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Cartridge recommendations

I think I need to replace my MC cartridge.  It's a Madrigal Carnegie.  I'm no longer convinced that a replacement needs to be a MC.  That was true when I bought the Carnegie but time and technology have changed.  I read last night that under $500 you're better off getting a MM.  At the $500 point and up, a MC starts to make sense.  At the $1,000 point, absolutely, get a MC.  But that was one opinion.

I'm setting a tentative budget of $1,000 to $1,500.  At $2,000 I become Ukrainian (fierce resistance occurs).

I have a Grado cartridge that I use on my 'other' TT and have a preference toward Grado cartridges.  As an aside, I visited the Grado website last night and found it very difficult to navigate.  I wanted to start by selecting a price, then go from there.  I could not find any pricing in the brief time I spent there.  I know it's there, I've seen it.  I'll try again.

So I'm looking for suggestions.  MM, MI, or MC.  I prefer warmish (Grado is known for that), smooth and hopefully detailed.  Sound staging is irrelevant.

I've started a second discussion aimed at questioning if the Carnegie is truly dead, as I fear.  If you want to chime in on that I welcome your expertise.

listener2
djspinner's avatar
djspinner
59 posts
 

Here's a guide that's been posted elsewhere on this board regarding matching ET-2 tonearms with cartridges:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/eminent-technology-et-2-tonearm-owners/post?postid=1693347#1693347

I'm not aware of a boron arm wand.  The stock arm wand is aluminum.  The lighter one is the carbon fiber and the heavier one is magnesium.  Assuming you have the single leaf spring and the carbon wand, you'll want to use a low mass, medium compliance cartridge.

I use the AT-OC9XML on my ET-2 tonearm.  If I had the funds I probably would bump up to the ART9XI.  I'd love to try a London (Decca) Super Gold someday, but those suckers are hard to get dialed in on many tonearms, especially a linear tracking one on a suspended turntable.

 

elliottbnewcombjr
5,211 posts
 

I love my AT33PTG/II MC, very wide separation, very tight center balance both enhance imaging, very linear, and listen all day long without fatigue.

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-us/cartridges/type/moving-coil/at33ptg-2

I wore it out, didn’t even consider something else, and surprisingly, AT has a program, you send your old one in for evaluation, if worn, they sold me a new cartridge for $249.

Probably true for other AT cartridges, a good reason to consider their brand.

hotei
143 posts
 

At your resistance level, I have a Lyra Delos on a VPI Prime and think it sounds fantastic, soundstage, clarity, separation. And by the way, it’s the most I’ve ever paid for a cartridge. I would buy another one when this one goes.

westcoastaudiophile
237 posts
 

try to find Audio Technica AT-ML170 or AT-ML180 used in good condition.

I have tried (too) many AT carts, including 160ML, 150MLX, AT24, ART7, ART9, and recently found as ML170 beats most, and does sound very transparent and “airy”. I run ML170 at 1.1g pressure, on Technics ti-armed sl1200mk4 TT. ML170 is mounted on AT MS9 head-shell, which utilizes additional rubber strip on top for dampening resonances.

tablejockey
3,793 posts
 

"I have tried (too) many AT carts, including 160ML, 150MLX, AT24, ART7, ART9, and recently found as ML170 beats most, and does sound very transparent and “airy”. "

Not surprised.

My emergency backup cart is the $400 Soundsmith Otello. My ears hear it’s mid/hi performance as "good" my ART9 & Kiseki Blue. The only thing reminding me it’s a $400 cart is its low bass output. SS and reviews remind readers of this. Ledermann isn’t gonna give up the goods without and E ticket.

The archives has plenty of positive threads on ART9. It’s also the original version. The latest incarnation allegedly has a little more of the magic

SQ for any cart-entry OR uber is of course limited by arm/phonostage along the other bits.

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