bpoletti - you ask a tough question because there are so many cartridge brands on the market that span price ranges from the modest to the ridiculous, you may get overwhelmed with responses.
My response is kinda consistent with what other folks posted above. My primary cartridge is a Lyra Kleos, which I picked up on an exchange for my old Kleos which had a broken cantilever. The exchange cost me about $2K.
Paying $2K for a cartridge gave me some pause. Thee are Lyra models that cost upwards of $8K and even much more. When one considers that a stylus has a limited life, even under the best of conditions, paying $2K for my Kleos gave me pause to think about the value proposition of the Kleos or any cartridge for that matter.
I also own a 1st generation Soundsmith Zephyr as my backup cartridge. This may sound crazy, but it is not a bad sounding cartridge, especially considering its cost. I've actually been thinking about using my old Zephyr to do an exchange for the Zephyr MIMC Star.
But IMO, here is where the value proposition comes in. If you check the Soundsmith website, you should take note that Peter Ledermann will do rebuilds and retips of his cartridges for very reasonable prices.
So, I would like to put a question out there to other members who own the Zephyr MIMC Star. What are your comments about that cartridge.
I think if you get good feedback on the MIMC Star or any other Soundsmith model, I think it should go on the short list for consideration. I bet the MIMC Star and the other mid-priced Soundsmiths sound great. And with the very reasonable rebuild/retip option, Soundsmith makes for a very good value proposition for a cartridge, IMHO.
BIF
My response is kinda consistent with what other folks posted above. My primary cartridge is a Lyra Kleos, which I picked up on an exchange for my old Kleos which had a broken cantilever. The exchange cost me about $2K.
Paying $2K for a cartridge gave me some pause. Thee are Lyra models that cost upwards of $8K and even much more. When one considers that a stylus has a limited life, even under the best of conditions, paying $2K for my Kleos gave me pause to think about the value proposition of the Kleos or any cartridge for that matter.
I also own a 1st generation Soundsmith Zephyr as my backup cartridge. This may sound crazy, but it is not a bad sounding cartridge, especially considering its cost. I've actually been thinking about using my old Zephyr to do an exchange for the Zephyr MIMC Star.
But IMO, here is where the value proposition comes in. If you check the Soundsmith website, you should take note that Peter Ledermann will do rebuilds and retips of his cartridges for very reasonable prices.
So, I would like to put a question out there to other members who own the Zephyr MIMC Star. What are your comments about that cartridge.
I think if you get good feedback on the MIMC Star or any other Soundsmith model, I think it should go on the short list for consideration. I bet the MIMC Star and the other mid-priced Soundsmiths sound great. And with the very reasonable rebuild/retip option, Soundsmith makes for a very good value proposition for a cartridge, IMHO.
BIF