Think my stylus is on its way out.

[plastic penguin]

The sound doesn't quite have the clarity from a few weeks ago. Tried re-weighting the cart and carried out all relevant checks. The stylus looks okay to the naked eye but I have had the cart 8-years.

Will be changing the TT over the next few months so looking for a interim cart to fit the Pro-ject. Reluctant to spend £150 on a ClearAudio Concept cart just in case I plump for the ClearAudio TT, which has the cart fitted. I know the Nagos have a good following on here. My clear fav, due to personal experience, is Goldring. How do those two compare soundwise? (Nago and Goldring)

 

[stevebrock]

The sound doesn't quite have the clarity from a few weeks ago. Tried re-weighting the cart and carried out all relevant checks. The stylus looks okay to the naked eye but I have had the cart 8-years. Will be changing the TT over the next few months so looking for a interim cart to fit the Pro-ject. Reluctant to spend £150 on a ClearAudio Concept cart just in case I plump for the ClearAudio TT, which has the cart fitted. I know the Nagos have a good following on here. My clear fav, due to personal experience, is Goldring. How do those two compare soundwise? (Nago and Goldring)

PP,

All I can say is the Nag MP110 will see you through until you get a Clearaudio TT - then keep the Nag as a spare.

You never know you may prefer the Nag over the Clearaudio.

If you are definately not upgrading your TT then the logical choices would be Goldring 1042, Dyn 10x5 & Nagaoka MP200 - all good MMs

The Dyn is a bit more forward over the Nag, but all depends on rest of your system.

I havent heard a Goldring but the Nag is warm side of Neutral IMO

 

[chebby]

...the Nagos have a good following on here. My clear fav, due to personal experience, is Goldring. How do those two compare soundwise? (Nago and Goldring

)

The Goldring 2200 and 2300 are both made by Nagaoka.

Not that that necessarily means they'll sound like Nagaoka cartridges. Just interesting.

 

[chebby]

The only Goldring I can personally recommend (from 11 years experience of it*) is the 1042.

Bit pricey nowadays.

*It was well used and I got through two stylus replacements in those 11 years between 1996 and 2007.

 

[plastic penguin]

...the Nagos have a good following on here. My clear fav, due to personal experience, is Goldring. How do those two compare soundwise? (Nago and Goldring

)

The Goldring 2200 and 2300 are both made by Nagaoka.

Not that that necessarily means they'll sound like Nagaoka cartridges. Just interesting.

Umm... didn't know that. Very intersting.

If I was keeping the Pro-ject long-term I wouldn't hesitate to get another ClearAudio but...

 

[plastic penguin]

One other question: With a new cart do you get the screws or would I have to source them separately?

 

[plastic penguin]

The sound doesn't quite have the clarity from a few weeks ago. Tried re-weighting the cart and carried out all relevant checks. The stylus looks okay to the naked eye but I have had the cart 8-years. Will be changing the TT over the next few months so looking for a interim cart to fit the Pro-ject. Reluctant to spend £150 on a ClearAudio Concept cart just in case I plump for the ClearAudio TT, which has the cart fitted. I know the Nagos have a good following on here. My clear fav, due to personal experience, is Goldring. How do those two compare soundwise? (Nago and Goldring)

PP,

All I can say is the Nag MP110 will see you through until you get a Clearaudio TT - then keep the Nag as a spare.

You never know you may prefer the Nag over the Clearaudio.

If you are definately not upgrading your TT then the logical choices would be Goldring 1042, Dyn 10x5 & Nagaoka MP200 - all good MMs

The Dyn is a bit more forward over the Nag, but all depends on rest of your system.

I havent heard a Goldring but the Nag is warm side of Neutral IMO

Ta.

I wouldn't invest in a Dyn cart on a £200 TT. TBH, the ClearAudio was an overkill. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

[chebby]

One other question: With a new cart do you get the screws or would I have to source them separately?

Most come with screws but they have a habit of providing the softer aluminium ones. (Non magnetic and cheap I suppose.)

Better to use stainless steel fittings with hex bolts ...

Stainless steel is harder and also non-magnetic.

 

[plastic penguin]

Just had a quick shufti and the Nag 110 and Goldrings are above £100. Ortofon 2M red is about £80. If the other two are over £100 might as well get another ClearAudio.

 

[plastic penguin]

The sound doesn't quite have the clarity from a few weeks ago. Tried re-weighting the cart and carried out all relevant checks. The stylus looks okay to the naked eye but I have had the cart 8-years. Will be changing the TT over the next few months so looking for a interim cart to fit the Pro-ject. Reluctant to spend £150 on a ClearAudio Concept cart just in case I plump for the ClearAudio TT, which has the cart fitted. I know the Nagos have a good following on here. My clear fav, due to personal experience, is Goldring. How do those two compare soundwise? (Nago and Goldring)

PP,

All I can say is the Nag MP110 will see you through until you get a Clearaudio TT - then keep the Nag as a spare.

You never know you may prefer the Nag over the Clearaudio.

If you are definately not upgrading your TT then the logical choices would be Goldring 1042, Dyn 10x5 & Nagaoka MP200 - all good MMs

The Dyn is a bit more forward over the Nag, but all depends on rest of your system.

I havent heard a Goldring but the Nag is warm side of Neutral IMO

I've ordered Ortofon 2M. Should be with me early next week.

When I get the new TT the Nagos will be at the top of audition list, but just an interim cart it's pointless spending more.

Ta all.

 

[plastic penguin]

It's arrived. /

The fun part will come over the next couple of days. Haven't fitted a cart for close on 20-years.

 

[Henley]

Just use the bolts supplied. They are designed to be finger tight only.

Do NOT crank the cartridge into the headshell.

 

[chebby]

It's arrived. /

The fun part will come over the next couple of days. Haven't fitted a cart for close on 20-years.

So as you have the Project alignment protractor in your box of bits (or the TT box) then it'll be fine. I've done lots of them in the past and you never forget.

 

[plastic penguin]

It's arrived. /

The fun part will come over the next couple of days. Haven't fitted a cart for close on 20-years.

So as you have the Project alignment protractor in your box of bits (or the TT box) then it'll be fine. I've done lots of them in the past and you never forget.

Ta.

That's why I said it'll take a couple of days, cause the box is languishing somewhere in the attic.

 

[plastic penguin]

It was strangely easy, albeit a little fiddly, to fit the new cart. First impressions:

Sounds okay, not the shortfall initially thought. For sure the ClearAudio does uncover the subtle detail throughout the frequency better and the bass is better defined than the Ortofon. Also noticed the HFs, when cranked up doesn't quite have the coherence of the ClearAudio, otherwise, for the price the Ortofon does a good job.

Think with a better TT the ClearAudio would really show its stripes, but on a budget jobbie like mine the Ortofon is adequate.

 

[plastic penguin]

Since the ears have adjusted to the new cart, the overall soundstage has been missing something, although couldn't quite put my finger on it. Mrs. P said it has lost a little intimacy. We're not talking night and day, and highlights the good and bad of a budget TT.

The ClearAudio cart was really the icing on the (modest) cake. That icing is now depleted.

Any suggestions without spending fortunes?

 

[stevebrock]

So basically you've admitted you bought a duffer ? Many people on this forum have tried to steer you but our advice never taken. For another £20 you could of had a 'decent' cart but as always you know best. The nag on that deck would of been lovely!

 

[plastic penguin]

So basically you've admitted you bought a duffer ? Many people on this forum have tried to steer you but our advice never taken. For another £20 you could of had a 'decent' cart but as always you know best. The nag on that deck would of been lovely!

No. I don't know the best, and I did point out from the outset that I didn't want to spend shedloads on a cart that I may end up with -- the thought process was just practical. And no, it isn't a duffer... for the money it's very good, just doesn't quite have the all-round game as the ClearAudio.

Was looking at Nag MP-100, but couldn't find anyone on here with experience, hence I plumped for the Ortofon.

 

[stevebrock]

So basically you've admitted you bought a duffer ? Many people on this forum have tried to steer you but our advice never taken. For another £20 you could of had a 'decent' cart but as always you know best. The nag on that deck would of been lovely!

No. I don't know the best, and I did point out from the outset that I didn't want to spend shedloads on a cart that I may end up with -- the thought process was just practical. And no, it isn't a duffer... for the money it's very good, just doesn't quite have the all-round game as the ClearAudio.

Was looking at Nag MP-100, but couldn't find anyone on here with experience, hence I plumped for the Ortofon.

PP - The Nag MP110 is essentially an updated 100 - plenty of people on here with them - for £20 more!! It even improves upon the Elys2 massively

 

[Al ears]

So basically you've admitted you bought a duffer ? Many people on this forum have tried to steer you but our advice never taken. For another £20 you could of had a 'decent' cart but as always you know best. The nag on that deck would of been lovely!

No. I don't know the best, and I did point out from the outset that I didn't want to spend shedloads on a cart that I may end up with -- the thought process was just practical. And no, it isn't a duffer... for the money it's very good, just doesn't quite have the all-round game as the ClearAudio.

Was looking at Nag MP-100, but couldn't find anyone on here with experience, hence I plumped for the Ortofon.

Appreciate your financial position but if you had done a quick reccy of the forum you might have seen their is little love for the cheapest Ortofon. Very tricky to sell this on if you do intend to buy a Clearaudio later. The Nag would have ben a better bet, who knows you may have ended up keeping it. That's like. and that's hifi for you.

I you do appreciate the Clearaudio cartridges, I for one do not, then I hope you can afford one soon as that Ortofon really must be aggrevating.

 

[Al ears]

So basically you've admitted you bought a duffer ? Many people on this forum have tried to steer you but our advice never taken. For another £20 you could of had a 'decent' cart but as always you know best. The nag on that deck would of been lovely!

No. I don't know the best, and I did point out from the outset that I didn't want to spend shedloads on a cart that I may end up with -- the thought process was just practical. And no, it isn't a duffer... for the money it's very good, just doesn't quite have the all-round game as the ClearAudio.

Was looking at Nag MP-100, but couldn't find anyone on here with experience, hence I plumped for the Ortofon.

Appreciate your financial position but if you had done a quick reccy of the forum you might have seen their is little love for the cheapest Ortofon. Very tricky to sell this on if you do intend to buy a Clearaudio later. The Nag would have ben a better bet, who knows you may have ended up keeping it. That's life. and that's hifi for you.

If you do appreciate the Clearaudio cartridges, I for one do not, then I hope you can afford one soon as that Ortofon really must be aggrevating.

 

[plastic penguin]

So basically you've admitted you bought a duffer ? Many people on this forum have tried to steer you but our advice never taken. For another £20 you could of had a 'decent' cart but as always you know best. The nag on that deck would of been lovely!

No. I don't know the best, and I did point out from the outset that I didn't want to spend shedloads on a cart that I may end up with -- the thought process was just practical. And no, it isn't a duffer... for the money it's very good, just doesn't quite have the all-round game as the ClearAudio.

Was looking at Nag MP-100, but couldn't find anyone on here with experience, hence I plumped for the Ortofon.

Appreciate your financial position but if you had done a quick reccy of the forum you might have seen their is little love for the cheapest Ortofon. Very tricky to sell this on if you do intend to buy a Clearaudio later. The Nag would have ben a better bet, who knows you may have ended up keeping it. That's life. and that's hifi for you.

If you do appreciate the Clearaudio cartridges, I for one do not, then I hope you can afford one soon as that Ortofon really must be aggrevating.

It's more of case of make-do and mend. The ClearAudio stylus was shot and as you can't replace it I had no alternative. Will I keep the current Pro-ject? Nah!

Meantime, I'm not going to throw money down the lav just to satisfy my hi-fi ego. Hold back until September/October and see where the spinny thing takes me.

 

[mgkwackerd]

When I came back to vinyl, I auditioned the 2M red, and thought it was a very good cartridge, but on comparing with the 2m blue, it was rather edgy and shrill in the highs, the blue was far more composed and a better bass delivery. Bought the Blue, fitted to an Audiomods V arm on an Inspire Apollo double plinth Acrylic T/T

When I had my Linn, I used dynavector 10 and later 20, but now they're 350 and 525 respectively, too expensive !!

I don't like warm carts, so would not like nag or grado, and I'm in a real dilemma over what cart and P/S to go for now, as have had disappointing experiences of Lehmann black cube SE and Trichord Dino with + power supply.

I've started a thread asking for help