New cartridge

Hi Paul,

Dynavector has a very good reputation for high output moving coils, and the DV 10x5 is only slightly outside your price range.

I haven't heard this cartridge myself, but I am extremely pleased with my own DV 20x2, and have been told by a number of people that the Dynavectors are one of the few moving coils that sound pretty much as good in high output form as their low output equivalents.

I would certainly buy another Dynavector when the need for a replacement arises.

It's extremely difficult (if not impossible) to obtain a good comparison of cartridges. Someone on this forum will probably prove me wrong, but I haven't seen a bad review of any of th eDynavector MC range. 

If you've been running an OS-60 in an ALT1 tonearm, first thing I'd do is either chuck the arm in the bin or, if you insist on keeping it because it was a gift of great sentimental value, at the very least get the bearings checked out.  I'm amazed that such a combination worked as the ALT1 really could only take high compliance MM carts.  The bearings in even brand new ALT1s were often already a bit loose and so 30 years of MC energy will have almost certainly left its mark.

Seriously, the ALT1 isn't a patch on even a Linn Basik+ let alone a Rega RB arm. It only really begins to work with ADCs own high compliance cartridges. And even then its no great shakes. Take it from someone who has two of the damn things (they're packed away).

The Ariston is a nice deck and deserves more arm than the ALT1. Don't even think about spending big money on a cartridge unless you upgrade the arm.  Buy the best arm you can afford (within reason, otherwise go for a deck like a Linn Sondek) and then a good but inexpensive cartridge like an AT95E.  A much better way to go, I reckon.

Oh, and the Osawa OS-60 was a nice cartridge of its day - a sort of cut-price Supex or Linn Asak.  It could even be worth a rebuild, but definitely sort out a better arm first of at least Rega standard.  Otherwise its just not worthwhile.

Interesting replies - thanks.

I'll certainly look into the Dynavector.

I hadn't thought of a rebuild - something else to look into as I do like the OS-60 - and going that way, I may even have money to put to a new arm....

As ever on this forum, helpful and intuitive comments.

Oh, and if your ADC ALT1 uses the SME style bedplate (hence your Ariston has an SME mount arm board) then you could look out for the best Mission 774 tonearm you can find.  This is a superb arm and could carry your Osawa just fine (may need a little damping in the trough - hard to know without a try) and keeps the whole thing period correct.  The nice thing about the 774 is that its criminally undervalued and yet of all the vintage arms of the '70s and '80s it remains one of the best and most relevant today.  You can even have interchangeable arm tubes which make cartridge mounting or changing a doddle.  I have one and it's really good.  £150 should get you a reasonable working example, but pay up to £300 for the very best with all the bits.

Richard, you have me all dewy-eyed remeniscing on a 774/775/776/777 + 770 combination that I heard in Huntingdon some years ago!

What a system! From the days when Mission went all out to compete with the Naim/Linn hegemony. 

ihave the dynavektor 20x2 L on a nima, its a great combo.