Cartridge Comparisons on YouTube

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by floweringtoilet, Feb 14, 2018.

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  1. JohnO

    JohnO Senior Member

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    Making more work for you, it could be interesting to have a four or five way comparison in one song that is pretty "even" as a song throughout the song.
     
  2. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
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  3. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
    I did some measurements of the carts I had on hand using the pink noise track on the Hi-Fi News & Test Record.

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Thomas_A

    Thomas_A Forum Resident

    Location:
    Uppsala, Sweden
    Interesting, note however that the pink noise spectra differ depending on test record. The ultimate analogue test record pink noise fits very well with fixed frequency bands and thus Hifi News (at least mk1) is 1-2 dB lower in the high frequency region.

    Red=Ultimate analogue test record
    Blue: Hifi News test record Mk1
    Green: Cardas record MK1

    [​IMG]
     
  5. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
    I'll be adding some more comparisons in the coming weeks. Here's one comparing the Nagaoka MP-110 to a Stanton 680 with a Pfanstiehl 4822DEE .2 X .7 elliptical stylus. The Stanton combo set me back a total of $67 ($37 for the cart and $30 for the stylus).

     
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  6. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    What computer program do you use for the frequency plots?

     
  7. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
    I copy the data from Audition’s frequency analysis tool then paste into Excel. It’s complicated by the fact that it’s pink noise which is non-linear. I have a CBS test record with spot frequencies on the way which should make things more straightforward.
     
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  8. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    I have one of those CBS test records - pretty neat. I need an ADC before I can start doing this though with both of my turntables and all of my carts.
     
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  9. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
    I decided to resurrect my blog to do some cartridge comparisons combining videos with commentary. I'm trying to review cartridges in a different way that gives the reader the opportunity to listen for themselves and also offers some objective information that might not be easily available.

    First comparison is two cheapies: The Audio Technica CN5625AL and the Numark/Ion Groove Tool. The Groove Tool is on loan to me from another member.

    Flowering Toilet: Phono Cartridge Comparison - Audio Technica CN5625AL vs Numark/Ion Groove Tool

    Of particular interest is the fact that the Groove Tool is the first cart I've ever had in my system (out of many) that can track all four bias tracks, including the "torture track" on the Hi Fi News Test Record. Yes, the humble conically tipped Groove Tool which comes packaged with cheap Ion turntables can track the Hi Fi News torture track. Jaw meet floor.

    Anyway, this is something a little different, and I hope folks enjoy it.
     
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  10. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Interesting results. I just listened the needledrop of the Devo track. I have an 80s WB pressing of this album, which I strongly suspect is cut a bit hotter than the 2016 reissue. It usually works out that way with reissues of 80s music IME. Anyway, the GT definitely sounds better, too much rolled off highs on the AT. I'm not saying the GT is a great sounding cart, but it sounds better than the AT, at least on this needledrop.

    RE: Ions, I thought those came with Chuo Denshi carts or something.
     
  11. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
    I have a circa 1980 cut of the album too. I chose the reissue because it's barely been played and I wanted to be sure any inner groove distortion you heard was on the cart and not baked into the record.

    The cheaper Ions come with ceramic cartridges (could be Chuo Denshi, not sure). They have a few models that cost a little more and get a Groove Tool. I'm not really an expert on Ion tables other than that I know not to recommend them.
     
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  12. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Right, if the inner grooves are trashed from playback on a poor cart, or even a bog standard elliptical or conical, not a whole lot that can be done. I have records with narrow deadwax that I bought used that have this problem. There really isn't a solution other than finding a copy that's been played less or is sealed NOS.

    Still though, as impressive it may be for such a cheap cart, I do judge the ability of a cart to handle IGD on older lacquer cuts which tend to be hotter. Newer reissues, even if they sound better overall, are almost always tamer, especially W/R/T music from the late 70s or early 80s. UK pressings, in particular, are often done quite hot originally.
     
  13. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Right, I have mainly seen or heard Ion type tables in stores when they (unfortunately) have them being used as listening stations. Depending on the model some come with a really cheap cart that has a plastic cantilever. I looked at some pics of the GT cart online and it's stamped "Made in Japan", so a bit of different animal from the truly nasty stuff even though it's a budget cartridge.
     
  14. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
  15. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
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  16. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
  17. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
  18. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
    Another comparison. Is the Denon DL-110 worth the price premium over the Audio Technica AT95E? You definitely get flatter frequency response with the DL-110...

    Flowering Toilet: Phono Cartridge Comparison - Audio Technica AT95E vs Denon DL-110

    Moving forward I have some interesting comparisons to do with vintage cartridges including a variety of carts from the Stanton/Pickering family, as well as some carts from the Audio-Technica family. Many of these are on loan from a fellow SHF member who has a large collection of interesting cartridges.

    If anyone else wants to send carts along for analysis, let me know. I'm particularly interested to hear something from the Ortofon 2M family as well something from Grado's Prestige line, as these are two of the popular go-to budget carts that are missing from my tests so far. I don't really want to get into pricey or exotic carts--just the kind that work reasonably well plugged into a standard 47kohm, moving magnet style preamp.
     
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  19. floweringtoilet

    floweringtoilet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Warren, RI, USA
    Here's a shootout between two mystery carts. Let me know which one you like better.

    I'll let you know what the two carts are later. For now I'll only tell you there is a big price differential between the two carts.

     
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