Cheap cartridges that are good

Funnily enough…

I know it’s slightly off topic, but that TT looks great.

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Mk2?

There’s a review from 2011 of the early version on Audio Beat and a 103R was used if you care to look it up.

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Yes, the MKII.
I’m a bit put off by the Dl 103.
Because many people say that it only sounds good with a transformer.
But the DL 110 would certainly be good too.

Sounded good with a superline with 470Ω loading. A transformer would need to be carefully chosen because of the 42Ω impedance of the coil, though some are made specifically for it. It does need a light touch with the cartridge bolts, I experimented with a very low range torque driver and found somewhere around 3.5-4 cNm gave the best sound which seemed barely enough to keep it in place on a slotted headshell with a finger lift attached to the bolts but stay in place it did.

The drawback is the life span of a spherical stylus which is claimed to be around 500 hours, though I have two on the Denon and a Decca Maroon I’ve not used either that long to find out, the line contact ones last longer it’s said. After five years of heavy use in a digital free system, so several thousand hours, my dealer examined the one on my DV17D2 mk2 under a high powered stereo microscope, cleaned it and declared it good for a bit longer but recommended I get a record cleaning machine (I did but not from him as Oxfam had a used VPI for £200).

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What do you think of the Nagaoka cartridge?

Yes, the DL103D has slightly higher compliance than the regular 103, but when I measured it with my trust test record setup, it was closer to 8 x 10¯⁶ cm/dyne (based on the LF resonant frequency), kinda like the 103S, which would make some sense. Regardless, it would not be a recommended combination in the traditional sense.

Get a Vertere Magneto and change the stylus for the VMN40ML microline and you’ll have a very fine cartridge.

I have the JT-1210 (limited edition), which I think is on par with my 2M Bronze. They’re different, but I couldn’t say one is better than the other.

The JT-1210 is allegedly a rebranded JT-80BK, which is outside your budget. So while I love my Nagaoka, I think the 2M Bronze is better value for money. (And at least near your budget)

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What sense is that supposed to make?
I can just as easily use the Audio Technica VM540ML.
I know the 540ML very well, and I like my current Goldring 1042 better.

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If you already have a 1042 then £300 is more a sidestep than an upgrade at current prices. Save a bit longer and go for a DV XX2a or maybe a 17Dx, though I’ve not heard the brass bodied version. It used to be very much a step down from the XX 2 mk2 but Dynavector now price them close so presumably think they’re on a par. DV and WT are a classic pairing.

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So you have a (ultra) low mass (<9 gr) tonearm with adjustable damping by how deep the golf ball is immersed in the high viscosity silicone fluid but this, however, won´t make the tonearm a fit with low compliance cartridges. Consequently it requires pickups with high compliance (20 up to 30).

Cartridges that might fit to the tonearm and your budget would be:

Goldring 1022, 1042, 2300, 2500
Ortofon 2M Bronze
Nagaoka MP-150

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Which cartridges would you recommend if I want to go up a class?

With already having a Goldring 1042 an upgrade will start in the region of a Nagaoka MP-300 or MP500, Grado Timbre Reference3, Hana ML, van den Hul (vdH) Frog, vdH MC One Special, vdH MC10 Special, vdH Canary.

P.S.: Unfortunately there are not so much MM and MCs out there that will fit properly to your low mass tonearm

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Don’t forget the new Rega range of cartridges; ND3, ND5 & ND7.
Much better than the older Elys2 and Exact imo.

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These don´t match to the tonearm

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Very helpful.
Do you see Dynavector or Audio Technica MC’s as less than ideal?

+1 for VM95E

I seem to recall the Rega Carbon is actually a 3600L. Really engaging cart on the right deck.

Oh, I do own some Dynavectors as well as a couple of ATs and these sound awsome but none of them will match your tonearm

Dynavector 20X2L comes with a CU of 12 at 100 Hz what makes round about 16,8 at 10Hz but you need something in between 20 and 30; same with AT

Audio Technica AT VM740ML (CU=10 at 100Hz/ ~14 at 10Hz)
Audio Technica AT VM760SLC (CU=10 at 100Hz/ ~14 at 10Hz)
Audio Technica AT VM95ML (CU=10 at 100Hz/ ~14 at 10Hz)

If you want to go with AT you need to get hands on a AT-155LC (CU=16/100 Hz => 22,4/ 10 Hz)

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What do you think of this?

Sumiko Songbird