2. analog
  3. 187081-541

Still looking for a new Moving Coil Cartridge

I noticed that Music Direct has 20% off cartridge sale on select cartridges. I am still using a ZU/Denon DL103 MC cartridge Series 1 with the cartridges tightest tolerances. I purchased it here from “Audiofiel” back in 2010 and have used it sparingly since. I had been using a Dynavector DV20XL cartridge which I bought a couple of years ago but my 6 yo nephew destroyed it (that’s another story) so I am back to the ZU/Denon.

My table is a Technics SL1200G which I truly love. I have been looking at the Hana Low out put MC cartridges. I am interested in the low output “S” series as the $600.00 price is right where I want to be. Now, the million dollar questions: I listen to 95% 60’s, 70’s and 80’s Rock and want whatever cartridge I purchase to make the records sound good without excessive surface noise. Will the Hana S be up to the task? My Mac C2500 tube preamp has cartridge loading from 50 ohms up to 1000 ohms so I should be ok. I just want to be sure this cartridge will be very musical and full bodied sound. I do no want a thin sound. So there you have it, yay or neigh?

128x128stereo5

Showing 2 responses by big_greg

big_greg
6,561 posts
 

I have a Zu Denon DL103 that came with a turntable I bought.  It sounded awful and I was going to throw it away, but decided to send it to Andy Kim to see if he could bring it back to life.  Boy, did he ever! 

I have a Hana SL and it's a very nice cartridge, but the Zu has more detail and is more lively, if a little less "refined" than the Hana.  The Hana is a fine cartridge and would be different, but to my ears, not "better".  If you like a warmish to neutral sound and if the Zu is a bit too wild and wooly for you, the Hana might be a good choice. 

I suggest reaching out to Andy and see if there's a way to tailor the sound of the Zu more to your taste.  That would be the best "bang for the buck" option in my opinion.

big_greg
6,561 posts
 

There have been a lot of different cartridge recommendations but no one is telling me they will make my rock records sing.  Does anyone have first hand experience in the cartridges recommended with rock music?  

What does "make my rock records sing" mean to you?  Perhaps nobody has addressed that because it's not really descriptive.  I can't think of any cartridges I've owned that didn't play rock music as well as any other music.  I listen to rock probably 70% of the time.

More to discover