What is “balanced,” “neutral,” and “colored”? There is no fixed reference for any quality, and even if there were, those qualities would be affected by the particular system the cartridge is in. Even without a reference, I don’t know what you mean by these qualities. At best, someone can describe differences between particular specific cartridges, but which is closer to any ideal is highly subjective.
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Agree with @jperry - Ortofon, other than the SPUs |
At best, you will get different responder's preference at each price level, and not necessarily a preference based on your undefined terms. I will contribute some of my favorites at or near level 4: Audio Technica AT ART1000 (recently discontinued at $4950) Audio Technica AT ART1000X (new model I have not yet heard at $5,500)
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I think it is a great question. I think folks that are very experience with different cartridges and systems can generalize about the sound of cartridges. Folks with little experience would not be very good judges. I for instance use a Koetsu Rosewood Signature. I would not consider it a neutral sounding cartridge, it is very warm and musical. I own it, and love it, but would not offer as a contender. I think if we had lots of folks with extensive experience offer their opinions we would get a convergence around a couple different lines. |
I don't know how to answer this question. Maybe start with measurements. Frequency response, distortion, and channel separation? I believe doing that leads nowhere. To start I compared my Cadenza Black to my ART20. They are both balanced, neutral and all that good stuff, but they sound different. I did it with a couple of others before giving up. Forget it. There is no right answer to this question. At any given price point each of us must listen and choose, there is no other way. |
Oh, I forgot to mention the element of subjectivity. One man’s meat is another man’s poison. My absolute favorite mono cartridge is the 2M Mono SE, which is the mono version of the 2M Black. I prefer it to a $2,000 MC that shall go nameless so as to avoid offense. I prefer my 2M Black to any other sub $1K stereo cartridge that I own, although I have one of the vaunted Shure V15 Mr w/Jico deals and a very good Stanton 881 that are also better to me than any of the MC in that price range. But that is my preference and it goes without saying that YRMV. Just additional grist for the mill. This question is like searching for the Holy Grail. |
I don’t think this is such a vague question, but I think it may be difficult to answer, since we all hear cartridges through our systems that have certain deviations from neutrality. At level 3, I think my Lyra Kleos is pretty neutral, but when I compare it to a CD or digital high-res version of the same album, the digital tends to have more high-frequency content (and not always in a good, more musical way), so I don’t know if that means the Kleos or my phono cables are rolled off on top or if this is an artifact of my digital system. (I have a Denafrips Venus 15 R2R DAC, and these are said to be pretty close to analog sound, and I think it is.) There may be some limitations from my tonearm, too, the Eminent Technology ET-2, which reviewers thought had less deep bass than the SME V, which was often considered a reference tonearm back in the day. |
You don't compare vinyl to digital, you compare it to master tape dubs. Deck's playback head is your reference "cartridge". Best decks', of course. Generally speaking, cartridges are very coloured, aren't they ? Added colourations, negative colourations. In this sense they are often the weakest link, no matter how pleasing the sound might be. Koetsu appears to be a fine example of it. |
Not my reference point, never was even back in the day when I had tape decks and recorded live bands. For me references are musical instruments, performances, people I am familiar with. I know what a Yamaha C7 sounds like and if in doubt I can listen to the one that is in my listening room. I know what K. Zildjian cymbals sound like, my Ludwig drum set has two rides, one crash and a pair of hi-hats sitting right beside me. I go to live performances regularly, have perfect pitch. Know violins from violas and can tell when someone is out of tune. Frankly I don't see anything wrong with using digital references. Master dubs on the other hand I have a problem with. Where did they come from? What mics were used? How many mics? What kind of a mixing console? Who was the engineer? It is hard to know some times. Might be good, might not. |
Various Ortofon models are certainly good choices, but, it is hard to say that the tonal balance is neutral. Most of the lineup below the very top cartridges are warmer sounding than average, but does that make them not as neutral? At whatever price level applies, I like the Quintet Bronze. I tend to like the Bronze models in each lineup more than the higher priced Black model (Black models tend to be a bit thinner and a bit harsh, although they do deliver extended highs). Again, not having any reference, I would call most Lyra cartridges not as warm as Koetsus, for example, but I cannot say if they are more or less neutral. I like several models even if they are not as warm as my ideal. I own an older Titan, although I am currently using a Transfiguration Orpheus L (a slightly warmer cartridge). If I thought the Transfiguration is closer to the ideal tonal balance, it would be my choice for being more neutral, but someone preferring the Titan would rhink the opposite. Audio Technica makes an extensive line of cartridges that I think compete well across all of the price levels set out. As I mentioned earlier, I am impressed with the AT ART 1000 model—not as warm as a Koetsu, but warm enough for my taste and it sounds great to me; it even impressed a couple of Koetsu owning friends of mine. |
As I've pointed out before, SME gets little love here in the colonies. Rest assured, you have a fine tonearm. |
Dogberry, I believe you are operating under a false assumption although I can understand why. There are those of us in the colonies who totally understand and respect SME. I do not own an SME V. I do own other SME arms, but that was not my question. Your reply is telling, however. Wrong headed people apparently believe the SME V is not still considered a reference tonearm. Never mind that it performs at a reference level that very few can match and in my experience damn few can even approach. Thank you for your insight. |
I have little problem with audiophile "sound engineering", by the way, for as long as the essence of the performance is conveyed, but personally I would prefer doing it down the chain not at the source. On the other hand, many esteemed audiophiles use Koetsu and Lyra, so perhaps they are right to start doing it at the source. Still, I am a tape man and my philosophy is sometimes a little different. Difficult to bring out the full colour and vividness of the performance without adding some colourations, doesn't it ? Koetsu cartridges, better Mullard tubes, some cables.. |
Perhaps, the different "flavors" one finds from cartridges explains why some people have a large collection of cartridges; some people don't just want vanilla and they like to mix things up. The cartridges I like don't at all sound alike. I like the Koetsu Rosewood Platinum Signature and the Audio Technica AT ART1000, both heard in the same system. I like my Lyra Titan and my Transfiguration Orpheus L even though they don't sound alike. I've heard, and liked other Lyra cartridges, certain Dynavector and Allaerte cartridges. For reasons I can't explain, I did not warm up to ZYX cartridges. I once kidded a friend when I recommended that he get a Van Den Hul Colibri cartridge--it is a very fast and lively sounding cartridge which is exciting to hear, but, I probably would not want to live with it--which is why I wanted someone else to get it so I could play with it. |
The Colibri’s are absolutely like that, and it can be an exilerating experience at first to someone attuned to the warmer / sweeter side of things (me). However, they’re also very susceptible to sibilance. The extreme stylus and its need for extremely precise alignment are often blamed for this - however I’ve had this type of stylus (VdH / FG) on other cartridges without ANY such problems. I suspect the Colibri’s unique mechanical design is what’s actually to blame for sibilance - wonder if anyone’s tried damping it mechanically with blue-tak or the like? It also doesn’t surprise me that VdH carts are commonly paired with VPI tables (often darker sounding).
I had a Windfeld Ti and it was super. I sort of miss it, actually. Not sure why I sold it - the guy who bought it loves it! The older version (Windfeld MC) seemed a little more dry & lean in mids, but my system at the time (15 years ago!) was also a poorer match for this kind of "high accuracy" cartridge. Windfeld Ti would be my defacto "neutral-ish" recommendation at the $5K price point, but sadly its MSRP keeps creeping up... I would also look at the new A90X. I liked the A90 a lot, too. I’m not sure why SME arms became a point of contention, when nobody in this thread has said anything negative against them. They are broadly respected. |
I’m not understanding this. How or why is "What mics were used?", "mixing console?", etc. an issue for tape recorded music but not for digital recording? (Whether from original digital recording or digital copy of analog recording.)
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Under $500? Ortofon 2m Bronze or Hana EH. Under $1000? Ortofon 2m Black or Hana SL or SH Mk 2. Also, The Hana S Mk 2 carts are probably the best overall value available. Under $2000? Hana SL or SH, Over $2000? Hana Umami Blue ($2500) or Red ($3950) Over $4000? Honestly, not sure why you'd need to go there. |
Question: if a balanced and neutral cartridge was available in the lower price range, why would anyone pay more for one? (I suppose cynics would say for bragging rights.) Seriously, if a cartridge is balanced and neutral buy it. My view is that there is probably no perfectly balanced and neutral cartridge, merely approximations that get more expensive as they asymptotically approach. My solution is to enjoy the sound of each cartridge. I can tell which one I am listening to, and I like the choice of which to use when I select an LP. |