Good Budget Phono Cart ~$300 or less

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by youraveragevinylcollector, Jan 21, 2019.

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  1. youraveragevinylcollector

    youraveragevinylcollector Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hartwell, GA
    After not listening to records for a very long time, due to my increasingly bright AT440MLb, I'm trying to look for a good Phono cart around the same price, or a bit more, since tax season is coming up. I've always liked the detailed sound of the 440, but it's just so bright that it hurts my ears anymore. I was planning on getting a Shure M97XE and play the 440 til the stylus died, but since both products have been discontinued, I'm not very sure what to get. I'm looking for something with a lot of detail, and an overall vibrant, but smooth sound. I'm using a U Turn phono preamp and a Technics SL-D1 turntable. I listen to mostly classic rock, pop, and country, but will have a few newer metal albums I plan to get soon; and a good bit of my albums suffer from mild to moderate IGD, with a couple that are pretty bad (but the 440 made IGD non-existent). Any recommendations?
     
  2. Davey

    Davey NP: Rosali ~ Bite Down (2024)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    You might also try taming the high end by reducing the load capacitance as much as possible (cables and preamp input), and if handy, you can also change the resistance load with a 100K resistor in parallel with preamp input to get it down from 47K to around 32K.
     
  3. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    Cambridge Audio pre-amps are good. Well made, very neutral sound, in your price range. As the precious poster suggested, try low capacitance cables, short as possible.
    this will help tame the AT's brightness.
     
  4. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    The VM-540ML addresses the bright AT-440 issue, but is energetic on the top end. A softer presentation on the treble is the Nagaoka MP-150. Either cartridge is about $250. The AT-440 will sell quickly as a used cartridge.
     
  5. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    If taming IGD is a requirement, there's not much I can recommend in the $300 range other than the options already presented. You could try the AT VM 540ML or the AT VM 95ML. Both of those would be in your budget with some money left over.

    If you want to try something outside of the box, look for an NOS Stanton 680 or 681 cartridge, then order a Jico Shibata stylus for it.
     
  6. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    This will definitely tame some of the brightness but I would experiment with 39K also.
     
  7. 911s55

    911s55 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Wa state
  8. youraveragevinylcollector

    youraveragevinylcollector Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hartwell, GA
    I was thinking of going for a Nagaoka cart, I've heard some models are really good with IGD and can really trump a 440, as they aren't too harsh or anything.
     
  9. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    Great for SS systems that can be a little edgy compared to tubes.
     
  10. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    A .4 x .7 elliptical stylus is not good with taming IGD, no matter what many hyperbolic reviewers say. Their top end model, the MP-500, has a much better line contact stylus on it compared to the rest of the range. It's unfortunately way over your budget @ $700.

    If you don't mind ordering a cartridge from Europe and spending closer to $400 on a cart you may have some other options besides what is mentioned above.
     
  11. PioneerFan

    PioneerFan Well-Known Member

    Try the Shure m97xE- it sounds to be exactly what you are looking for. Not bright, warm, yet detailed, a great tracker. You will never experience IGD. Yes, prices have gone up since Shure exited the cart business, but you can likely get the cart with the stylus, plus an additional stylus, and stay within your budget.
     
  12. youraveragevinylcollector

    youraveragevinylcollector Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hartwell, GA
    Very true. Especially since I plan on getting a JICO SAS stylus if I were to buy that. I'm just trying to weigh my options first.
     
    PioneerFan likes this.
  13. rebellovw

    rebellovw Forum Resident

    Location:
    hell
    I believe the KAB ProS30 is in your price range and I'm sure will work with your deck - check with Kevin at KAB.com - I prefer this car over my 440 - it is one of my favorites.
     
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