Budget cartridges?

[admin_exported]

Any views on lower priced [ 100 quid or under ] cartridges? I am thinking about getting another for my Rega 3 [ old s arm type ]. Rest of kit; Technics A600 [ or Denon PMA250 sometimes.. ] NAD phono amp and Spendor BC1's .

Current cartridges in use ADC XLM [MK 1] or Audio Technica AT110, both quite old. The ADC the better one of the pair in my opinion.

All sorts of music listened to, but more rock and folk than classical and I like a realistic interpretation of the music.

Cheers, Steve.

 

[respe]

Have a look around for the Denon DL110, it was £60, but has gone up alarmingly with the state of the £, but you may find the odd place with theminside your budget superb match with the S shaped Rega (Acos) arm, and works into the MM side of a phone stage. Depending on the stage, you may prefer it on the MC side.

 

[the record spot]

£125 - Audio Technica AT440MLa - super cart for the money; detailed, great bass, superb tracker. Even with the recent price rise, it's still great VFM.

Denon DL110 as a good alternative.

EDIT: Consider also the Audio Technica AT110E at around £40. I've seen some guys use this on much higher priced decks than the current P3-24, never mind the old one.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I got a denon DL-160 for £105 from harrow audio and it sounds pretty good to me.ÿ

 

[Anonymous]

I have no experience of mc cartdidges, are the lower priced ones a vast improvement on similar priced mm cartridges.

I have always been a bit nervous of damaging the stylus [ as we have kids it is more the kids I am nervous of damaging the stylus ,, and it has happened,,,,little darlings

] . However the kids have left home now [ thank god for Barnardo's

] so it is only my own cack handedness that will mess things up.

I suppose I would be right in assuming that mm and mc stylus's [ canti assemblies ] are of equal fragility? I know that the one on my ADC comes with a warning from other users that it is extremely delicate, as opposed to a dj cart or even the AT 110 that I use now, especially on the more wrecked vinyl in my collection , the ADC is reserved for the stuff that is clean and flat

..

 

[78finn]

Right.....how about this for a bit of a bargin......

Audio Technica AT 95 E, best budget cart for the money I reckon...by a long long way!!! Here is a link where you can pick one up for the tiny sum of: £25. Now....I bet know one on here can find a better deal than that for a brand new cart or this quality!!! So thats the challange...... Here is the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=150300928262

 

[78finn]

Ha.....right you can get it here for 15!!!!!!!! Maddness.....

http://www.stylusplus.co.uk/stylus-for-audio-technica-at-95e-cartridge-3892-p.asp

 

[Anonymous]

yep but that was just the stylus

anyway I already have a AT 110 in gwo....

 

[78finn]

ooops..your right, my bad. Ok, well see the post above that re:.....the 25 quid ebay link. Such a good price. I reckon that has to be the best budget cart. for the price. But I guess if you have 100 quid to spend you could buy something higher up the tree.....but not sure it would sound all that much better. All depends on your setup I guess....

Interesting though.....I was reading about Linns opinion of carts. the other day i.e. there the least important part of a turntable. There opinion is that the tone arm, plinth etc etc play a far greater role in getting the best out of your music than the cart. Would be interested to get peoples thoughts on that. I was under the impression that the cart would be the most important aspect, as its the physical link between your system and the record itself!?!?!?!???? Am I wrong?

 

[Anonymous]

Maybe at the higher price range as everything becomes so good you cannot tell the difference in quality only tone [ so to speak ] but at the lower end I know that there is a difference between a Shure 75 and AT110 whichever deck you use, I wouldn't go back to the Shure as it was definitely a poorer cartridge in all departments.

The ADC I am using is actually starting to sound really good now , it hadn't been using it for a while so it might have become a bit seized up..... it has been warmed up with some Stranglers and is now rendering some acoustic jazz with splendid clarity.....

but I think I can get a bit more out of the Rega.

One of the best I had was some old mono ceramic effort, Accos? Anyway it was really clear for vocals and acoustic stuff, no bass of course but I did use it through decent valve amps and enjoyed it..... don't think I still have it though, shame.