[ltrain]

Hey all,

I recently purchased a Technics SL1210 MkII. I am using a M5G headshell, and at the moment a Stanton 500 V3 cartridge. It is being used for listening purposes only, not DJ'ing or anything like that.

Among other things I'm thinking about upgrading the cartridge. Can anyone suggest a decent cartridge in the $50-100 range? I've been looking around and the following seem like standouts:

Audio-Technica AT-91
Audio-Technica AT-3600L
Ortofon X1-MC

Can anyone explain the difference between moving magnet and moving coil?

Thanks,
Laurence

[royphil345]

Hey all,

I recently purchased a Technics SL1210 MkII. I am using a M5G headshell, and at the moment a Stanton 500 V3 cartridge. It is being used for listening purposes only, not DJ'ing or anything like that.

Among other things I'm thinking about upgrading the cartridge. Can anyone suggest a decent cartridge in the $50-100 range? I've been looking around and the following seem like standouts:

Audio-Technica AT-91
Audio-Technica AT-3600L
Ortofon X1-MC

Can anyone explain the difference between moving magnet and moving coil?

Thanks,
Laurence

The only decent one listed here is the Ortofon. But, I only see it being sold in a P-Mount version right now and it's way over $100.00. If you know a place to get a deal on a NOS standard 1/2" mount one or something... Yeah... go for it.

I recently tried an AT95E and it is very nice for the money. Nice and balanced. Tracks clean. It does sound a touch "thicker" than I'm used to from pricier cartridges, but it would smoke the Stanton 500. There are upgrade styli available from LP Gear and they also sell it as an LP Gear cartridge with the various styli installed. Not sure how much improvement they make, but I've read good things...

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=LPGAT95E&Category_Code=LPGCART

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=LPGAT95HE&Category_Code=LPGCART

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=LPGAT95SA&Category_Code=LPGCART

The base model is cheaper from William Thakker on eBay. That's where I bought mine.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Audio-Technica-95-E-AT95E-cartridge-NEW-/400106612981?cmd=ViewItem&hash=item5d283668f5

The Shure M97xE can sound a little nicer than the base model AT95E due to it's smaller stylus profile. The JICO stylus made for the Shure M97xE is supposed to be a real nice upgrade. BUT, it definitely requires higher capacitance loading or it sounds very "dull" and midrange heavy. If your phono stage is non-adjustable, you'd have to work out something with Y-adapters and finding the best value of capacitance plugs to add. If you don't feel like doing that, I'd choose the AT95E, as it will sound fine at the standard 100-150pF load most phono stages are fixed at.

http://www.amazon.com/Shure-M97xE-High-Performance-Magnetic-Cartridge/dp/B00006I5SB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1280326097&sr=8-1

The Ortofon 2M Red may be very nice for $100.00. I have the 2M Blue and REALLY love it. Not sure how much different the Red would sound. Again, I've heard good things...

http://www.needledoctor.com/Ortofon-2M-Red-Phono-Cartridge

Also, you could probably squeeze a Denon DL-110 high output moving coil into your budget. This cartridge has a lot of fans...

http://www.amazon.com/Denon-DL-110-Output-Moving-Cartridge/dp/B000I1YLG0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1280326440&sr=8-1

The difference between moving magnet and moving coil...

A moving magnet uses a small magnet or magnets attached to the cantilever and large coils of wire in the body to create sound. A moving coil uses tiny coils of wire attached to the cantilever and large magnets in the body to create sound. In a low-output moving coil, the coils that must vibrate to create souind are much lighter than the magnets in moving magnet cartridges. So, the result is "faster", more detailed sound. This type of cartridge would require a special moving-coil phono stage or stepup transformers for a MM phono stage. High output moving coils use larger coils and there's not as big a difference between those and moving magnets. Maybe a slightly different "flavor" of sound. Also, the styli in moving coils are not replaceable by the user. The cartridge must be sent in for a retip, exchanged for a new cartridge at a discount or simply discarded and replaced depending on the manufacturer's policy when the stylus becomes worn.

I hope that about covers it... Good luck with your new Technics!!!

[TheChairGuy]

Those old Stanton 500's were good cartridges I've been told...better than most DJ's know as they are hampered by fatty cantilevers and conical styli suitable for DJ'ing (whihc includes abusive scratching)

You may just want to be a better elliptical styli from KABUSA (http://kabusa.com/frameset.htm?/) and see how that sounds.

It's a very inexpenive way of potentially upgrading and may not even require you to do anything but use lesser tracking force

John

[Ericus Rex]

AC member Macrojack had some brand new Grados he was selling for 1/2 price.  You would be able to get the Grado Red (if he still has one) for around $80.  I can't say if Grados work on Technics tables (they hum on some tables).  Another member would have to comment on that.  Those Grados are fantastic sounding and true bargains!  Just ask TheChairGuy.

[royphil345]

Those old Stanton 500's were good cartridges I've been told...better than most DJ's know as they are hampered by fatty cantilevers and conical styli suitable for DJ'ing (whihc includes abusive scratching)

You may just want to be a better elliptical styli from KABUSA (http://kabusa.com/frameset.htm?/) and see how that sounds.

It's a very inexpenive way of potentially upgrading and may not even require you to do anything but use lesser tracking force

John

He's got the new Stanton V3. I don't think it's as easy to find a better stylus for the new one. You could get a "studio" stylus for the old ones that tracked lighter and had an elliptical diamond. Maybe there's something out there for the V3, but not from Stanton. Still, any of these other options would probably sound better.

[TheChairGuy]

Yeah, Grado's work fine and without hum on Technics Direct Drive tables.  Their slightly out of control character seems better balanced out by taut/tight speed regulation of DD decks, in general.

KAB sells an aftermarket damping trough to go with the Technics stock arm that is very much recommended using with Grado's.  Grado's thrive to an extent not known by most other cartridge makes as they are not damped well (or at all) internally. So they can sound a bit flubby in stock form....fluid damping and direct drive are excellent remedies for their attendant ills.

For Stanton replacement styli on KAB...it's only $19.99 for something more hi-fi oriented than the spherical DJ-oriented stylus that came with the Stanton 500v3.

http://kabusa.com/frameset.htm?/ (scroll all the way don the page)

Enjoy - whatever your choice is - John

[lcrim]

If you like the AT house sound at that cost level, the AT-95E as seen here http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=ATC95E&Category_Code=A3
is a good deal better sounding and tracking.  They also have a more upmarket model -the 440 mla that Wayner's the official pimp for around here.
I think that you can find some bargains on Kevin's site-KAB.  He doesn't stock Grado but check out his inventory that is very much slanted at the TT you bought.

[TheChairGuy]

Larry/lcrim - it surprised the heck outta' me a couple months when I saw it...but Kevin/KAB now stocks Grado.

Look under Phono Cartridges on his site

Gadzooks....it's nice to see it there as, along with the damping trough on an otherwise stock Technics SL-1200....it's a fine match for a tendem far less than $1000 even if you buy the top-of-the-line Prestige Gold-1 model.

John

[lcrim]

We hadn't talked in a while and I got off the phone w/ him a few minutes ago.  He didn't mention it and we talked about lower cost TT's as an adjunct to the Technics line now that its prices are no longer as attractive as they once were (among other topics.)
The one thing that stays the same is change.  I will bring it up next time we speak

[TheChairGuy]

Sadly, not much to choose from in lower price points than SL-1200 for hi-fi guys...for DJ's, there are plenty. 

Kevin will probably come up with something, tho

John

[ltrain]

... as it will sound fine at the standard 100-150pF load most phono stages are fixed at.

At the moment I am using a Behringer PP400 preamp running into a home theatre receiver. I know this isn't adjustable but does it fall into the standard 100-150pF? I'm not sure how to work out power factor, if I'm correct in thinking that's what pF is.

Thanks everyone for all your input. I am thinking of probably trying to find a Denon DL-110.

[ltrain]

Sadly, not much to choose from in lower price points than SL-1200 for hi-fi guys...for DJ's, there are plenty. 

Kevin will probably come up with something, tho

John

Agreed. All I sell at JB Hifi is rubbish belt-driven turntables.