds better - more "lively" - than moving iron cartridges like Grado or Nagaoka. 

rsf507
2,398 posts
 

I've heard many SoundSmith cartridges and they all are wonderful. The Voice is fabulous and has an output of 2.12mV and if and when it requires retipping the cost is only $300. 

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