Rega P3 Cartridge Recommendation

[thewolf]

I just noticed that the needle in my Dynavector 10x5 is not centered. Looks like it is bent to the right. Is this going to damage the records if I continue to use it? Also....is the sound compromised now? The cartridge is barely a year old.....bummed that I am going to have to spend a bunch of cash to fix it.

My dilema is....FIx the Dynavector or buy a new cartridge. Looking for cartridge recommendations that will sound the best with my set-up. Budget is $300, and forget about low-output MC's. Can't afford to upgrade the preamp.

My set-up - Rega phono, Peach, Tercel (in about a month), Yamaha M85 SS amp, LaScala's.

Thanks.

[tigerwoodKhorns]

Denon DL160. Very hard to beat in this price range, and it is about 1/2 of your budget or a little more. It is a HOMC and will work well with a MM input. I used one on my Rega P9 for a while and it did not dissapoint. You will need a spacer for your Rega arm to set VTA but that is trivial. You can use washers from the hardware store (at least with the RB1000 arm's 3 point mounting, not sure about the RB300).

[edwinr]

Denon DL-103. It's a no brainer. The cart slots easily onto the RB300 arm. I didn't need any extra headshell weight and the VTA was near perfect without spacers. For the money, it's the best cartridge in the world.

[thewolf]

Thanks guys....I'll check into the Denon cartridge.

Any comments re:using a bent needle on records. Am I going to cause any harm. Still sounds good. Just not sure if I need to put the cartridge to rest or not.

Thanks

[LarryC]

Is the cantilever itself bent, or is it straight and just not centered? By cantilever, I mean the straight piece of metal that goes from the coil or magnet assembly (often not visible) to the tip, where the tiny stylus is normally attached. I've often associated a bent cantilever with bad, spitty sound and needle breakup in the groove. If you hear that, DO NOT use that cartridge on vinyl! It is likely to ruin your record in even just one playing.

It not centered, it may still sound good, but I'd be suspicious of it playing one channel differently or louder than the other, and possibly uneven wear in the groove.

Make sure your antiskating is adjusted and working properly. I believe the needle should center when your LP is playing, even though the antiskating would cause it to look deviated when set down in a motionless groove.

On the whole, I would prefer having a centered needle.

[Guest David H]

Denon DL-103. It's a no brainer. The cart slots easily onto the RB300 arm. I didn't need any extra headshell weight and the VTA was near perfect without spacers. For the money, it's the best cartridge in the world.

The DL-103 is an excellent LOMC, but with your phono pre its a no go.

Of the carts I have used recentyl, I have stuck with the $60 Shure V97XE from Amazon.com. I cant believe how good this cheap cart sounds. I purchased it while I was getting my Grado Gold repaired and simply like the Shure better. I also like the Sumiko Blue Point,