In every opinion i read the price / performance ratio on that cartridge it's awesome. A MC cartridge with boron / microline under 600 usd it's a bargain. Can be the vm540 in MC world.
As a totally blind record collector I bet you're rite, and I wonder how many of these people are the ones that only want original pressings of something, etc etc...
That's a camp that I fall into, well the original mastering at least. My response was on a comment about how cool the item looks.
Oh I agree about original mastering, the more specific things I have my doubts about are things like beatles records with different things stamped into the runouts, etc etc, classical records that were released a month or two later with different catalog numbers, all that sort of thing! but then, in this day and age a turntable for a lot of folks is more of a lifestyle item and the folks here don't tend to fall into that camp as, after all, this is a forum set up by a mastering engineer!
Positive Feedback just gave the OC9 MLII product of the year award, liked it better than the Dynavector 20XL2
Not exactly, that is the old and discontinued model. They gave it to the new AT-OC9XML, which many of us here have been speaking very highly of, especially since you can get it direct from AT in the US for $466, it is quickly becoming the class of the $500 LOMC cartridge range ... Audio-Technica AT-OC9XML $549 Audio-Technica's AT-OC9XML Moving Coil Cartridge gets my third and final 2020 Positive Feedback Writer's Award continuing the value proposition theme. The AT-OC9XML is an insane value at only $549. With 0.4 mV with an aluminum body, a Microlinear stylus with a nude square shank this cartridge is a stunner that easily trounced a $1200 Dynvector 20X2L providing more body, better natural musical tone, a wider soundstage, and substantially more fleshed out dynamics. I can't say enough good things about the AT-OC9XML, it's an exceptional cartridge and an exceptional value. If someone blindfolded me, played a record using this cartridge and asked me to assign a value based strictly on what I was hearing I would guess $1200 to $1500 without hesitation. My AT-OC9XML is installed on the VPI Cliffwood mentioned in the award above but it would be just at as home on VPI Scout, Prime or the like, its that good.
Even though I’m using a Lyra Delos currently, my respect and admiration for what audio technica offers for the price is remarkable. I upgraded from my previous vm740ml going from MM to MC but I’ll have some serious considerations going back to AT when the Lyra’s time is up (I love the Lyra but the wallet is not looking forward to when it comes time to replacement time).
This was one of the reasons why I went with Soundsmith when choosing a higher-endish cart for my 1200G. Complete rebuild for 350 dollars in case of the Zephyr MIMC Star ES. It's a stellar deal. And the cart sounds the part, especially with the Soundsmith MCP2 phono preamp.
Yea, the value is what makes it so special, but as that PF blurb suggests, it doesn't pale in comparison with some of the much more costly carts. I still prefer my Benz Micro Wood SL, one of the most natural sounding carts I've had, but the AT does track better with it's higher compliance, and doesn't give up much in overall soundstage either. I listen to it everyday, old and new music (more of the latter), and it never disappoints. I don't have a Technics table, though, so not really intended as a recommendation in this thread, though I think there are a few around here that are using it on a 1200 series table. I should've posted the link to the PF awards page when I quoted them above, so ... The 17th Annual Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Awards for 2020
Talking about headshell for the 1200s ... What do you think about this? CNC Machined Ebony Wood SME type Headshell 5N pure silver lead wire! | eBay Wood headshell, 8.5gr, 5N silver litz wire ... 30 USD and many good reviews. other similar headshell ... 45 USD New Cherry Wood Turntable Headshell w/ 7N OFC silver insulated gold clip leads 92145298183 | eBay
I consider a new Audio Technica or Hana cartridge to my SL1200GR. I'd like to try a Shibata tip. Which one would match my tonearm best ? VM95SH VM750SH Hana SL I have both MM & MC phonostage. Thanks
The technics it's a medium mass tonearm, medium to low compliance cartridges are the theorical sweet spot, so ... we're talking about dynamic cartridge compliance under 20 (or a little more) measured at 10hz (japanese cartridges are measured at 100hz and you need to apply a factor of 1.7 aprox). The vm95, vm750 and Hana sl are at 10 at 100hz ... on official documentation (in Hana it's hard to find). So the three cartridges are a decent match. But the compliance numbers are not really accurate sometimes, something that can be used to estimate the compliance it's the vtf range ... and the three cartridges are on the same ranges, corresponding to medium compliance cartridges.
I would pick the VM95SH over the VM750SH. It has lower compliance which raises the tonearm resonance.. I have the VM740ML and it has a pretty low resonance of 7Hz on the Technics arm. I've even had it skip on one record where the resonance went full out. I think the VM95 is also way less prone to high frequency brightness, and it's way cheaper. No experience with the Hana.
Since you want to 'try' a Shibata tip and the Hana is on the list (at over $700), and you have a 1200GR which is a very handy table to use many cartridges with, I would suggest getting the VM95SH and a VM95ML, or one or the other and the replacement stylus of the other. That way you can compare a little and have two nice carts for less than 400$. I agree with the post above that these VM carts will match the arm best more than likely. The Hana is more of a gamble as far as overall satisfaction -we know the VM series are great on the 1200 arm, you will have to research the Hana more to see how people feel about it. The ML will last longer apparently and some say they are almost identical in sound and some say the SH is slightly warmer.
This is forum folklore which isn't really accurate. A broken clock may be right twice a day but I really want to discourage folks from using conversion multipliers on Japanese compliance specs. VM95 series = ~12-14 CU compliance VM500/700 series = ~23 CU compliance That's based on measurements, not guesswork or multipliers.
Thanks all Best Tonearm compliance win here. As I allready have a VM95E in office upstairs, guess the right thing to do is order a Shibata stylus for this and move that cartridge down to my GR deck..