New cartridge

My vote would be for the Soundsmith cartridge, only because I have a cartridge that was "upgraded" by Soundsmith and the improvements were night and day -  it really sounds amazing.

Here’s a clip from a review on Analogue Seduction

It is effortless. I am coming from a MM Nagaoka MP-110 cartridge and this thing is worlds apart in the amount of detail that it pulls.

https://www.analogueseduction.net/cartridges2/soundsmith-otello-high-output-phono-cartridge.html

Good luck with your quest - Steve

Slightly used Othello from a friend sounds good. Why is he selling it?

Agree SoundSmith all the way.

Nagaoka.

i do take issue comparison w $165 retail Nak 110….. lets at least help people…

and yes, Soundsmith make fine cartridges 

i am a comparison shopping robot for my second gig

He didn’t like the output. He went with a Denon DL103. Something I’m now thinking of looking into. I like the Otello, it just bothers me that I have to turn the volume of my amp up so high.Also thinking of the A-T VM740ML or VM760SLC as well as the Ortofon 2M Black or the Ortofon Quintet Blue.

Ortofon 2M Black

This is discounted on Amazon and mine will be delivered today. $799 on other sites. $495 on Amazon.

My BP#2 is 15 years old time or a change. A friend let me borrow his Soundsmith Otello. Really liked how it sounded, but again the gain forced me to turn the volume  up more than I’m comfortable with.

Thought about the Denon, don’t know if my phono amp would have enough gain.

i could stretch for the 2M black. Also thinking of the Nagaoka MP-200 or 300 as well as the A-T VM740ML.

Soundsmith

Thanks for all the advice. I decided to go with the Blue Point #3. Since I turned in my old blue point #2, I got a $100 rebate. So far I’m pretty happy with it.

Lol should have bought the MP200. Nagaoka make top shelf MM MP carts. 

 The 2M black or the AT VM760SLC are both excellent high output cartridges for the money. I think they are both better than the Denon. Message me and I'll tell you about something interesting!

Nag 200 forever .

Bad on rock though ,you hear the garbage  .

If you are stretching for a 2M Black what about a SoundSmith Carmen? A little more than the Black, but only $200 for the rebuild. I think you may be able to order it as high output. The Otello may be a medium output cartridge.

https://sound-smith.com/cartridges/fixed-coil/carmen-mk-ii