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How to choose a cartridge you can't hear on your system?

My personal cartridge history has gone from a humble Goldring to a decent Benz H2 and finally a Dynavector XV-1s.  Recently my 3 year old decided to break the needle on both my Dynavector and Benz (two arm setup).  This tragedy prompted a me to send my Dynavector out for re-tipping and the purchase of a new cartridge to sustain me through the expected rebuild period.  I bought a decent Sumiko Evo III.  

All of this is to come around to a realization.  In many ways, each cartridge brings something new to the table.  The Evo II had more solidity or weight to the sonic presentation than the others.  The Benz had a seductive warmth and the Dynavector a detailed nuance I most enjoyed.  I don't think it is possible to know ahead of hearing a cartridge in ones own system which brands house sound one prefers.  

I find cartridges to be the hardest audio component to buy.  How do you choose?  
chadlesko
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@chadlesko well, if you're a true analog hobbiest don't fool yourself and just realize that you will change the cartridges from time to time over the years anyway. This is the only way to learn more about cartridges, analog playback and the potential of the system. People who would like to stick to their first serious 2-3 cartridges without trying other cartridges are limiting themselfs, missing a great personal experience. You can not really "choose" cartridge without tryin' it in your system! You can buy cartridge, but then you can choose or not, only after you're listening your favorite records in your system with this cartridge. I'm just looking for the best TOTL models from the different brands released in the 70s/80s (they are more cost effective without any dissadvantages in quality, most likely surpass the new carts). I'm taking in count the type of the cartridge (MM, MI, MC), the materials used for cantilever, type of the stylus tip, compliance, specs to match the tonearms i have. I've learned what i have to avoid, i remember what cartridges does not impressed me and how they were build. I don't care about reviews.     
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

What my brother chakster forget to mention is that thanks to this

MM thread chosing carts was a kind of luxury. Because we were

the first to know we were able to sell the carts which we deed

not want to keep for more than we paid for. Experimentation for

free so to speak. This luxury however does not apply for the MC

kinds. Chakster dad obviously does not belong to the new Russian

rich (grin). So he must consider the prices. But he discovered

 something  similar. There are ''oldschool'' MC carts which are as

good as the new one with ''astronomic prices''. Say: XYZ, Palladian,

Anna , Atlas, jewel Koetsus, etc. Those are for the rich Russian

who want the most expensive stuff not necessary good stuf.

The reason is : ''my is more expensive than yours''.

The problem however is that since the debt crisis selling carts is

much more difficult than buying them. That is why his brother

Nandric owns about 50 carts which he does not need.

racedoc
80 posts
 
Hi chadlesko,

if I do not want to change most of my rig I do it as follows:

1. filter which cartridges are compatible with my tonearm and phono stage

2. which tonality (warm, detailed, spatiality, analytics, ...) I want 

3. hear different cartridges at dealers and friends

4. if possible invite someone with a possible favourite cartridge to
hear it in your system at home together with him

In the end my last new cartridges all were exactly what I expected
and what I desired (Ortofon Vero, DS Audio).

Just 2 days ago I heared together with some friends an Ortofon
SPU modified by Shindo in my system. Now I know that my next
cartridge will be a SPU.
ps68
228 posts
 
This is the question that Davey f posed on wbf recently, he added a poll with expected results I guess. Most of us take a punt every now and then unless we want to stay with the same maker. Hearing is next to impossible, which is not so good for the makers.. I am in the same position, there are carts I wish to hear, but the dealers say no demo, just buy it, so I dont.
daveyf's avatar
daveyf
2,836 posts
 
Ps68, that’s pretty funny...just buy it..so I don’t.lol.
I wasn’t actually “expecting” any specific winner to my poll, but the results were probably predictable, I guess??
It is a shame that this is the one piece of gear that people seem to buy with little to no real experience as to how it is going to sound. I am having the same predicament right now, shopping for a new cartridge, and one that will be better than what I already own, is no easy task. I will most likely have to drop my cash and hope for the best. Not what I like to do at all in this hobby. 
Plus, as some have mentioned, this wasn’t such a big deal in the past when the cartridge price was maybe a few hundred dollars, but today we are talking multi thousands!


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