The 2.2 can certainly benefit from a better cartridge. I'm not familiar with the Ortofon cartridges, so can't say how much of an improvement the specific upgrade you're thinking about will make. I have a Nagaoka mp500 on my 2.2 and it sounds really nice. I wouldn't spend crazy money on that table though, you might be better off spending that money getting a 5 series or 7 Series Music Hall second hand and putting the cartridge you have on it. My 5.1 sounded better with a $50 AT95e on it than the 2.2 with the mp500 on it. |
You should be able to find a used Music Hall 5.1 for less than the cost of the cartridge you're considering and that will be a more significant upgrade than adding a better cartridge to that table.
That table is decent, but it has inexpensive feet, a cheap tonearm, and not much (if any) isolation or mass in the plinth. It does not handle bass very well, it tends to sound a bit "tubby".
The 5.1 has much better isolation and a better tonearm and will sound much "tighter" and overall better than the 2.2. No matter how good of a cartridge you put on the 2.2 you won't change the inherent problems the platform has.
|
This is BS and i already explained how big is the improvement of the
Stanton 881s mkII instead of the Ortofon 2M Red on the same cheap
turntable called Pro-Ject Carbon. I’ve heard it myself, did you ever
tried just to swap a cartridge ? Or you’re always buying a new turntable
for each cartridge ?
Did you read what I wrote? I own the same turntable the OP has and have put a really nice cartridge on it (along with other upgrades - an acrylic platter and Project Speed Box)- the Nagaoka MP500, Nagaoka's $700 top of the line MM cart. I also owned a Music Hall MMF 5.1 and even with an entry level cartridge ($49 Audio-Technica AT95) it sounded better than the 2.2. It's actual experience, not stuff I'm making up as you appear to be doing, since you don't seem to have any actual experience with the turntable being discussed. |
Common sense is that a good table with an entry level cartridge will sound better than an entry level table with a good cartridge.
You could get a pretty nice second hand turntable for the $755 the 2m black would cost and put the blue on it or more than likely find a turntable with a similar quality cartridge already on it.
I did a lot of upgrades to My Music Hall 2.2. The acrylic platter, a speed box, a nagaoka MP 500 cartridge. At the end of the day my music hall 5.1 with a $50 AT95 cartridge sounded better. Not that the 2.2 is a bad turntable, it's not. I still have mine and enjoy it in another system.
My read of the original poster was that they have a limited budget and want to get the best sound quality. The money they are considering spending on a cartridge upgrade would be better spent on a decent turntable. They could spend less and have better sound quality by replacing the turntable instead of the cartridge.
A note of caution is that the wires on the tonearm on the 2.2 are very flimsy and break easily. |
You should see a benefit by putting a better cartridge on that table. How do you quantify what percentage of improvement?
Your money could be spent better, but it's your money and your choice.
The bass will never be as solid on that turntable, the background noise will not be as low, the details of the music won't be as present as they would be on a better table. The turntable matters more than the cartridge. |
I think @chakster is a little ignorant when it comes to this issue. He knows more than anyone. Just ask him, he'll tell you. Or don't ask him, he'll still tell you. Buying 60 cartridges demonstrates... something. But spending less than the cost of a cartridge on a turntable upgrade doesn't make sense... |
When the OP asked for a cartridge upgrade is not a good idea to tell him he must buy another turntable first. In your opinion, which you have yet to demonstrate is based on any actual experience with the turntable the OP has. I would have welcomed that kind of advice before I spent the money I did trying to upgrade that table only to discover later there was a more cost effective and more impactful option. The OP has made a decision and moved on. Perhaps you should consider doing the same. |
I recently acquired a JVC QL-Y66F direct drive table with a Stanton 981 HZ cartridge for $545. Much better table than the music hall 2.2. Music hall 5.X tables are often available with a decent cart for around $500. I just sold one for a little less than that. |
@tzh21y Yes, I immediately fell in love with the sound of it.The turntable body is a bit resonant, I'm going to try some internal damping to see if that helps. From what I've read, it's impossible to find a replacement stylus for that cartridge, other than some 3rd party options. I will enjoy it while it lasts. |
Thanks uber. It's good to know there's an option when the time comes. |
That's more than I paid for the turntable and cartridge!
I have a couple of jico sas styli and like them, but from what I've read they don't do Stanton. |
