Thanks! I’m now considering a new cartridge for the TP 16 but I’m lost in a sea of compliances and capacitances…
If anyone has a good idea…
Best,
M
Hi Max,
Ortofon has a cartridge finder in the support area on their website. Unsurprisingly only Ortofon cartridges are recommended there.
For your tonearm there are 9 cartridges in the price range from 45€ to 619€, so there is at least a wide choice of compatible cartridges.
Same here - a few years to go for 60 
Gaias… damn I need to test them. Hate the idea that they can not be fine-tuned - only 180 degrees rotated …
My tile floor is very uneven
They look like the identical finish and late stage tweeter version of my old Keilidhs. I like to think that someone out there is still enjoying them.
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Thanks, it’s not like Ortofon is rubbish… So I’ll take a look.
Best
M
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Hana EH or EL depending on what phono stage you’ve got… they work on almost any tonearm and deliver terrific performance for the price.
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Thanks. I have no experience of Hanas, but always think they’re the most beautiful cartridges from at least a merely aesthetic point of view. I’ll check!
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Very nice indeed. There’s something about simple systems that’s very appealing, both appearance and sound wise. Ultimately more expensive and complex systems do have the ability to sound better (but not necessarily!) but simple systems often seem to possess a musical coherence that is absent from more complex set-ups. Happy listening.
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A quick google search :
« most modern day MM cartridges will work well in that arm. Stick to medium compliance cartridges: Audio Technica AT-VM95 series, Nagaoka MP-110, Ortofon OM series … Personally I tend to favour warmer sounding carts so I’d pick the Nagaoka but everybody’s taste and system is different«
Thanks, indeed. I also have a pair of beautiful, rosewood IBLs not in use but I am unable to see them go although I always end up preferring the Sats for some reasons.
@frenchrooster: Thanks, another useful tip.
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I bet they’re gorgeous in rosewood - I used a black ash pair for 17 years. I used nSats for a while after the IBL’s. They don’t have the ultimate stregths of the IBL’s but neither do they have their weaknesses! Nicer sounding overall - certainly with digital I felt.
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If you are sticking with the Sats, then I find it easy to recommend the Dynavector 10x5 and the Goldring 2400, Max.
The former is a descendant of the Ultimo 10x so could be considered as a near contemporary of your Thorens, conceptually. I was happy with my DV10x5 into a Stageline N.
My Goldring 2400 was also very good into a Stageline N and gave a near MC like performance. The late Frank Abela was also a fan.
In both cases during my ownership of these cartridges, my speakers were n-Sats.
Best,
C.
I fully agree with your upgrade hierarchy here Dan.
My LP12 upgrade hierarchy in terms of impact on sq went in this order:
1/ Cirkus → Karousel
2/ Kore → Keel
3/ Lingo 2 → Klimax Radikal 2
4/ Ittok → Ekos SE
5/ DV XX2 → Ekstatik
6/ Cyrus Phono Signature → Rega Aura
Each of these steps produced a very noticeable upgrade in SQ.
Total upgrade elapsed time was about 7 years
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The white Solidsteel SS-6 look very nice in your room. Very good stands. Enjoy.
Hi Chris,
thanks. The 2400 would be easy to try/buy because my dealer has them in regular stock. My experience with Dynavector is limited to a nice, not very cheap, phono stage, the DV P75 Mk4 (or 3).
I know you’re a fan of a few, Supex-derived cartridges too, I am not forgetting those. But my interest has been triggered lately by the Hana EH, so I have to make decisions. The EH is a little beyond my mental financial limit for cartridges, but looks fine and has excellent reviews.
Best,
M.
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My idea was, in fact, to setup separate systems for digital and vinyl in two separate rooms - one with Sats, one with IBLs. My aversion to multiples and options has kept me from doing it.
Yet, I cannot bring myself to sell the IBLs because:
- They’re so beautiful
- I’ve wanted a pair for years
- The rosewood finish is probably rare
- The woofers, whether Mk I or II I ignore (serial is 65100 for both), are nevertheless very fine looking, with a rich coating along the rubber suspension and quality looks.
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Max, if you can, get a listen to the eh before deciding. I am a Hana fan and have an EH on my lp12, a SL on my P8 and am looking to upgrade to a Umami blue. The EH however is not an ‘easy’ replacement for a good MM in my view. The cost difference may not be expressed in the SQ unless you can vary the loading on the cart. I found that running the EH on the Naim mm boards showed only a small improvement over my much cheaper MM carts. Utilising the Naim mc board E spec made a massive difference and really showed what the EH can do. I then came across a pre owned variable loading phono stage, the PH-10 and only now feel that I have got the best from this cart.
The EH is a very good cart but it may not be the best cost value against a good mm cart in to an mm phono stage.
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Thanks,
this is interesting and very valuable personal experience. I have a Stageline so I guess Chris’s suggestions are more ‘in tune’ with my gear.
The EH stays in a visible corner of my mind though, in case of future changes.
Chris, I had a Goldring E3 for some time on my latest version P2, with the RB220. It sounded excellent, tracked very well and had an airy sound that dared reminding of an MC. But then I moved it onto a Technics SL1510 (the 70s one) and it was a tracking wreck… I’ve been left with a feeling that Goldring suit low-mass tonearms better, and the TP 16 is, well, 16(.5) grams.
What do you think?
Best,
M.
I am not quite sure what to think. Both the cartridges I suggested were used on a Roksan Tabriz-zi, which I understand to be a broadly similar mass to a Rega RB300 arm.
A prominent DV10x5 user here on the forum is @IanRobertM though he uses his on an Ittok with E boards (rather than N) in his preamp. Perhaps he could comment on it’s suitability with your Thorens arm.
No need to consider a DV P75 phonostage with a DV 10x5 imo. I’ve owned one and feel it lacks the drive of a Naim stage.
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[quote=“MaxBertola, post:1836, topic:32727”]
Yet, I cannot bring myself to sell the IBLs
[/quote
Thanks for the pictures Max. Don’t ever sell them! They look stunning and very well cared for indeed! Never seen them in rosewood before and I was not even aware that this finish was available. Yes I imagine they must be very rare indeed. If you ever did decide to sell I’m sure they could command a high price.
Years ago I always rather fancied getting a pair in piano gloss black. But the roaewood beats that - no question!
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