New cartidge

[grimharry]

I understand that the tt is a relatively budget item and limits the amount worth spending on upgrading the cartridge. The thee options are food for thought

Good luck on your search for a new tt.

 

[Al ears]

Nagaoka can be purchased from a multitude of UK suppliers, it's the recent price hikes that are the sting in the tail.

+1

Check with Ian Harrison first for whatever cartridge you decide on.

 

[grimharry]

I'll definitely check out Harrison first when I've made a decision and finds in place. I think it's between the nag and goldring has anybody compared the two?

 

[avole]

They need replacing after relatively few hours. Home use reference time, according to the Nagaoka manual, is 150 - 200 hours, which makes them untouchable as far as I'm concerned.

I'd look for the recently discontinued AT440mlb or its replacement, the VM540ML.

 

[grimharry]

Thanks for your suggestion. How do you think the at would compare to ortofon for brightness?

 

[Deleted member 108165]

I've had an AT440MLB, cracking cartridge for detail, tracks like no other cartridge I've ever owned but just found it a little too bright for my ear. It does settle down after about 30 hours but still an overly bright presentation in comparison to Nagaoka. AT is probably on par with the lower 2M Ortofons for presentation but is an absolute steal at the price for a fine line stylus. I still own the 440 but the upper Ortofons and Nagaoka's are more pleasing on the ear.

NB. Being a definite Nag fan I am more than a little biased *smile* (current carts are MP300 and MP500, I prefer the MP300). Don't pay too much attention to the Nag manual, many reviewers have stated that the lifespan estimate is incorrect and is actually no different to any other cartridge brand.

 

[Al ears]

They need replacing after relatively few hours. Home use reference time, according to the Nagaoka manual, is 150 - 200 hours, which makes them untouchable as far as I'm concerned.

I'd look for the recently discontinued AT440mlb or its replacement, the VM540ML.

I'd take that usage time with a pinch of salt. The Nagaoka MP300 I owned lasted extremely well, had it for years.

Your suggestion regards the Audio Technics is sound though and they are excellent trackers. I don't, however, see them lasting any longer than a Nagaoka MP200.

Pricewise the AT440MLb is not much a step up from what the OP has, sound presentation though will be, in my opinion, much better and perhaps the 740Ml might be more of an equivalent to the Goldring / Nagaoka alternatives

 

[brownz]

When I first got my 2-Xperience I tried a 2M Blue stylus on the fitted 2M Silver Cartridge and it was a bargain upgrade. Definately took the edge off the brightness of the 2M Silver and gave more sepeartion to the instruments. I ran that for around a year before upgrading to a 2M Black Cart (It came along at the right price). I only ever get to listen to Ortofon so can't comment on anything else. Ducks and runs for cover in case the Ortofon has been thrown back into the mix :-D

 

[grimharry]

*dash1*

no that's fine

 

[Al ears]

When I first got my 2-Xperience I tried a 2M Blue stylus on the fitted 2M Silver Cartridge and it was a bargain upgrade. Definately took the edge off the brightness of the 2M Silver and gave more sepeartion to the instruments. I ran that for around a year before upgrading to a 2M Black Cart (It came along at the right price). I only ever get to listen to Ortofon so can't comment on anything else. Ducks and runs for cover in case the Ortofon has been thrown back into the mix :-D

Unfortunately at £135 its not a cheap option to try and then find you don't like it......

 

[nopiano]

When I first got my 2-Xperience I tried a 2M Blue stylus on the fitted 2M Silver Cartridge and it was a bargain upgrade. Definately took the edge off the brightness of the 2M Silver and gave more sepeartion to the instruments. I ran that for around a year before upgrading to a 2M Black Cart (It came along at the right price). I only ever get to listen to Ortofon so can't comment on anything else. Ducks and runs for cover in case the Ortofon has been thrown back into the mix :-D

Hi brownz, I see your employer has renamed itself Henley Audio - presumably because you don't design anything these days?

I'd definitely choose an Ortofon at the price you probably pay! ;-)

 

[Al ears]

When I first got my 2-Xperience I tried a 2M Blue stylus on the fitted 2M Silver Cartridge and it was a bargain upgrade. Definately took the edge off the brightness of the 2M Silver and gave more sepeartion to the instruments. I ran that for around a year before upgrading to a 2M Black Cart (It came along at the right price). I only ever get to listen to Ortofon so can't comment on anything else. Ducks and runs for cover in case the Ortofon has been thrown back into the mix :-D

Hi brownz, I see your employer has renamed itself Henley Audio - presumably because you don't design anything these days?

I'd definitely choose an Ortofon at the price you probably pay! ;-)

Ooohhh!....

Not talking staff discount are we.... or possibly self-promotion on brownz part. ;-)

At least he declares him alliegance in his signature, of course he is going to promote Ortofon isn't he.

 

[grimharry]

*biggrin*You not suggesting a bias?

 

[Al ears]

*biggrin*You not suggesting a bias?

Who? me? But of course..... ;-)

And not the expectation type either...

 

[brownz]

When I first got my 2-Xperience I tried a 2M Blue stylus on the fitted 2M Silver Cartridge and it was a bargain upgrade. Definately took the edge off the brightness of the 2M Silver and gave more sepeartion to the instruments. I ran that for around a year before upgrading to a 2M Black Cart (It came along at the right price). I only ever get to listen to Ortofon so can't comment on anything else. Ducks and runs for cover in case the Ortofon has been thrown back into the mix :-D

Unfortunately at £135 its not a cheap option to try and then find you don't like it......

Nothing is cheap if you've paid for it and don't like it .... I found this out with a Lamb Madras last night..... ;-)

I'll comment on things I've heard with my ears, I'll butt out of stuff I have no experience of.

Yeah, I'm an Ortofon fan, but also have a soft spot for Nagaokas I've fitted for friends.

Trust me I have no bias (I don't possess a valve amp, I'm not that rich). I'm not a sales person, I'm an ex IT bod with a background in Electronics, after completing my apprenticeship at UKAEA Harwell back in <cough, cough, grumble> I worked for a large UK Computer OEM for 20 years in PC hardware, before being made redundant along with 300 others a few years ago. Since then I've been here fixing things in the Service Department and supporting technical queries for the sales and customer service team, they're a nice bunch here and it really feels like a family.

The re-brand, yup, purely a marketing exercise to refect better what we actually do.

 

[avole]

any number of tests show this. Ortofon's thinking seems to be that raised treble=more detail, and certainly with the better styli that appears to be the case.

Personally I'd go for the Benz Micro Gold or the AT, which to my ears is somewhat better balanced than the Ortofon MCs I've heard. The Clearaudio is a good choice, but you need to go further up the range than the Concept. No offence, I use one, but you'd never call it the most detailed cartridge out there.

Make sure you check compliance matches the arm, whatever you end up buying.

 

[grimharry]

Benz micro gold that's 4 now *biggrin*

 

[plastic penguin]

@grimharry

I take it you've dismissed the ClearAudio cart?

 

[grimharry]

No not yet. But do you think it would be a significant improvement on the 2m silver?

 

[nopiano]

No not yet. But do you think it would be a significant improvement on the 2m silver?

Time to toss a coin, or do you plan to audition some?

 

[Deleted member 108165]

Benz micro gold that's 4 now *biggrin*

I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong but isn't the Benz a low output MC cart? Do you have an external MC stage or does your amp have both MC and MM stages?

 

[Deleted member 108165]

No not yet. But do you think it would be a significant improvement on the 2m silver?

Time to toss a coin, or do you plan to audition some?

Apart from Ortofon/Project and Clearaudio carts I would think that the chance of any audition of the other contenders would be nigh on impossible.

 

[plastic penguin]

@grimharry

But do you think it would be a significant improvement on the 2m silver?

Sorry, wasn't aware Ortofon did a silver cartridge. I've owned the Red and the ClearAudio is significantly better in all areas. Gut feeling, though, is I think you may struggle to acheive a significant improvement with any cart on the Xpression. You'll get tonal diffrences and maybe eek out a little more detail.... I'd be surprised if you acheived more TBH. I could be hopelessly wrong though.

 

[avole]

Benz micro gold that's 4 now *biggrin*

I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong but isn't the Benz a low output MC cart? Do you have an external MC stage or does your amp have both MC and MM stages?

It is, but there's the similar Benz Micro Silver, which is high output and can be used with an MM input.

 

[Al ears]

Benz micro gold that's 4 now *biggrin*

Can I just point out the Benz Micro Gold is a lowish output MC cartridge that doesn't have a user replaceable stylus and is likely to cost £325. At this price point MC's are not the way to go (in my humble opinion).

Apologies to DougK....just seen your post...