[Wayner]

Perhaps this question has been asked many times before on this forum, but I'm fairly new to the AC's. I'm a old dim wit, just look at my photo to the left...now that's a dumb looking guy. I do know to get out of the way when the cow lifts its tail, though!

As an example, I have fallen in love with the Audio Technica AT440ml for my AR-XA turntable. It is almost a match made in heaven. I  have also become very fond of the Sumiko Blue Point Special in my VPI. But the Grado/Empire 598 marriage is going to divorce court and real soon.

Sooooo, let's start with the Empire 598 turntable from all of you vintage owners. What cartridge do you like with this table? I don't really want an opinion, I want to hear from someone that has the cartridge mounted in their turntable and would be more than happy to recommend it to their fellow vinyl heads.

This could be a fun topic where we could actually help each other!

This goes for any brand/model turntable with any brand/model cartridge.

[WEEZ]

Too many to mention, as far as good combo's go....

I am not familiar with Empire, so I cannot comment. But knowing that Grado's can be sensitive to some installations....have you tried the Grado on the VPI...and the Sumiko on the Empire?...

If your VPI has the Audioquest arm, the adjustable damping (at least on the PT-9) might help with a synergistic match...if it's JMW arm, don't bother.

One match that works without fail, is a Rega tt/arm with a Dynavector cartridge. Almost foolproof. Dyna's work well in most arms though.

Still love my Grado..

WEEZ

[mcrespo71]

A rega arm and a dynavector cartridge

[mtodde]

Although the JMW-9 isn't supposed to work well with low compliance cartridges, it is magical with the Shelter 501 Mk. II on my Scout.  One of these days I'll have to move up to the Signature which is rumored to mate even better with the 501.

[zybar]

I was always very fond of a Benz Glider on a Linn LP12 w/Ittok arm.

Great PRAT and musciality...could and did listen for hours at a time.

George

[jrtrent]

As Weez mentioned, there are too many to mention, but right now I'm greatly enjoying the combination of a Stanton STR8-80 and three Stanton 500 cartridges, each mounted on its own headshell and each fitted with a stylus tailored for modern stereo and mono records (.7 mil stylus), older mono records (1 mil stylus), or 78's (2.7 mil stylus).  I'm also enjoying a Stanton 500 body with elliptical stylus on my LP12/Ittok III rig.  These cartridges are inexpensive, versatile, sound decent, and have stylus assemblies that stand up to the abuse caused by leaping cats and fumble-fingered party guests.

[dado5]

Best I ever heard period was a Well Tempered Classic table and arm with a Grado Sonata. Amazingly fast and light with a layered and very detailed texture yet with stunning midbass and bass power (all the more amazing bass performance considering the speakers were Quad ESL 63s).  Best reproduced sound I have yet experienced.

The best I have gotten in my home was a Xerxes with a rega 300 arm and Sumiko Blue Oyster cartridge....beat my Planar 3 by a mile.

If and when I get back into vinyl it will be a Well Tempered Grado rig for sure.

[BobM]

Best I ever heard period was a Well Tempered Classic table and arm with a Grado Sonata.

I've got a friend with this setup and id does sound incredibly dynamic and natural, but much of that I attribute to the rest of the system - Klipschorns and 3 Watt SET amps - because it also sounds that way with CD's or SACD's.

My fave is what I own - Moerch DP6 and Dynavector cartridge, although I haven't experienced a ZYX yet.

Enjoy,
Bob

[woodsyi]

SMEIV and Koetsu Rosewood Sig -- sultry vocals....

[meilankev]

Wayner,

Good question, however I think that finding synergy between the phono cartridge and phono preamp is much, much more important to a great-sounding vinyl setup.  Just because you find a phono stage that can process the type of cartridge on the turntable (MM, high-level MC, low-level MC), you are still far, far away.  Yes, if you have a phono stage that allows you to adjust the level of impedance and capacitance, you are on the right track.  But it still doesn't mean it will now be tweaked to provide peak performance.  Just like other parts of an audio system, some components just don't go as well together as you would like.  And the only course of action is trial-and-error.

But never forget this is a main juncture of the signal path, and far too many folks overlook its importance.  They'll try out a dozen pair of speakers, 6 power amps, 8 preamps, and 20 brands of cabling, but they just assume their phono stage is just fine.

Kevin

[Wayner]

Thanks Kevin,

I'm using the phono section of the Audio by Van Alstine T8 pre-amp which I think is very good. I can't afford a $3000 Grado and It would look silly on my 69 dollar AR-XA. I hope to be able to reach the higher level of performance you are speaking of. I have seen the Manley Steelhead pre-amp and that looks like it has all the bells and whistles, but at 7500.00, yikes!

Thanks!

W

[Bill Baker]

 I am very much enjoying my current vinyl rig which consist of an Acoustic Solid Transparent table, ClearAudio Virtuosso Wood cartridge being fed into a Jolida phono stage. The table/cart combo has proven to be a very good $2,000 setup.

[Rocket]

Hi,

Shure m97xe cartridge sounded great in my old acoustic research eb101 turntable.  I currently use a denon dl103 which is good but it is low output mc.

Regards

Rod

[Wind Chaser]

Best analogue I've heard was an Electro Research EK-1 (strain gauge) mounted on an Alphason HR-100S titanium tone arm.  My table at the time was an Oracle Delphi.