There is no "best moving coil cartridge" and the higher price on the used market does not mean that 5k is better than 1k cartridge. The used marked is the platform where everyone could find a great cartridge for very good price. Not every auction ending at the high price. Some of the brands are overlooked, some are overpriced. And some brand (or the models) from the 70s/80s are unknown to the most of the buyers. I’ve never had an issues with used cartridges, but i’ve had an issues with new cartridges. Started from the very expensive MC carts (up to 4,5k) i slowly realized that the price is not so important when you’re looking for the cartridge that sounds the best for yourself in your own system. Practically those expensive MC carts are terrible, my broken new ZYX Premium 4D was a good lesson. Finding the good preamp for LOMC is a pain in the ass (just an extra expenses).
Your Pioneer turntable with its tonearm is perfect for MM cartridges, under 1k you can find extremely good (and rare) Moving Magnet carts. Recently i sold my spare AT-ML170, it’s hard to find any better cartridge, the price was under $800, easily compete with 4k MC cartridges! Another one has been shipped last month to Florida, it was NOS (never used) Victor X-1 with box and docs, the price was $1490 for a brand new cart from the late 70s. That Victor is also hard to beat by any overpriced MCs. They are all from the same era as your Pioneer. Personally i use Pioneer own top of the line MM cartridge (Pioneer PC-1000mkII) and i love it! I have MC cartridges as well, but i’m sure that for your Pioneer you’d better buy MM cartridge of the highest caliber! It will kill the LOMC!
Forget about Koetsu and other low compliance MC cartridges, it’s a waste of money, you don’t even have the right heavy tonearm to use them.
P.S. I really like the design of the Pioneer PL-70 mkII turntable along with their exclussive p-3. Sadly new turntables of today does not looks so good, something wrong with the designers.
Your Pioneer turntable with its tonearm is perfect for MM cartridges, under 1k you can find extremely good (and rare) Moving Magnet carts. Recently i sold my spare AT-ML170, it’s hard to find any better cartridge, the price was under $800, easily compete with 4k MC cartridges! Another one has been shipped last month to Florida, it was NOS (never used) Victor X-1 with box and docs, the price was $1490 for a brand new cart from the late 70s. That Victor is also hard to beat by any overpriced MCs. They are all from the same era as your Pioneer. Personally i use Pioneer own top of the line MM cartridge (Pioneer PC-1000mkII) and i love it! I have MC cartridges as well, but i’m sure that for your Pioneer you’d better buy MM cartridge of the highest caliber! It will kill the LOMC!
Forget about Koetsu and other low compliance MC cartridges, it’s a waste of money, you don’t even have the right heavy tonearm to use them.
P.S. I really like the design of the Pioneer PL-70 mkII turntable along with their exclussive p-3. Sadly new turntables of today does not looks so good, something wrong with the designers.