Is a Ortofon Black a step down from a Pickering XSV 3000

tzh21y,  think there are modern moving magnet/moving Iron cartridges that are better. Not sure about the Ortofon M2 Black. The Clearaudio Charisma and Maestro V2 are probably better but very expensive. Soundsmith, Grado, Goldring and Audio Technica also make excellent cartridges and some of them are very competitively priced. The least expensive thing to do is get a replacement stylus for your Pickering. LP Gear has them. If you like the sound this may be the way to go. No guarantee but other people like the service. 

all LP Gear styli are fake, I like Pickering XSV/5000 better than my Grado Signature XTZ.

Honestly I have no idea why anyone should even think about moden MM, the sound of top Pickering is oustanding, silky smooth, this is one of the most involving sounding MMs.


The XSV/3000 is not the top of the line, but it’s about $300 cartridge and for $300 it’s impossible to find anything better (imo). For another $300-400 original NOS Stereohedron stylus is nice (not LP Gear’s fake). I mever tried D4000 stylus on XSV/3000 cartride, must be compatible, this is next stylus after D3000. I believe D5000 is Stereohedron mk2 profile (even better). In my system this cart is competing with $2000 LOMC cartridges and I love it. 

You guys in the States should be able to find a deadstock full of Pickering or Stanton cartridges and styli at some old shops. I managed to buy D3000 and D4000 NOS and I’m happy to buy more if possible.

so from reading the responses, I would say that the Ortofon Black is a downgrade for over 700 bucks. 

Maybe more like sideways tzh. 

@chakster , I would not call them fake, they are real just not made by Pickering. I would not bet on the performance or durability but they seem to review well and are $129 which is relatively inexpensive compared to buying a new cartridge. I do not see any NOS stock online for the XSV 5000. I owned several Pickerings and Stantons in the past and preferred them to Shures and Empires. But there are modern dual magnet and moving iron designs that are just as good if not better. Now that I think of it the Goldring 1042 sounds most like the Pickering XSV 5000 if my memory serves me correctly. It is a $600 with a Gyger S stylus, the same one used on the $16,000 Goldfinger.

the old stuff last longer too and better materials. black is really overpriced. nagaoka or goldring is better value. 

or... ol style. which I personally prefer.commonly 30- 35 db seperation on those old style cart is not a force to be reckon with. only challenge is the condition of stylus. it's a hit a miss and requires patience. I just buy one after another. I had ortofon before and not interested to own another one. but that's just me.

if I go expensive 1k above . I would simply pick soundsmith.. my kind of sound. but I had yet go there. there is still so much to hear.