I would check out the Clearaudio Aurum Beta Mark II but if you can swing another $400 the Aurum Virtuoso Wood is superb.
Please help me choose a new cart, advice needed
Okay let me start off by saying that I listen to mostly 80s/90s rock some fusion etc.. I sometimes actively listen, but my TT is almost the only source that I use at home. Its almost always playing.
My table is an oracle alexandria with a well tempered arm (I think its a classic but im not 100% sure) that I rewired with cryo cardas wire and clips. I am using a wellborne labs tube phono stage. I do not know how much gain it offers, and not sure how to find out! Interconnects are audioquest quartz. Amp is a carver PM 1.5 and speakers are mordaunt-short performance 860s. I do not own a preamp right now but have a PSE studio SL on the way.
I started with a denon DL103 cart. Always had major sibalance problems that I could not fix. I now think that cart was faulty (I still have it). I replaced that cart with an NOS sumiko BP, not the #2 version about a year ago. The BP, as everyone said, did midrange very well but the highs were always a bit chopped for me, as was the bass extension. I have a backup marantz table that I use often that I had a audio-technica at331lp cart on it with a P-mount adapter. I always kinda liked it so I swapped it to my oracle tonight. The highs that I missed are there, the midrange is not quite as forward as the sumiko (which I am not sure I like) bass is a little less but the extension seems deeper.
I think its time to put a different cart on my oracle. Can anyone help me with some suggestions? I am open to purchasing a good used cart as well. There is little chance I could swing over $400 for a different cart. Judging from my frankenstien audio-technica there must be something better out there for me! I was considering both of the top end audio-technica carts.
Any thoughts from you guys would be fantastic. I am using protractors and stylus force gauges for setup as well.
Evan
My table is an oracle alexandria with a well tempered arm (I think its a classic but im not 100% sure) that I rewired with cryo cardas wire and clips. I am using a wellborne labs tube phono stage. I do not know how much gain it offers, and not sure how to find out! Interconnects are audioquest quartz. Amp is a carver PM 1.5 and speakers are mordaunt-short performance 860s. I do not own a preamp right now but have a PSE studio SL on the way.
I started with a denon DL103 cart. Always had major sibalance problems that I could not fix. I now think that cart was faulty (I still have it). I replaced that cart with an NOS sumiko BP, not the #2 version about a year ago. The BP, as everyone said, did midrange very well but the highs were always a bit chopped for me, as was the bass extension. I have a backup marantz table that I use often that I had a audio-technica at331lp cart on it with a P-mount adapter. I always kinda liked it so I swapped it to my oracle tonight. The highs that I missed are there, the midrange is not quite as forward as the sumiko (which I am not sure I like) bass is a little less but the extension seems deeper.
I think its time to put a different cart on my oracle. Can anyone help me with some suggestions? I am open to purchasing a good used cart as well. There is little chance I could swing over $400 for a different cart. Judging from my frankenstien audio-technica there must be something better out there for me! I was considering both of the top end audio-technica carts.
Any thoughts from you guys would be fantastic. I am using protractors and stylus force gauges for setup as well.
Evan
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