SAE 1000E or AT-7V or Signet MK5E cartridges or what for £150?

[Fulci]

Hello everyone!

Can't decide? Has anyone tried any of these carts?

For around £150 is there anything else better?

The arm is moderate mass 15g Sony.

[DSJR]

The Signet VM's didn't come out very well at the time, but that could be a total mismatch with the LVX arm used for testing back then. Obviously, the best part of thirty years should have made them better, but I don't know...

In addition to the usual Denon/Ortofon suspects, see about a Sumiko Blue Point 2 which was well under £200 as I recall.

[Fulci]

I do have a DL110 with a broken stylus that I can retip with a Shibata diamond for £100. Will this be worth compared to the other options?

[DSJR]

If you liked the 110 as supplied, it can only get better with a lower mass cantilever and better tip. I believe the Shibata has been very heavily re-profiled since its original version, so if you don't mind spending the money, it should be a great thing - Good luck :)

[Fulci]

It came with the turntable already broken, never got to play it...

It's that I read all the great things about the SAE 1000E that I am really curious to give it a try, but €200 is a bit right now, so I'm looking for alternatives and opinions.

[DSJR]

The DL 110 is stock form is a cartridge-for-all in many ways. It does nothing wrong and its sins are of omission more than adding anything to the mix...

[OneyedK]

You can't go wrong with having your DL-110 retipped.
I'm assuming that it will outperform the (already good) stock one.
I don't use mine anymore because I have the 103R now, and I prefer it's sound.
But the 110 came close...
Should be a perfect match with your arm too.

[DiveDeepDog]

I have the SAE, ( friends borrowing it ATM) he's sold his DL110 in an instant when he'd heard the 1000.

I found the 110 bright and glitzy by comparison

[OneyedK]

I found the 110 bright and glitzy by comparison
Are you sure you didn't try it in an arm that was too light?
The 110 likes a fair bit of weight.

[Fulci]

Everywhere I read, people sold their 10x5 after trying the SAE.
But possibly it was always the same guy writing in several places... :D

No one else tried Signets or SAE or AT-7V?

[DiveDeepDog]

Hi, the Denon was in a STD 1210 arm, fluid damped and rewired, heavy Sumiko headshell.

The SAE went in the same.

[Bert]

Hi, I have a SAE 1000E. I've tried it on a RB301 (Rega P3/24) and SAU2 (Connoisseur BD2A). Good match on both. On the Rega, I prefer it by far to the Elys. But I paid 200 CDN for the SAE, not 200 GBP...

[Gromit]

The more I read about the SAE 1000E the more it tweaks my interest - Bill Thakker does them for just a smidge over 180 quid delivered.

So far I've managed to keep away from the BiN button but it's been close. :D

[Fulci]

That is why I am asking here. I'm hoping you'd give me a reason to not press that Buy it Now button... €198 is still a little dear...