What Cartridge(s) Is Everyone Using

[Bill Hart]

It is a custom built Blue Angel designed for use on EMT tonearms . Notice the somewhat shorter (front to back) design to fit the tight EMT type head shell.It uses a totally different design to the Mantis but using lessons learnt in that design. It has taken 4 months to perfect and even has its normally reserved designer all excited. It should meet it's custom built EMT type head shell later this week.

This has been waiting quietly for it:

View attachment 4114

Not a table you see every day! Nice. I assume it's an old one, not one of the newly made ones? (Didn't they reintroduce the table on an extremely limited basis?)

 

[jdza]

Not a table you see every day! Nice. I assume it's an old one, not one of the newly made ones? (Didn't they reintroduce the table on an extremely limited basis?)

No this is number 93 of the original 100. The later re issue was not by the then defunct Thorens but by Kelch. It actually had little in common with the Thorens Reference bar the suspension towers.

 

[Odyno]

Since yesterday a Soundsmith level-2 rebuilt Fidelity Research FR-1…..
So far so good, never expected that level of resolution from that old girl!
Still breaking in.

 

[airbearing]

I am using an Allnic Puritas. My results were quite ok but experiencing that the Allnic`s body is not easy to mount I was looking for alternatives regarding headshells.
Now I am using the Arché headshell, the first headshell with flexible SRA - without changing the tonearm parameters!!!
and this worked pretty fine! Now the Allnic shows it`s virtues - what a cart!



read more:

 

[MylesBAstor]

I am using an Allnic Puritas. My results were quite ok but experiencing that the Allnic`s body is not easy to mount I was looking for alternatives regarding headshells.
Now I am using the Arché headshell, the first headshell with flexible SRA - without changing the tonearm parameters!!!
and this worked pretty fine! Now the Allnic shows it`s virtues - what a cart!

View attachment 5434

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It was one of my products of the year last year for PFO Used it with the Avid, Allnic and Doshi phono. It's not the easiest but far from the 47 Labs to install! The main thing is to match it to the right tone arm given its low compliance. But it sounds remarkably tape like and is at it's price here, hard to beat. I understand there were some recent minor changes to the design.

 

[NorthStar]

I am using an Allnic Puritas. My results were quite ok but experiencing that the Allnic`s body is not easy to mount I was looking for alternatives regarding headshells.
Now I am using the Arché headshell, the first headshell with flexible SRA - without changing the tonearm parameters!!!
and this worked pretty fine! Now the Allnic shows it`s virtues - what a cart!

View attachment 5434

read more:

-----Fascinating airbearing! All your posts are refreshing.
You inspire me to get back to my analogue youth. :b

 

[airbearing]

you are choosing the right words and impressions NorthStar - analogue is refreshing but it takes quite some time, discipline and testing efforts - most of the writers of todays picture magazines don`t invest. So we stay in our small group

 

[Sammy T]

Just picked up a next to new Dynavector XV1- T. It replaced a three year old XV1- S cartridge.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Just picked up a next to new Dynavector XV1- T. It replaced a three year old XV1- S cartridge.

That's an outstanding transducer. What arm are you installing it into?

 

[Sammy T]

My tonearm is a Basis Audio Vector 4 , With a Basis Audio Debut turntable

 

[JackD201]

Just picked up a next to new Dynavector XV1- T. It replaced a three year old XV1- S cartridge.

One of my favorite carts. That and the Lyra Atlas. I've had mine since it launched. With 50 hours on yours, I can promise you that it will get even better.

 

[hifitommy]

probably i have immortalized this cartridge in my brain but my all time fave is the ADC XLM-original version. it had the full, round, buoyant bass of the real thing, wonderful mids with wide open staging and imaging, and a top that made cymbals reminiscent of what i have heard live. it was mounted on a rabco st4 and later a grace 707.

since then i used numerous carts including the grado f1+ which was better than it should have been and the equivalent of the black (fte+1) that was likewise. there have been ATs including the ML170/150 (nice), stanton 881s (tasty) a couple of ortofons, a krell mc (miyabi), FR1IIIf (excellent), oc9II (likewise), and currently i have revisited my grace f9e. it keeps reminding me why it is highly sought after.

somewhere in the middle of things i uses a micro-acoustics 2002e which i dearly loved. very linear, great staging and imaging, great tracking. too bad someone doesn't pick up THAT flag.

all this on the following system: http://cgi.audioasylum.com/systems/588.html

i spent many hours listening on my friend's system to the orofon kontrapunkt b which i would dearly love to own.

i owned a new original sumiko blue point with the styrene pmount adaptor (yes, it was a pmount). i bought the lyle cartridges aluminum block adpaptor which ameliorated its mediocre top and bottom performance, which did not keep up with its exemplary midrange sound and imaging. even THAT didnt make it totally acceptable. my friend had a BP2 which we called he boxcar, and it was only about equal to the BP1/Lyle block mod.

i once owned a v15III but couldn't stand it. i do own a v15Vxmr mounted nicely on a sumiko hs12 headshell and could never warm up to it as it is ultimately uninvolving. i would truly like to get the jico SAS stylus for it as i have heard that it cures the problem. perhaps someday.

 

[rugyboogie]

Cartridges that I am using are:

Dynavector XV-1s
Ortofon A90
Denon 103
Denon 103R
Grace F9-E
Empire 4000 DIII/Gold

 

[rockitman]

My current lineup in order of preference:
Koetsu Coralstone
Ortofon A90
Shelter Harmony
Benz-Micro SLR Gullwing

Carts possible on the horizon...

Lyra Atlas
Or
Ortofon Anna
Or
Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement

 

[MylesBAstor]

My current lineup in order of preference:
Koetsu Coralstone
Ortofon A90
Shelter Harmony
Benz-Micro SLR Gullwing

Carts possible on the horizon...

Lyra Atlas
Or
Ortofon Anna
Or
Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement

You need to add the Ikeda to that list. Truly!

 

[daytona600]

over last 30years must have tried & used them all. from budget denon 103 to A90 , Koestu , Benz
currently using two leftfield choices at present EMT Jsd & Cartridgeman musicmaker LE ( modified grado MM )

 

[scouter]

Sumiko Celebration 2 for 2 years now. Excellent neutral cartridge with superb soundstage. One of my favorites over the years was a Sumiko Talisman S- excellent soundstage but a little shy on the lower bass. Love the old Koestu Black also.

 

[Shaffer]

I have ~40-50 hours on a newly purchased AT33PTG II. Also thinking of sending my old Lydian B for a retip.

 

[A.wayne]

Is it really necessary to spend 5k to get a good cartridge ...? Im still pedaling between a 103R and a Grado gold ..

 

[rockitman]

You need to add the Ikeda to that list. Truly!

I have just installed the Mono Ikeda on my Clearaudio Universal arm to see if it beats my stereo coralstone on the Graham....New age stereo cutter mono recs that is.