Cartridge suggestion

[Ivek]

Dear members.
Among other things, I own a Rega RP3 turntable, Rega Elex-R amplifier and Dynaudio DM 3/7 speakers. The turntable had an Elys 2 cartridge installed, which I replaced with an Ortofon OM 10 because of the sibilance and inner groove distortion that were significant with the Elys 2 cartridge. With Ortofon OM 10, inner groove distortion and sibilance were significantly reduced. Then I installed an Audio Technica AT VM 540 cartridge, and the sibilance and IGD disappeared completely. Recently, a friend assured me that the Audio Technica AT VM 540 is not compatible with my Rega system. On the one hand, due to the low load capacitance and low output voltage, it is not compatible with the amplifier. On the other hand, due to its low weight and high height, it is not compatible with a turntable. He suggested the Ortofon 2MR series, which is optimised for Rega. He even gave me an Ortofon 2MR bronze that he no longer needs. Now I am left confused, because I am very satisfied with the Audio Technica. So I have a few questions
1. Should I be concerned about low voltage and low load capacitance?
2. Will I hear inner groove distortion and sibilance with the Ortofon 2MR bronze?
3. Is Ortofon a good tracker?
Some will probably tell me to mount the Ortofon, so I can tell which cartridge is better. And they are right. Although I know how to mount it, I am not skilled at it, and it will take a long time. So please answer me before I embark on this adventure.
Thanks for your answers

 

[daytona600]

OM10 - Upgrade the stylus - Stylus 20/30/40
2MR are reduced height for arms with no VTA adjustment Eg Rega

1. Should I be concerned about low voltage and low load capacitance?
voltage - adjust gain on your phono stage
capacitance - adjust on your phono stage
cap as stated per manuf + internal cap of your phono stage + cap of your cable = total 100/450 Pf normal range
2. Will I hear inner groove distortion and sibilance with the Ortofon 2MR bronze?
if you adjust zenith / VTA / Azimiuth no IGD
Rega arms all above are fixed & cant be adjusted
3. Is Ortofon a good tracker?
Famous for great tracking and almost every record ever cut used ortofon cutting heads on the cutting lathe
4/ used several Rega decks over the decades , but they require lots of work to set up correctly
if you want a easy life
Technics remove from box / play records / leave to your children

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAj22g8MWkw

 

[Al ears]

Dear members.
Among other things, I own a Rega RP3 turntable, Rega Elex-R amplifier and Dynaudio DM 3/7 speakers. The turntable had an Elys 2 cartridge installed, which I replaced with an Ortofon OM 10 because of the sibilance and inner groove distortion that were significant with the Elys 2 cartridge. With Ortofon OM 10, inner groove distortion and sibilance were significantly reduced. Then I installed an Audio Technica AT VM 540 cartridge, and the sibilance and IGD disappeared completely. Recently, a friend assured me that the Audio Technica AT VM 540 is not compatible with my Rega system. On the one hand, due to the low load capacitance and low output voltage, it is not compatible with the amplifier. On the other hand, due to its low weight and high height, it is not compatible with a turntable. He suggested the Ortofon 2MR series, which is optimised for Rega. He even gave me an Ortofon 2MR bronze that he no longer needs. Now I am left confused, because I am very satisfied with the Audio Technica. So I have a few questions
1. Should I be concerned about low voltage and low load capacitance?
2. Will I hear inner groove distortion and sibilance with the Ortofon 2MR bronze?
3. Is Ortofon a good tracker?
Some will probably tell me to mount the Ortofon, so I can tell which cartridge is better. And they are right. Although I know how to mount it, I am not skilled at it, and it will take a long time. So please answer me before I embark on this adventure.
Thanks for your answers

It doesn't have low voltage.
Rega turntables need shims to raise the tonearm height for most 'normal ' cartridges .
Cannot speak about tracking but don't see any reported issues.
If you are satisfied with the AT then keep it.
If you need help with accurate setup see a dealer.
Just my opinion.

 

[Al ears]

OM10 - Upgrade the stylus - Stylus 20/30/40
2MR are reduced height for arms with no VTA adjustment Eg Rega

1. Should I be concerned about low voltage and low load capacitance?
voltage - adjust gain on your phono stage
capacitance - adjust on your phono stage
cap as stated per manuf + internal cap of your phono stage + cap of your cable = total 100/450 Pf normal range
2. Will I hear inner groove distortion and sibilance with the Ortofon 2MR bronze?
if you adjust zenith / VTA / Azimiuth no IGD
Rega arms all above are fixed & cant be adjusted
3. Is Ortofon a good tracker?
Famous for great tracking and almost every record ever cut used ortofon cutting heads on the cutting lathe
4/ used several Rega decks over the decades , but they require lots of work to set up correctly
if you want a easy life
Technics remove from box / play records / leave to your children

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAj22g8MWkw

Rega arms can be adjusted.
You assume he is actually using a phono stage with adjustment, wrong!
From what he says he is simply using the amps phono stage.

The Ortofon has a slightly higher output voltage but you probably wouldn't notice it.
Capacitance is irrelevant when it comes between the two cartridges in question.
The only technical issue is the relative height difference between the two cartridges .

 

[daytona600]

2M Recommended load capacitance
150 – 300 pF
OM Recommended load capacitance
200 – 500 pF
Incorrect loading Pf will affect the Sound
Phono cartridge is a minature electrical generator and correct loading the the phono stage can have big changes to sound
The cartridge + cable + preamp input form a resonant LC circuit (inductance of the cartridge + total load capacitance).
150-500pf Total PF
If phono stage is fixed PF Loading plugs of different values can be used

Too much capacitance will boost the upper treble then causes a sharp roll-off
️ Sound becomes bright, edgy, spitty, then very dull above the resonance point 18-22kz
️ can also cause very big Peaks around 10–15 kHz

Too little capacitance will reduce treble energy
️ Sound becomes soft, muted, lacking detail

MI moving iron cartridges Pf has very little affect Grado , Soundsmith , Nagaoka

 

[record_spot]

Dear members.
Among other things, I own a Rega RP3 turntable, Rega Elex-R amplifier and Dynaudio DM 3/7 speakers. The turntable had an Elys 2 cartridge installed, which I replaced with an Ortofon OM 10 because of the sibilance and inner groove distortion that were significant with the Elys 2 cartridge. With Ortofon OM 10, inner groove distortion and sibilance were significantly reduced. Then I installed an Audio Technica AT VM 540 cartridge, and the sibilance and IGD disappeared completely. Recently, a friend assured me that the Audio Technica AT VM 540 is not compatible with my Rega system. On the one hand, due to the low load capacitance and low output voltage, it is not compatible with the amplifier. On the other hand, due to its low weight and high height, it is not compatible with a turntable. He suggested the Ortofon 2MR series, which is optimised for Rega. He even gave me an Ortofon 2MR bronze that he no longer needs. Now I am left confused, because I am very satisfied with the Audio Technica. So I have a few questions
1. Should I be concerned about low voltage and low load capacitance?
2. Will I hear inner groove distortion and sibilance with the Ortofon 2MR bronze?
3. Is Ortofon a good tracker?
Some will probably tell me to mount the Ortofon, so I can tell which cartridge is better. And they are right. Although I know how to mount it, I am not skilled at it, and it will take a long time. So please answer me before I embark on this adventure.
Thanks for your answers

Your friend was talking out their backside.

The Rega and the AT would be a good match. I used to use a P3 with a 440-MLa. One of the best vinyl partnerships I've had. The 540 is not different which I use with a Cambridge Alva ST deck today.

 

[Rui]

2M Recommended load capacitance
150 – 300 pF
OM Recommended load capacitance
200 – 500 pF
Incorrect loading Pf will affect the Sound
Phono cartridge is a minature electrical generator and correct loading the the phono stage can have big changes to sound
The cartridge + cable + preamp input form a resonant LC circuit (inductance of the cartridge + total load capacitance).
150-500pf Total PF
If phono stage is fixed PF Loading plugs of different values can be used

Too much capacitance will boost the upper treble then causes a sharp roll-off
️ Sound becomes bright, edgy, spitty, then very dull above the resonance point 18-22kz
️ can also cause very big Peaks around 10–15 kHz

Too little capacitance will reduce treble energy
️ Sound becomes soft, muted, lacking detail

MI moving iron cartridges Pf has very little affect Grado , Soundsmith , Nagaoka

View attachment 10542View attachment 10543

it´s only a pitty they are worth ,nothing, they sound not as good as the cheapest cartridge from AT, 79 to 95

 

[daytona600]

Correctly installed & loaded they both sound very good. Used OM40 Super & 2M Black for years

 

[Al ears]

Your friend was talking out their backside.

The Rega and the AT would be a good match. I used to use a P3 with a 440-MLa. One of the best vinyl partnerships I've had. The 540 is not different which I use with a Cambridge Alva ST deck today.

True.
The AT may require shimming but you may get away without.

 

[Rui]

Correctly installed & loaded they both sound very good. Used OM40 Super & 2M Black for years

So you never tried a real cartridge and stylus ,i have either than the 2m black ,others a lot better but i thought ,if it is so good let me buy one for my old SL-1310mk II but it sounded worst than the one i had or several i have of buying better cartridges for new turntables or my father bought them and the one with the turntable would be stored , so now i tried the 207C this in 2017 as the others are hard to find and 30€ new stylus are britle and sometimes not even a stylus as it was supposed to be, is there , i have a binocular lenses for my work in Agriculture but can see the stylus tip as if they were 2 meters high, any badly done work is seen at perfect size, bought some around 100€ and were well built and of good fabric material ,almost sounds as the original ones, this new wave of cartridges are a technology so ancient and expensive at the same time, and the 2m black at least three i heard from other brands are a lot better can give the example of the low output Grado prestige Gold III as the prestige gold was already known to be good as Ortofon in the 90´s were really good , or since 77 the first time i had one at home in the 77 tangential turntable from Revox B series, inside the box we put on top of the record, all is Ortofon made, most call linear tracking to tangential turntables but there are S-shaped arm turntables with linear tracking, a photo celular reading optic in the cartridge as in the full automatic technics turntables all had it, as it is known by T4P ,Technics own system adopted by several brands. and correctly installed are all ,or you think you´re the first to know it, i already made it since i was 12 and there were better devices to put the stylus in the perfect spot on the record , anti-skating more in new said to be good arms like one from Rega that when i saw it, i thought they were joking with me, a bit of trashy built arm without any quality or the anti-skating system will not last 10 years much less over 50 years, and also don´t think the value you insert is correct as with the use of the arm will not be acurate but they sell all for one to install more or less correct the cartridge position, like a preassure measure and two spots on the record to be acurate but which records does they refer as each record is diferentely built and from label to label not all are the same, i heard already someone with a Rega turntable complain of a Lp that as so much time in each side, why didn´t they released it in two records, this guy a Youtuber should think twice before making a sad statment for all in the world to see how he doesn´t have a clue about records or turntables and to be more acurate there are 3 measures to be done not only two but today we return to cheap 60´s turntables as there were already several times better turntables that work today more acurate than anyother you buy till 5.000€.
You say they sound is very good ,imagine if you had a aceptable quality cartridge and stylus, as they, Ortofon sound cheap and the increasing of high frequencies is not what makes a cartridge good, buy a equalizer and you´ll have endless possibilities of having the sound of all cartridges with a cheap quality around the 2m black that is expensive and not even good as the second cheapest Audio-technica with the cheapest stylus from 1979 to 1983, this period is while i had in use one, not going to refer all years it was sold ,maybe the most sold cartridge and stylus in the world as it was cheap and quality wise dont know which cartridge would have that higher quality. To end i just want to say that nothing sold today to read vinyl is related with old evolved turntables ,cartridges and stylus, and in youtube test were made to see how ridiculous are a new Rega turntable or Pro-Ject debut against a cheap technics sold in early 90´s around what today is 100€, fully automatic , that with more than 30 years of use is more acurate and specifications wise correct than a Pro-Ject Debut bought three days earlier that not even is close to the brands specifications, new .What about in 30 years will be better? if not even new works as it is supposed, maybe the reason why some say the cd sounds better as i had many expensive cd players and none is better than a record sound with all it´s defects, and if you buy a expensive turntable with a expensive amplifier that comes with tone controls ,if they are there is to correct the sound as not all have a studio quality system at home, or dedicated listening room with perfect isolation , panels to deflect sound ,bass in B&W 800 series are needing sub-woofers , it´s a laugh they have the best bass i heard in a home system , how crappy needs to be a system to not have bass release in the 800 series from B&W, good speakers in my opinion or the so talked about in the last 10 years Focal emerged from a old brand but they have the grande Utopia that sounds amazing with all it´s variations.