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Warm sounding phono cartridge

Hello all.  I recently upgraded the phono cartridge on my Marantz TT15S1 from the Clearaudio cartridge that came with the table to a Hana Umami Blue.  I'm overall happy with the purchase.  However, while the Hana has made my well cared for and well recorded LP's sound excellent many of my albums now sound thin to me and noisy. Clicks and pops have been exacerbated to the point that I do not want to play some records even after a run through my Degritter ultrasonic.

I'm looking for a phono cartridge MM, MC or MI in the $1,000 range or less that is warm sounding and less revealing than the Hana.  Any thoughts?  

rfauto
lewm
13,259 posts
 

Also, “thin” in and of itself is a very subjective quality. As when your wife or girlfriend asks do I look thin in this dress? Maybe you can amplify on your definition of thin (sounding, not looking).

meganbuddy
1 posts
 

Slightly off topic. I can’t comment on the “sound” of your cartridge, but for the noisy LPs in my collection I’m very happy with the SugarCube. Does a remarkable job of eliminating those annoying clips and pops. And I am careful to clean record and stylus (Ortofon 2M Black) before playing. 

wturkey's avatar
wturkey
800 posts
 

Grado 

 

Gold

 

Will add some warmth. 

knotscott's avatar
knotscott
981 posts
 

@au_lait 

@knotscott Mentioned Nagaoka… IME the MP500 has an exaggerated top end, to the point many people attempt to tame it,  

That has not been my experience at all, nor have even read heard about that being an issue from others. Quite the opposite.  I read about taming the top end of some AT and Ortofon carts with proper loading, but the MP500. 

chayro
3,004 posts
 

Try a Goldring 1042. Good tracking and not forward at all, IMO

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