Best cartridge for Technics TT?

TT is a Sl 1800 Mk 2. Effectively the same table as the SL 1200 as far as the cartridge would care.
Looking for the best bang for the buck, what are your recommendations?

 

Depends on your budget. The AT VM95ML seems to be a great cartridge for that table for $170. It's what I use on my GR.

 

The Hanna line seems to work well with those arms, and the Denon 103 is classic.

For craziness, consider finding a used Empire 2000Z and get the JICO stylus.

 

Yes, I also use a VM95ML with that arm on my GR, and I’m only slightly curious to try something more expensive. If bang for buck is what you want, this would be my suggestion, unless your budget is lower or much higher.

 

Yes, actually I would wonder if OP has LOMC capability, in which case a Hanna ML may be a good option in that price range. I know that’s one of the options I’m a little curious to try.

 

Another A-T to consider:
Audio Technica VM540ML. I love it!!!

 

Budget? Phono preamp? Record condition?

 

Budget dictated by logic - I'm not constrained, but not going to drop >$300 on a cartridge for this table. I just want some ideas to research based on others' recommendations.
Using the phono stage of a Pioneer SA-7800 amp.
95% of my records are either VG+ or better.

For what it's worth, I currently have an Excel ES-70EX cart with a Jico quad stylus - sounds awesome and easily outclassed my Ortofon 2M Blue in a side-by side comparison. Just curious what else is out there...

 

Has the Pioneer been fully serviced and recapped? If not, that's where I would put your upgrade money.

 

I chose Nagoaka MP200 and pair it with Schitt Mani.


According to reviewer, the best budget combo is MP110 and Schitt Mani...

Gear Review: Schiit Mani Phono & Nagaoka MP-110 Cartridge

if anyone had the set up, pls share your experience. Thanks!

 

If you want vintage I have purchased several Pickering XSV3000 cartridges with low hour original stylus from him that sound fantastic on my 1210GR.

Highly recommended seller

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I have an SL1210GR with an MP200 and dig it.
No Schiit Mani but my Cyrus is comparable I think.
The biggest downside to the Nagaoka line are the styli which Ian doesnt mention in his reviews.
I retipped mine to a paratrace profile and feel much more comfortable
If youre someone who values record life and minimal distortion I recommend an AT with a Microline over a Nag lower than the MP500.

 

VM95ML is a lot of quality for the money. Word out there is it is 90% the performance of a VM540ML. You need a very good system to hear the difference.

 

Gotta love those threaded inserts.

 

The two carts have different compliance. VM95 series can work well on a heavier tonearm due to a stiffer suspension. The VM500/700 series is ideally meant for a lightweight tonearm. Some arms can run both, but if I were using the 500/700 series on an old Technics 1200 arm, I would probably want something like the KAB damper in place due to the compliance of the cartridge. It can work fine without one, but if you measure the resonance you'll see it's a little on the low side.

Now, back to OP, with their vintage receiver I would not recommend any AT cart. The capacitance in the receiver's phono looks to be too high - at least 220pf. Combine that with 100pf of tonearm cable or so, and you're at ~320pf which is too high for most newer AT carts.

Also, I don't know if OP has had that receiver serviced/recapped or not. If not, that should be top of the agenda. OP's Excel cart is a pretty good one - no harm in running that for awhile.

 

Nope, but it sounds great and works like a top. I've read arguments both for against recapping, but in a case where the component works flawlessly, I'm inclined to leave well enough alone.
I have

Yes, I like the Excel a lot. I liked the 2M Blue until I tried the Excel though, so that's what got me thinking if there was a significant gain to be had trying something else.

I have a fluid damper on the table. Works AMAZINGLY well.

 

Denon DL-110. Tracks beautifully, big soundstage, very musical cart.

 

I asked this question a couple of weeks ago and got quite a bit of advice in the end I spent a bit more than i'd budgeted for but I am so pleased with the purchase its another vote for the AT-VM95ML....

 

Unless it has been on a test bench you have no idea if it is working flawlessly or not. That's a fact.

IME Many people think vintage receivers that are un-serviced sound "nice and warm". What they don't realize is that "warm" sound is often a result of failing capacitors and other components inside the unit. Every single un-serviced vintage receiver I've heard (and I've heard a bunch) sounds like mud to me, more than likely due to failing caps.

It's your gear - do whatever you want.

 

I respectfully disagree on the old electrolytic caps needing replacing.

I've seen so many botched jobs, just leave it. They are for the most part self-healing:

Rebuilding the Dielectric | Engineering Center

 

Interesting article, but it doesn't nullify the fact that 40 year old capacitors can go out of spec.

Story time again: I know a guy that is a retired EE for the medical device industry. When he was younger he built a kit amp. He has a lot of personal attachment to this amp. At some point, the capacitors and other components went out of spec. What did he do? He replaced all of them himself and every other component that had gone bad or out of spec. Did he do this for fun? I don't think so. He understood that it was necessary to make the amp perform as intended.

Botched jobs can happen with anything. Doctors, dentists, mechanics, and yes your audio repair tech. Doesn't mean I shouldn't put in a little leg work to get something done. References and research go a long way.

A lot of audio repair techs are retiring and closing shop. They are a dying breed. One of the reasons I don't run a lot of vintage equipment. Finding a good one can be a challenge.

I live in a major metro and haven't found a good one here. They all either charge way too much or do shoddy work or both.

I have a tape deck that needs work and it's getting mailed to a friend a couple states over so he can take it to his reliable guy. A hassle, but worth it considering the options and cost in my area.

 

Very true that only a test will determine performance to spec. I don't disagree. What I meant was that the amp is mechanically sound in terms of all the knobs and switches operating properly, and the sound through all inputs 'sounds' good to me. I have no doubt that recapping the receiver would make a difference, I have just not been convinced that it would necessarily be a net positive change. I would think my speakers are having a much greater effect on the tone of the sound vs. the influence of the caps in a SS amp, and I like what I hear now, so I'm just not convinced recapping is worth doing. Beyond that, I am not sure that's where I'd spend my money. Finally, and more to the point, I live in a remote area, I don't know anybody that could do the work, so it's kind of a moot point anyway.

 

I have a Technics SL-Q2 turntable and the
AT-VM95ML a marvel, been on my
Deck just over a month and it's still impressing me a great Cartridge for the money, we'll worth considering.

 

Unless you're dealing with a place that can perform before/after measurements, and demonstrate a measurable improvement, then for all you know, you're making matters worse.

Oh, you might get a different sound, but it may in fact measure worse and any "improvement" may be entirely confirmation bias.

 

Regardless of whether OP gets anything recapped, the capacitance consideration is important, and I’m not sure the VM95ML suggestion is as strong. Only one way to find out, but it will cost OP about $170...