Just tell me which cartridge to buy

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Paully, Jul 29, 2014.

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  1. Paully

    Paully De gustibus non est disputandum Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tennessee
    Around the $200 range, give or take, I have three cartridges I am considering:

    AT 440MLa
    Clearaudio Concept
    Nagaoka 150

    Will use on a Souther linear tracking tonearm and generally listen to rock and indie. The Clearaudio doesn't look like the stylus is replaceable, so I am leaning towards one of the other two.

    Truth be told I have listened to a decent number of sub $250 cartridges in my system including Grado, AT, Denon, Shure and have yet to hear one that didn't sound fine to me. Maybe I should be a little mor discriminating, but I am sure whatever I get will be fine but still would love to hear some recommendations, so tell me which one you think I should get!
     
  2. RonW

    RonW Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Just buy the AT-440mla.
     
  3. 81828384

    81828384 Forum Resident

    This. Hard to find someone who isn't pleased with this cart.
     
    Shak Cohen, RonW and Paully like this.
  4. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    If you have heard the AT 440 and like it, go for it. If that sounds too bright consider the Shure 97xe with a Jico stylus.
     
  5. Paully

    Paully De gustibus non est disputandum Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tennessee
    Does the AT have a reputation for being bright? My Altecs can sometimes sound a little bright.
     
  6. Robin L

    Robin L Musical Omnivore

    Location:
    Fresno, California
    "Bright" is the Audio Technica "House Sound". Their cheapest and most expensive moving magnet cartridges don't have the high frequency boost but most of the rest of their cartridges do. A lot of people like that sound.
     
  7. Upinsmoke

    Upinsmoke Well-Known Member

    Location:
    SE PA
    What about the Denon DL-103? There's an updated version DL-103R which is a bit more, or the ZU version.
     
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  8. RonW

    RonW Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    It does have that reputation, but if you carefully align the cartridge on the arm and let it run in for a good twenty hours or so that brightness tames itself and the frequency response becomes very nice. The stylus is a great tracker. I've never heard inner groove distortion with mine but I took great care setting it up. I love mine and would do it all over again.
     
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  9. Paully

    Paully De gustibus non est disputandum Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tennessee
    Would require a step-up transformer in my system.
     
  10. octaneTom

    octaneTom Man of Leisure

    I never found my AT150MLX bright. I think the alleged brightness is a capacitance issue in some people's systems, perhaps. Anyway, I loved that 150MLX while I had it, and I've heard the 440MLA is similar sounding. I also picked up that 150MLX for not much over $200 gently used, so that's an option.
     
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  11. Paully

    Paully De gustibus non est disputandum Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tennessee
    Well, interesting. Based on what I had read on this forum I had been leaning towards a Nagaoka and had expected that I would get a strong response in favor of a cartridge from them. So far the AT is the obvious front runner so I am definitely reconsidering. Especially since people think it is such a wonderful tracker.
     
  12. missan

    missan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Stockholm
    IGD is in principle non existent with the 440, ( it will be there with a Nagaoka ), and the tracking is outstanding. Depending on the loading and the rest of the system it can be a bit bright sometimes. If that is the way we hear it, this can be tamed with a very low capacitance loading and also a lower resistance loading.
    But as I see it it´s one of few bargains when it comes to cartridges, remember it has a nude microridge needle.
     
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  13. Paully

    Paully De gustibus non est disputandum Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tennessee
    Ok, time to go research "microridge".
     
  14. RonW

    RonW Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    I use my AT-440mla on a Thorens TD-145. I changed out the stock audio cables with video cable I had in my shop. It made all the difference as I had a three foot run and wanted low capacitance. I recommend.
     
  15. benzo

    benzo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ft. Worth, Tx, USA
    AT 440MLa
     
  16. jriems

    jriems Audio Ojiisan

    I can't comment on either the Nagaoka nor the Clearaudio, however I use a 440MLa in my sytem and am very, very pleased with the sound. In my opinion, even if the sound signature seemed "brighter," I would still select this cart for its fantastic tracking and IGD nullification. It's a joy just sit and listen to an entire album side, and have the sound quality be consistent from start to finish.

    I listen via headphones almost exclusively, and the 440MLa pairs up great with my Darkvoice tube amp and Senn HD650s. If your speakers tend toward bright, it is possible they may over-emphasize the 440MLa's HF boost.
     
  17. Paully

    Paully De gustibus non est disputandum Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tennessee
    For my Souther I use some silver, very, very thin silk covered wires. Changing those out is not an option. Is this going to provide the low capacitance that seems to be the order of the day?
     
  18. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    That's not true. It's a good tracker, but it sounds very bright/lean.

    With a $200 budget, I would buy a Grado Black and upgrade the stylus to an 8MZ, or I'd buy an old Shure M91ED on eBay and upgrade the stylus to a JICO SAS.
     
  19. Paully

    Paully De gustibus non est disputandum Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tennessee
    I have Zilch crossovers in my Altecs that allow tweaking the high frequencies. If the cartridge is bright, I can probably tweak it so that it isn't a problem.
     
  20. RonW

    RonW Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    I really can't say I've never used it on a turntable. But it should be fine as you have been using it without problems.
     
  21. Nielsoe

    Nielsoe Forum Resident

    Location:
    Aalborg, Denmark
    I'm using the Clearaudio and I'm very pleased with it. It tracks well and I would describe the sound as being neutral with just a little bit of midrange warmth. It replaced a Nagaoka MP110 which it bettered on all accounts. Don't know about the 150 though.
     
  22. Robert C

    Robert C Forum Resident

    Location:
    London, UK
    Another vote for the 440. I wouldn't describe it as bright, the adjectives I would use are: detailed and precise. It lacks the warmth of other "budget" cartridges, which might account for some describing it as bright. Instead of sounding warm and smeary, the bass is fast, tight, and exact.
     
    RonW likes this.
  23. Paully

    Paully De gustibus non est disputandum Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tennessee
    All right, the preponderance of evidence indicates that I have been told to order an Audio-Technica. I had a lower end model before and liked it, so I have no experience to indicate that they make bad ones and everyone, pretty much, is telling me to do it. Plus the stylus is easily replaceable. I asked you to tell me what to do so I'm going to do it. Thanks!
     
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  24. magoo6

    magoo6 Forum Resident

    The Clearaudio Performer (one up from the Concept) with an ebony body is a fantastic sounding cartridge for the money, albeit a slight stretch on your budget.
     
  25. Paully

    Paully De gustibus non est disputandum Thread Starter

    Location:
    Tennessee
    I'm already stretching!
     
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