Upgrade MC cartridge under 1000$ from 2M Black

Hello.
Cartridge:Ortofon 2M Black
I want to upgrade it from mm to mc.
now have some choice.
1.Ortofon Quintet black s
2.Hana SL
Anyone have a better opinion? Thanks

 

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If you’ve never had the joy of using a Denon MC, you might save yourself a couple of bucks and try the basic DL-103 or even a DL-301 MK2.

Or if you can find one, a Denon DL-H5LC, that’s a really special cart!

 

The Phasemation PP-200 should be on your list - exquisite build and sound quality with a boron cantilever and line contact tip that aren't usually seen at this price.

 

I'd love to try one of the Phasemation cartridges, been thinking about that for awhile now. This one must be new, didn't know they had one available at this price, though pricing in the US is pretty high at $1800. I'll have to check and see if I can get it from a UK source, or even from Japan. They have one at Ammonite right now for £895.00, but UK sales only. Might be some good pricing options for the OP in Taiwan.
My usual suspect in the under $1000 USD market would be the newer Audio Technica AT-OC9X series in aluminum bodies with boron cantilevers and either ML, SH or SLC tips. I have the ML version and like it a lot, especially at the 15% discount we got last year, but even the $549 retail is very reasonable these days.

I'm also a big fan of Benz Micro, and the Glider can be had for around $800 via some dealers, again boron cantilever and MicroRidge diamond. May still be able to get the Wood for $1000 from Asian sources, but prices have crept up recently.

 

stretch budget for audio technics ART9XI if you have the right tonearm mass.
it is much better than the 2M black that i had and sounds better then any $1000 cart i have heard.

 

I don't understand why Phasemation products cost so much more in the States.

 

Yea, I know, it's crazy, but happens on a lot of items here. The Phasemation PP-200 is listed at audiounion.jp with manufacturers suggested retail price of
a little under $1000 USD, and they have it listed at street price of about $840 USD.

I can order the PP-300 for around $1200 or so on ebay from Japan sellers (no new PP-200 cartridges listed now), which is about the street price listed at audiounion.jp, so that's a good deal. A little scary though

 

I think I will buy it.It look better than other. I can buy it for $850.

 

A few years back I spoke with whoever is/was the president of Ortofon USA about upgrading the 2M Black on my Well Tempered.
I told him that I really liked the performance of the cartridge and it sounds great but wanted to upgrade and was thinking about the Cadenza Black.

He very politely said, you bonehead, if you like what you've got then why would you want to change anything?
He didn't put it like that as that's my translation into plain language.

I thought about it, decided he knows more about it than I ever well and stuck with I've got.
I'm still happy with it. Well, them, there's two of them here.

If you're unhappy with it, try something else.
If you like what you've got, well, put the money elsewhere.

 

Yes bro I checked rakuten japan.only 93000 jpy($860)

 

AR9XI is a good cartridge but over budget

 

Yea, Phasemation make good stuff, I like their phono preamps too, don't know what you are using now, but if in the market for a nice no feedback discrete design, they would be high on my list.

 

Good advice from Ortofon.
I wonder if their hi end offerings are
Much better.
I use a Benz Glyder.
Nice and around £1000.
Beauty is it can be retipped so in the long term is quite a bargain

Sound quality is as good as I have heard
At any price.
But, and there is always but
The extra amplification required needs consideration.
Mc stages are quite cheap on budget end of the market.
But rarely do justice.
A tube phono stage and Step up transformer can really bring the MC
To life. At a price

I have often wondered if the cost of extra
Amplification would be better spent on a really upmarket mm or moving iron device would be a better option.
GRADO AND NAGOAKA COME TO MIND
The Cartridge mans Cartridge or even Decca.
Food for thought?

 

It was really refreshing to have someone, in that position, come out with such a totally unexpected point of view.

Why am I doing this? Boredom? Hate money, must get rid of it? Chasing something imaginary? Wasn't breast fed enough as an infant? What is my major malfunction?

Maybe when the stylus is beat I'll go for something else. I'm sure it'll be another Ortofon, I like their product, I love the sound and that sales philosophy really made an impression on me.

 

I think so also.
I honestly believe that hi end is in.the mind. If you enjoy what you have
Then the manufacturer has done his job
I also realise that every room is different
And most members tastes vary.

 

You could look at an AT OC9XML or AT33PTG/2, plus a Cinemag SUT from N Clayton on eBay, for similiar money to the Quintet Black alone.

 

BTW, was just reading the recent review of the Phasemation PP-200 at High Fidelity , he really liked it, summary below ...

 

I have never heard a 2MBlack, but I recently replaced an Ortofon 540 (which, I read, is similar (much older, though) to the 2MBlack) with a Quintet Black S and I can tell you it's "night and day" difference, in favour of the latter! The resolution (meaning the "contour" of the instruments), the impact of the transients, the bass extension, the timbre... everything is much, much better.
I also changed the phono amp (from a Naim Stageline to an Octave eq.2) so, probably, the improvements I'm hearing aren't exclusively linked to the new cartridge.

 

FWIW I was told the Cadenza Black is similar in sound to the 2M Black.
Maybe someday.

 

I was in this position. I went with a used Lyra Delos and had it retipped.

 

Hi, In serveral write up the Ort-Q-Black MC has been preferred to the Hana SL. Also I have recently read a report of the Hana suspension giving way after 2 years. Whereas all Ort that I've encountered are build to last.
However I am currently using a Ort MC25FL which has been refurbished with a Boron cantilever & M/Line stylus. This unit is now preferred to My $3500 Accuphase MC

Cheers

 

As I understand it you are using the ART9XI on an SL-12ooGR, is that right? What headshell?

 

XA, stock headshell.