How to choose a cartridge you can't hear on your system?


My personal cartridge history has gone from a humble Goldring to a decent Benz H2 and finally a Dynavector XV-1s.  Recently my 3 year old decided to break the needle on both my Dynavector and Benz (two arm setup).  This tragedy prompted a me to send my Dynavector out for re-tipping and the purchase of a new cartridge to sustain me through the expected rebuild period.  I bought a decent Sumiko Evo III.  

All of this is to come around to a realization.  In many ways, each cartridge brings something new to the table.  The Evo II had more solidity or weight to the sonic presentation than the others.  The Benz had a seductive warmth and the Dynavector a detailed nuance I most enjoyed.  I don't think it is possible to know ahead of hearing a cartridge in ones own system which brands house sound one prefers.  

I find cartridges to be the hardest audio component to buy.  How do you choose?  
chadlesko

Showing 3 responses by nandric

What my brother chakster forget to mention is that thanks to this

MM thread chosing carts was a kind of luxury. Because we were

the first to know we were able to sell the carts which we deed

not want to keep for more than we paid for. Experimentation for

free so to speak. This luxury however does not apply for the MC

kinds. Chakster dad obviously does not belong to the new Russian

rich (grin). So he must consider the prices. But he discovered

 something  similar. There are ''oldschool'' MC carts which are as

good as the new one with ''astronomic prices''. Say: XYZ, Palladian,

Anna , Atlas, jewel Koetsus, etc. Those are for the rich Russian

who want the most expensive stuff not necessary good stuf.

The reason is : ''my is more expensive than yours''.

The problem however is that since the debt crisis selling carts is

much more difficult than buying them. That is why his brother

Nandric owns about 50 carts which he does not need.

Syntax is probably not Jesus but certainly the nearest person

possible:  the pope for the analog believers. His best friend

Dertonarm  left alas the forum otherwise Syntax would be (only)

the cardinal.

BTW I seem to be the only one who post all his second hand

carts for check to Axel. There are obviously many persons in

this forum who never got this idea. Cost me 40 euro.

Dear chakster, Congratulations! Getting an compliment form Syntax

is as rare as the snow in Sahara.