mdbrien Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 I don't have much knowledge on turntables, so I was hoping that I can get some recommendations on a cartridge for my Technics SL1200. I'm using a McIntosh C46 preamp. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryO Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 How much is your budget for a cartridge? What condition is your vinyl? What are your music preferences? I have 5 headshells and cartridge combos set up on 2 different tables. One is set up for finer listening with my precious vinyl and the other is set up for some of my favorite music with vinyl that's not in super good condition. I won't use my high buck cartridge on average vinyl. Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbrien Posted October 17, 2008 Author Share Posted October 17, 2008 I would say that the condition of my vinyl is good to very good condition. Music preference (Rock, R&B, jazz) Budget $200-$300 Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryO Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 The Denon 103 is well liked here on the forum. I think the cost should be less than $200. I've only heard a couple of cuts on one at a local Hi-Fi store and can't give a well informed opinion on them. I've got a couple of Grado carts that sound pretty darned good I paid less than $100 for new and I have no problem using them. One of my old favorites is an AT-14SA but the stylus are getting hard to come by. I bought 2 new ones off Ebay a few years back at a cost of over $100 each for the stylus only. I also like the upper end Ortifon carts. You can get a nice cart for that kind of money. Just my opinion only. There are a lot of vinyl experts here with a lot more knowledge than I have though. I'd listen to them before I would my thinking. Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNRabbit Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 The Denon 103 is well liked here on the forum. I think the cost should be less than $200. I've only heard a couple of cuts on one at a local Hi-Fi store and can't give a well informed opinion on them. I've got a couple of Grado carts that sound pretty darned good I paid less than $100 for new and I have no problem using them. One of my old favorites is an AT-14SA but the stylus are getting hard to come by. I bought 2 new ones off Ebay a few years back at a cost of over $100 each for the stylus only. I also like the upper end Ortifon carts. You can get a nice cart for that kind of money. Just my opinion only. There are a lot of vinyl experts here with a lot more knowledge than I have though. I'd listen to them before I would my thinking. Harry x2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Another very good cartridge for the SL-1200 is the Shure M97XE. Less than $100 and can track at 2 grams (or less), and does a great job. Very cost effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 One of my old favorites is an AT-14SA but the stylus are getting hard to come by. I bought 2 new ones off Ebay a few years back at a cost of over $100 each for the stylus only. The AT-14SA is indeed a nice budget MM cartridge I have one myself. Not sure why you purchased replacement stylus on eBay. Stereoneedles.com has the correct OEM ATN14 Stylus for $77.95 just in case you want some more backups. Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Right Craig. I have found them to be an excellent source of styli and their prices are very competitive. Another cart worth trying is the denon DL110. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 You are getting a bunch of different recommendations and will get even more. I have the same TT and went through a few carts before hitting a home run. I use a Denon DL 160 and a Sumiko Headshell. I read a lot about the Denon DL 103, but the reason that I did not go that way was that my preamp does not have selecatble input impedence. The DL 160 can be found online for about $125 ro $150 and the Sumiko headshell is $40 to $50. It is a dynamic cart (punchy bass, nice detail too. The midrange also sounds great, many cheaper carts have a "dead" of flat midrange that sounds muffled. It is also well built and pretty durable (some carts are very fragile). Here is the best part, pops, clicks and surface noise are lower omn this cart than others that I have tried. I was also concerned that it is a high output MC. I had a Dynavector 20x before and the volume position was a problem. I had to really turn it up for normal listening. This is scaryfor feedback reasons, hate loosing tweeters. With the Denon 160, I set my preamp to MM and the output works great. The volume knob is about where it should be. Here is a thread that I started on Audiogon that finally convinced me to get the DL 160: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1204087493&read&keyw&zztechnics EDIT: I just looked up your preamp. Don't worry about the Technics and Denon DL160 being up to par with the rest of your equipment (you have a very nice preamp). I use mine with a Musical Fidelity preamp, Classe monoblocks and B&W S800's. Sounds great and fits right in with the system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmusic Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 I have had both the Shure M97Xe and the AT 440MLa. They are both great bargins for the price. I still use the AT440MLa in my vintage system. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Which do you like better? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryO Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 One of my old favorites is an AT-14SA but the stylus are getting hard to come by. I bought 2 new ones off Ebay a few years back at a cost of over $100 each for the stylus only. The AT-14SA is indeed a nice budget MM cartridge I have one myself. Not sure why you purchased replacement stylus on eBay. Stereoneedles.com has the correct OEM ATN14 Stylus for $77.95 just in case you want some more backups. Craig That's a good price for the Shibata stylus. I was paying $97 for the ones for the 12 and 14. I'm bookmarking Stereoneedles.com for sure.Thanks a bunch, Harry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbrien Posted October 17, 2008 Author Share Posted October 17, 2008 Thank you all for the recommendations. I will check into all that has been said and comment on what I go with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenderbender Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Hard to beat the Shure M97Xe for the money......a couple bucks more will get you a stanton 681 EEE mk III......awesome on the sl 1200 !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdbrien Posted October 17, 2008 Author Share Posted October 17, 2008 Hey tigerwoodKhorns, Check out these two links to needledoctor. Is this what you are using? Since I'm not an expert with turntables, will this (high output MC cartridge) work with my preamp? http://www.needledoctor.com/Sumiko-HS12-Headshell http://www.needledoctor.com/Denon-DL-160-Cartridge?sc=2&category=369 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 "Here is the best part, pops, clicks and surface noise are lower on this cart than others that I have tried". Well wait just a minute there youngster. How can a cart sound better yet produce less surface noise? I mean if it's a really good cart, shouldn't it reveal everything, including that noisy stuff you have to "tune out" in order to enjoy the music. I would think the higher up the cart chain you go the more background noise you are subject to. Indeed by about a $1000 bucks or so, you shouldn't be able to hear the music over that pesky litle piece of dust hair wrapped around your needle. Indeed that's why I'm abandoning vinyl for cassette tapes. FOOD FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbeq Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Ortofon Red or the blue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Hey tigerwoodKhorns, Check out these two links to needledoctor. Is this what you are using? Since I'm not an expert with turntables, will this (high output MC cartridge) work with my preamp? http://www.needledoctor.com/Sumiko-HS12-Headshell http://www.needledoctor.com/Denon-DL-160-Cartridge?sc=2&category=369 Yes that's it. I just checked my preamp and I have it hooked up with the MM input setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
consistent Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Ortofon LM30 or 40 or the OM30 or 40...you will never look back. Detailed with a great full midrange. The Garrott P77 is another in this league Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSamuel Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 I agree with GLA51 and FenderBender. The Shure M97XE can't be beat. I used an M97XEAH (integrated adjustable headshell) for a few years before getting a Shure v15 type VMR. Unlike the v15 type VMR, I think Shure still makes replacement styi for the M97XE. Hmmm... for some reason I'm thinking mine is an M97MEAH but I haven't looked at it in a while. It's still in great shape and sounds fine to me. Plan to use it for a second turntable for vinyl in less than pristine condition. Still kicking myself for not ordering a v15 typ VMR replaceent styus afew years back when they were plentiful and pretty inexpensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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