Cheap MC cart recommendation needed

Posted by: Chris Brandon on 30 January 2001

I have been advised that the M.C. cart on my turntable is a "little past it's sell-by date" and so I am looking for a cheap replacement.

I mention cheap,due to the fact that the turntable is nowadays the seldom used secondary source and so something that makes it work and does no futher harm to the vinyl will do fine.

Turntable is LP12/Valhalla/Akito...and soon to be ex. ATF5 OCC

Regards

Chris

Posted on: 30 January 2001 by Ron Toolsie

quote:
The Benz Micro Gold MC is £150. An excellent cartridge, but I haven't compared it with other MCs (I listen to 18th century [early classical] music, which requires very good timing because of its rhythmic intenstity) so it may sound OK with other music too.

This is exactly the cartridge I use on my LP12/Geddon/Aro/Prefix.... I find it very well balanced indeed. So much so that I am disinclined to rush into purchasing any other cartridge until after I do the CDS1-CDS2 upgrade, and add another dedicated p/s to the Prefix. As I mentioned in an earlier posting, I much preferred the Benz Micro/Supercapped Prefix over the Troika/52-powered Prefix. And by a substantial margin.

Ron
Dum spiro audio
Dum audio vivo

http://homepages.go.com/~rontoolsie/index1.html

Posted on: 31 January 2001 by Chris Brandon

Thanks for the replies.

The world of cartridges is not an area that I know particularly well these days,so the advise supplied will be useful,but perhaps not just yet....

It seems that the venerable old-timer,the ATF5 OCC may have more life in it than expected due to halfway through "Moonlight Sonata",one channel dropped out to virtually zero volume.

Now,being an I.T. Service Analyst,curiosity quickly took hold in traking down the problem.
It seems that one of the boards in my (72'd) 32.5 has developed a fault !

I have been using Naim equiptment for around a decade,and this is the very first problem that I have ever encountered,so I am not complaining.

A quick phone call to "Sheila" in the Technical deapartment,and both M.C. boards are now in the post on their way to be looked at.

(It must be said that I am looking forward to getting them back.)

Regards
Chris

Posted on: 31 January 2001 by Eric Barry

If you're willing to do your own install, you can get an OC9 for $200 plus shipping (which should be minimal) from www.needledoctor.com and www.audioadvisor.com. The former also has the Ortofon MC25FL for $225. Isn't $200 about 130 pounds?

--Eric

Posted on: 02 February 2001 by davidc

I used a £205 Denon 340 MC cartridge in an Akito, and it was wonderful, until my 2-year-old son decided to try his first tweak (cantilever a right angles to the arm). As the dealer then went for several weeks without further deliveries I eventually pursuaded myself to go for a Dynavector 17D2 (double the price), still in the Akito. Big disapointment - no bass ! It got better over time, and now is much better with the LP12 on an old Target stand instead of the Projekt one. But at half the price, I'd rate the Denon very highly - if you can find one...

Posted on: 02 February 2001 by Chris Brandon

David,

I know that one all too well!

my eldest,then about the same age as yours,decided to see how high she could get the cantilever to spring the arm and cartridge up...AHHHGGG !!!

...one two month old AT-OC5 completely and utterly wrecked !!!

( I still have it as a momento...)

The suggestions have mostly come as a supprise to me,as I am not particularly well up on cartridges these days and my usual buying habits seem to end up in the Linn / AT stable. But I think it's time to venture out and try some alternatives.

I also very much like the "Global" economy bit. where you are able to tap into the web and get the EXACT SAME product at very substantionally reduced rate. Even taking into acount the possible slightly negative aspects of buying form overseas (eg. after sales service being somewhat scant). I do feel that this avenue will be the one I try out,and recommendations from the Forum's members on which sites to go for is welcome (Thanks for the web address Eric)

Thanks for the replies

Regards

Chris

...now waiting for his M.C. boards to be back form their creators.