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?
I chose Audio Technica AT33PTG/II https://www.audio-technica.com/en-eu/at33ptg-ii Microlinear on Boron. wider 30db separation; tighter 0.5 channel balance. My experience: stiffer cantilever = better bass. Shure's Beryllium was stiffest, best bass I ever had, no longer made. Not big difference, but each small difference adds up. Note: Audio Technica has a trade in program for MC cartridges. I sent mine in, suspecting worn, yes, they sold me a new one for half price! |
If you listen some each week, I suspect you are wearing out your stylus before replacing it. IMO, no matter what cartridge you choose, you ought to get an advanced stylus shape. The ZU Denon is conical "0.2 mm square base diamond, crystal aligned, conical cut" Hana S series is Shibata, a great choice. https://www.sound-smith.com/articles/stylus-shape-information estimated longevity of various stylus shapes:
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OP "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." Where are you getting the LP’s? I had a LOT of LP’s, bought in 60’s; 70’s, 80’s. Then along came CDs. LPs gathered dust, friends gave me their used LPs ... I had about 2500 lps, some new, then I inherited 4,000, mostly Jazz played once. When I started playing my old ones again, OMG, noisy, nearly unlistenable. I developed my manual scrub routine, and was/am very happily surprised, they play much much quieter than when dirty. Night and Day difference. You need to get aggressive with them, dirt has been pushed down into the grooves, and modern stylus get deeper in the grooves, digging junk out if you don’t get it out. I mean SCRUB!
What I mean to say, no new cartridge will make them as quiet as you hope, but aggressive cleaning will help a lot, with any cartridge. |
roadcyklerOP says using the ZU/Denon sparingly (for 13 years _____?) Using Dynavector for a couple of years. If OP is thinking about a new cartridge, I PRESUME he listens enough to ask for help. Thus I mentioned stylus life, OP knows the answer, not me. I gave the link for the whole article, and a blip of info Everything's relative, multiply them all by 4, the difference of +250 hrs becomes +1,000 hours. |
crustycoot Does anyone have experience with buying a headshell with pre-aligned cartridge? ......................................... I could not ’trust’ a pre-alignment, I simply couldn’t do it. Not to mention, personally getting it ’right’ is part of the enjoyment every time you drop the needle. And, of course, the proliferation of TT with arms with fixed cartridges opens pandora’s box for so many. I vote for acquiring a few inexpensive tools and learning how to get it ’right’. Sets you up for the rest of your life. |
I only discuss equipment I have had personal experience with. Goldring Eroica LX (low output MC) with Gyger II stylus: My friend owned one, was not set up for MC, so I mounted/played it here. Nice, but we both preferred my AT33PTG/II (what a stupid name). Recently he got setup for MC, played it thru his system. Nice, but he's going back to his Grace MM which sounded better to him. I hadn't heard the Grace recently, but when I set it up properly for him it sounded damnnnn good I remember. He knows what to do to align, but does not have the steadiness to do it himself. I still do, for how long?? |
OP, I don't mean to insult you, but I am suspecting you are NOT buying those LP's new. More than likely, even if bought new by you (as so many of mine were), they were played with conical and elliptical stylus, and 'stuff' got pressed deep down in the grooves, now to be found by modern 'deep groove' stylus shapes. My friend has a ultrasonic cleaner he loves, but it does not clean my old lps as well as my vigorous scrub method does. I don't know why, but they play quieter after my method. IF a cartridge can play a noisy LP more quietly than another cartridge, I don't want it, what else is missing along with the noise? A great cartridge can kick ass on any type of music. Speakers 'best for rock' were crap. |
To explore 'stiffer cantilever/better bass', I bought a Sumiko Talisman S, Line Contact on Sapphire Tube 30dB at 1kHz. Channel balance: 0.5dB, tracking force: 2gm https://www.stereophile.com/content/talisman-s-mc-phono-cartridge Overall, I actually like it as much as my AT, and who knows if I hear what I want to hear, but I think there is a speck tighter bass playing Cecil, Mila, Niels/Sam https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_Spaces mila drumke, my funny valentine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukrNpHCDSjc double bass, niels and sam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jvz_hcTZ9k I listen to my AT more because it is on my long arm/fixed cartridge, and the talisman fits my removable headshell arm usually with my new AT Mono with advanced stylus on boron that Steve at VAS made me. Anyway, Sumiko, Talisman S: very highly recommended
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fleschler "28,500 lps .... I should buy a mono cartridge" Of course you should, I cannot believe you don't have one. .......................................... I read/learned here the true advantages of a real mono, dipped my toe in the water, bought a Grado Mono, $100. made the big difference that was described here. I demonstrate the difference for all my friends, they end up getting a Mono cartridge themselves. Next I bought an AT33 MC Mono body with a broken cantilever, and had Steve at VAS rebuild with Advanced Stylus Shape on Boron. Wonderful. Two friends bought Mono cartridges Steve had ready to go. Luckily we live close enough to visit the shop and listen to various cartridges on Steve's system. Hearing them helps you commit to the higher cost, Jim went Advanced on aluminum +/- $600. Another friend went Advanced stylus on boron, +/- $700. Mine was less as I provided the AT33 MC Mono body I bought via Aledo/Yahoo for $38. Shipping cost more than the body, just under $100. total. Cameras: "Get Thee Out of Auto". Mono LPs: "Get Thee a Mono Cartridge"! Anyone near enough to me Plainfield, NJ 07062, come on by, have a listen. Or call Steve at VAS, Cliffwood, NJ 07721, go to his shop, what a dizzying treat that is, and meet his son Ray. btw, VPI is in the same building as VAS. |
noromance when you say rebuilt Decca Maroon, does that mean an upgraded Stylus from the standard Spherical? .................................................. Decca Maroon from Factory: " $950* The London (Decca) Maroon cartridge is the same as the Super Gold, and the Gold, except for its SHPERICAL stylus tip. This results in playback that is slightly less detailed than the more costly London (Decca)s. But this cartridge is a favorite of collectors of costly LPs because the spherical stylus profile is the safest possible configuration that has the least potential to damage the grooves, in case of improper setup, or accidental maladjustment. The more modest price can allow it to fit logically into many budget systems." That's listening to the 'safest'. .................................................... Proper alignment of advanced Stylus Shapes (i.e. Line Contact as all the high end Decca's use) IS very important, but when done right the result is superior as Decca themselves state.
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pindacThe tank and brushes is supposed to be filled with the cleaning fluid, the brushes doing the cleaning. I scrub aggressively with the baby scalp brush, and the tank is just distilled water for rinse, then light cloth dry holding the LP over the tank (so excess distilled water drips back down into the tank. Then on to the drying rack, they dry faster that way, off to the next batch of 10. I position myself centered between the speakers, for quality listening while cleaning, add a bit of joy to the task. A folding table with a plastic sheet would work for other setups. |
lewm the idea of an advanced stylus being MISALIGNED can cause more damage than a spherical/conical Stylus. Thus they consider spherical as ’safest’. Properly aligned, advanced is LESS groove wear, and LESS stylus wear, and better sound. amateur/novices without the simple tools and skills to properly align advanced stylus do run a higher risk of misalignment. |
dogberry There are some great cartridges $700. or below here’s my AT33....for a great price these days, returns accepted Microlinear on Boron, great separation, tight channel balance for superior imaging. I’ve listened to many other cartridges in my system, mine and friends. It’s my first MC, I just made a lucky choice. Others here on the forum think highly of it. Many people prefer elliptical, typically on aluminum, new Denon’s are aplenty, here’s a Benz Micro Near me, come listen, bring yours 07062 |
