Continuing the discussion from What was the last bit of gear you bought in 2025?:
Hi there. I have been wondering whether to go for this cartridge i.e the Audio technica VM760SLC rather than my regular high output MC Dynavector 10x5 x, when it comes to replace. I have an linn lp12 going into a naim supernait 3 and am using its moving magnet phono stage with the dynavector.Any thoughts on the relative merits of these cartridges ?
@nick012 If you want to use the phono stage in the SN3, I would go with a MM and not a high output MC. The SN3 is optimized for MM.
Hi
What @Jaybar said
I use SN3 with TrigB, Audio Technica VM760xSL
Sounds amazing and no compromise on output.
Many thanks for that Skeptical, I posted after noticing your post.I also saw you had a keel, my other present query is whether, the old Keel that might come up 2nd hand ,might be better than my tangerine k u v subchasis. like you I have radikal and karousel .Sorry for different threads, my 1st go on this forum. Many thanks Jaybar too
@Skeptikal What is a TrigB?
Hi @Jaybar
I’ve got the same cartridge sent to me from Peter Swain
Thought I’d give it a go into the N50 phono stage
Still running in but it’s rather good I must say
Like the NVC-TT the phono stage of the Nait 50 is quite different from all the other Naim MM phono stages.
I would be confident for a Linn Adikt or AT760 or Goldring 1042 to sound brilliant in them as there is no spike from the high capacitance.
Btw the three Vetere Sabre cartridges are also quite nice on a LP12 with Ittok, but I haven’t heard them yet via a traditional Naim MM phono stage.
For the SN3 (as for my XS3) I would stay with a HOMC like the new Dynavectors, or moving iron cartridges like Nagaoka or Ortofon. I don’t know how well the new Rega ND7 would match your tonearm, but it also does sound great with the SN3 phono stage.
Note that with the LP12 you can also use a Naim Prefix (or Stageline) and power that off the SN3 aux2 input, and use a LOMC cartridge.
I don’t know if it is relevant for your LP12, but I use a Grado Gold on my Kuzma with a Rega RB300 arm, into my SN3 phono stage.
It produces a very nice sound for me.
I don’t like too much accent on the high frequencies.
What does this mean?
Tried to explain it here in one of the many other SN3 phono threads. High capacitance phono with cartridges not designed for that may give a spike in the HF. Depends very much on the cartridge (type). Some ears are sensitive to this, lucky others may not notice. Merry Christmas!!
The AT VM line is not ideally suited to the high input capacitance of the SN3 phono stage. You’d probably do better with a Grado, Ortofon or Shure (if you can find one) cartridge, or even a HOMC. Not familiar with the Nagaokas, so can’t comment on those.
Hi @nick012
I have an LP12 with the Audio Technica VM760SLC MM cart. originally on my Supernait3 which sounded great. I now run the LP12 with a Nait50 which I think sounds even better (my room, speakers etc). I do however think the AT is a great match with both amps.
@Skeptikal is your man here though - he’s been a long time advocate of this particular combination and has a top spec LP12 which has been fettled by Peter Swain.
Someone on here helpfully suggested I remove the plastic stylus guard which vibrates - removing it improves the sound. Obvious when you think about, but it just hadn’t occurred tme to remove it.
I agree with @Bevo that the Nait50 and LP12 is a wonderful combination. They just sound right together.
AT’s cartridge is traditionally a good match with Naim’s MM phono, like the famous K9, AT95 etc., so as Linn’s Adikt made by Goldring got similar loading. OP’s AT cart is of a similar loading and I bet it would sound fine. Tho N50’s 100pF phono would sound even better with most modern MM carts.
For 10x5 an E stageline would be a better matching loading instead of MM.
The 10x5 HO is 2.8mV output. The ideal for a StageLine E is 0.8-1.5 mV so I guess the MM stage on SN3 would fit better?
Yes and I think the supernait is geared for 5mv mm cartridges. My dealer when I bought the sn3 said it would be fine. It does in fact sound fabby, although I haven’t had anything to compare it with. Thanks to all for responding to this.I have been curious as to whether the higher end mm cartridges would be better than a high output mc, ie my dynavector, especially as the out put is just over half of what figures naim published for the supernait. Maybe it just means you have to crank the volume up, with no other downsides!? I would not be overly keen to buy a separate phono stage, mainly because of space and also as I think the supernait is said to have a good phono stage.
I am sure the recommendations from the contributors in the thread are valid but I am not that familiar with the AT cartridge in question.
However, you do not say what arm you are using on the LP12. This is important as the question should be what cartridge for my arm rather than for the LP12. The TT, as I am sure you know, is there primarily to spin at the correct speed and provide a stable, resonant, free platform for the arm and cartridge to do their thing as well as possible. Rather more complicated than it sounds, but that is the job of the TT. The arm and cartridge should be matched in terms of how well the arm will cope with the compliance of the cartridge and how well it can hold it just in the right place to follow the groove faithfully.
So, what arm?
Linn Ittok. Good point, thanks
