Cartridges

[Dave the bass]

FWIW I use a DL103 in a Decca u/p mounted on a GL75 in a DIY heavy plinth.

I'm morethan lemming

Previously I had a 1980's Pioneer BD with a Shure M75ED.

My Current set-up trounces the 'orrible Pioneer and Shure.

DTB

[richardcooper2k]

david - could you say anything about your take on the character of the 10*5

i've often wondered what they sound like as i've seen so many good reveiws

[david counter]

I think the 10x5 is a very good cartridge possibly the best of that price range,
it's not shouty and in your face as some I've heard and it works into a MM input,

it's a mediumish compliance and it works well with my SME M2 arm, at some stage I'll try it with my new Grace 704 and see what it's like,

[slowmotion]

Best I've had was an old Koetsu Rosewood that I got used very cheap.
Managed to kill it, unfortunately.
So that would be my choice if I had any money.

Is the DL103 in the right setup the poor mans Koetsu?
Don't think so. I managed to kill my 103 by the way.

Used an AT OC10 for a while. Sweet and detailed,
but not really my choice. Sounded too thin ....
Managed to kill that one as well...

Do I see a pattern here?

At the moment I'm using an old Linn Karma,
It's nice enough, but no more than "nice".

So I need a new cartridge as well.
Don't know what to try next.

[G.Axiom]

Originally Posted by slowmotion

Is the DL103 in the right setup the poor mans Koetsu?
Don't think so. I managed to kill my 103 by the way.

Used an AT OC10 for a while. Sweet and detailed,
but not really my choice. Sounded too thin ....
Managed to kill that one as well...

....

...Happen to have both of them too. I agree AT being sweet and detailed, but definitively not too thin here! Almost the opposite. And, in the end I managed to get some life and drive out of it. I first tought it is just booo-ring, but looks like I was wrong.

Still like the DL103. It's problem is, I think, that its sound can vary so much depending of the arm, TT and so on. The difference between a well working 103 and one "with not right playback conditions" is _huge_, it can sound awesome or awful. Sometimes even both:S

Lots of dis-likes here. Havn't much liked of any below 500euro new carts i've so far tried. That including some Grado's, Goldrings and Benz Micros. They might be good for hifi. For the music listeng, I still take that D. (Stripped, with tac attachment)

One very, very good -for the price range and age- has been Shure M75MB type II, which I got with my TD150 a few years ago.

[Black Stuart]

David is quite right,
in fact those creeps making the so called wildlife movie, actually drove them over the cliffs.

Recs. are all very well Philip if you have the same kind of set-up and as been mentioned already some cartridges are very fussy indeed as are some arms.

I have absolutely no chance of hearing alternatives where I am and do not want to pay out serious money on a maybe.

The argument that MCs are better than MMs simply is'nt true and already some are talking about a 'thin' sound. I suppose mnay cartridges do fit the emotive but lacking detail or technically excellant but lacking warmth camps.

I have a feeling that if I heard a properly set-up 103, I would almost certainly like it. I do like the Pickering XV-15 and it is this kind of sound that I want to improve on.

Ian actually has the Pickering 7500 and from his description it has some excellant points but the bass he describes as 'fast and furious'. I have a feeling that the actual cartridge is well made and is a quazi MC, I think maybe the problem is the stereohydron stylus profile that actually has 4 times the contact of a 'normal' stylus. This must mean that the contact with the vinyl is too light, it could be that one of the good stylus companies could come up with a replacement that could really lift it.

As Axiom said below a certain price point he is not impressed. I have heard so many tales about quite expensive MCs not cutting the mustard.

Be nice to hear from someone who has a Shelter. The Jan Allearts would be lovely if I won 2nd prize in a lottery but then pigs would fly.

[tomtidswell]

I have a dynavector 20x (probably similar in character to David's 10x5), a high output MC that works well with my Quad 44 MM input.

Frankly when I have an evening listening to vinyl, I don't switch it off - CD is dull in comparison - it has stable imaging, good separation of instruments and sounds pretty musical.

I can't wait to hear it through the Phono3/Pre3, that I am just about to order for my Birthday (40th, in January).


Tom

[freefallrob]

I actually currently use a lowly Ortofon OM-5e. But to be honest I really enjoy listening to music with it in my current 'compact system'. Carts I've used and owned or still own before include, Grado Prestige Black/Gold,Goldring 1012GX, At95e, At110e, AT120e/t,Ortofon Super OM30, Linn K9(!),Stanton 680ELmk2 (was quite good!),Stanton 890 something or other....

And a few others besides, but they have all been 'budget' MM's I guess, I've never really heard a cart that cost more than around £150 quid, and have no meaningful experience of MC's at all i'm sorry to say.

[Black Stuart]

Rob,
some of those Stantons can apparently be hugely uprated with a new stylus and like you I have no previous experience of MCs.

Dynavectors do seem to be popular. Tomtidswell only 40 in January, enjoy your youth.

ATs seem very popular as well.

Still no one with a Shelter?

Hi,

I currently use a Shelter 901 and, having matched the load resistance of my WAD Phono II by experimenting with a couple of variable pots to determine the required load resistor, I can only say that I think it is a magnificent MC pick-up.

I also have a secondhand Denon DL-304 which I also rate highly.

Does that mean I'm not a lemming?

Cheers, Steve

btw - there are some good cartridge reviews on 10 Audio (http://www.10audio.com/reviews.htm) including the Shelter 901 and 501