What brands of phono cartridge do you own (poll revisited)?

The turntable poll was fun, so I thought I'd create a cartridge poll.

This one is also multi-selection, so make sure you get them all. The list is limited to 25 entries, so I had to use my judgement on the some of the ones I'm not familiar with.

My carts:

Dynavector DV20XL (retipped by Soundsmith)
Denon DL-103
Audio Technica AT-150 MLX
Shure M97XE (w/ Jico SAS stylus)

 

I managed to pick up a Kiseki Blue as well as my Koetsu's, Clearaudio, Soundsmith, Rega, Van Den Hul and Lyra Carts

Andrew

 

Got that right Big Brother

 

Ortofon 2M Black

 

Lyra Argo(i)

{waits for phono stage poll}

 

Most all of them at one time or another. I keep a few at home typically. I have a Rega on the table at the moment and a Dynavector which was used prior and will see action again at some point. I never have more than two decks set-up at once and these days I have only had one for a few years.
-Bill

 

I say why not, but I'm thinking "other" will be through the roof.

 

Being a dealer obviously has benefits, but I find it interesting that you are contented with the Rega P3 table with the upper end of the line at your disposal

 

Other/ADC VLM mk.II

 

Being a dealer keeps you in the poor house. The only ones that are not were born rich.

I actually had far more cartridges when I wasn't a dealer for anything. These days, I keep a couple of systems at home and they are more compact than in the past. Only one has an analog front end. One trouble is space for the tables on top of furniture and the other is the location of the Lp collection. I used to keep a second table in another room but then I had to carry Lps in there. I made more room for my daughter to play on the floor in my den, so one table is enough.

I also get burned-out on audio after having run an audio business for years. If you want to ruin any hobby, just turn it into a business... I typically just go home and watch the news and a documentary and go to bed after working on audio related stuff all day. I used to hardly ever watch TV before.

I chose the cartridges because they work really well at their price points. The DV isn't exactly cheap but it sounds really sweet. I have the Elys on my P3 at the moment. I had the DV on a P5 before that. I can't afford a P9.
-Bill

 

I like the old Elac Miracord. I had one from the '50s at one point. The ADC cart also.

-Bill

 

Thanks for the honest post and dealer perspective. I can certainly understand getting enough of audio at work. I also understand the space predicament. Honestly, I don't know how some of the guys who list several tables do it. Of course, we all have different situations with family size, space, incomes, etc. The music server has provided a partial solution for me. Just keeping the boxes to my equipment gobbles up a lot of space.

 

Still using my Grace F9 Ruby, since the mid 80's.

Prior to that it was all Shure, still have a hardly used V15, can't exactly remember which one.

 

Pimped out Denon 103: Ebony body and top-end Soundsmith re-tipping.

I use the Auditorium 23 step-up transformer designed for the 103. When is there going to be a step-up transformer poll?

 

A - Audio Technica AT440MLa
B - Audio Technica AT311EP
C - Stanton L 737-E (D74S stylus)

 

My current cartridge is a Stanton, but for my backup tuntable I have...

Audio Technica
Shure

 

My "other" is a Nagaoka. Big like!

 

benz woodie1

 

Koetsu Urushi Tsugaru (black with gold flecks)

I also still have a Grado Reference and Spectral cartridge that have been retired from service

 

Goldring GL2500

Shure Jico/SAS:
V15VMR
V15IV
MX97XE

Audio Technica OC9
Signet TK7CLA

Grado:
Blue
Gold
ZF1+

Recently sold:
Clearaudio Beta MKII
Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood
Transfiguration Spirit MKIII
Grado Platinum

M~

 

Audio Note IQ2 MM

 

Amen, brother - ain't it the truth!

I got into the golf retail industry because I loved to play - 15 years later, I play maybe 1-2 times a year, and those are usually obligations of some kind.

 

Currently in service: Audio-Technica AT150MLX
In another headshell in the second headshell holder on my Technics SL-1200M3D: Shure V15VxVMR
Somewhere in my apartment: Ortofon X5MC

 

People who own Audio Note tend to swear by it. You're fairly decked out in their gear, but I noticed Rega Apollo digital as opposed to the Audio Note infamous non-oversampled digital players. Any plans for Audio Note digital in your future, or is digital just not a priority?

 

I was going to ask, what are gold flecks. You gotta be kidding me...