Looking for a cartridge recommendation for new turntable with a price limit of $700

[kendrab]

Hello,

I am just getting back into analog after a 30 year absence. I have a decent turntable and tonearm (Nottingham Analogue Studios Interspace) and want to get a cartridge that can do it justice. My budget is a bit limited, so I can only spend about $700 MAX on it, and would prefer to keep it below $500 if I can find a decent cartridge at that price.

I need a MM cartridge or a high output MC cartridge. I have access to audio-technica, Nagaoka, Ortofon, and Sumiko cartridges through my local dealer, and am trying to use up a credit there.

I have heard good things about the audio-technica AT150 cartridge, as well as the Ortofon 2M Blue/Bronze/Black. I am told Nagaoka makes good cartridges as well, but have no idea which one to try. Sumiko makes a few good ones, and I might be able to afford a Blue Point Special EVO III. Another cartridge I am considering is the Dynavector 10x5, even though I would need to order it online (I have heard it is very good).

My music tastes run to jazz, blues, and classic rock + a little bit of classical. I am hoping someone can give me an opinion or two on which cartridge to choose, along with their reasons why.

Thanks,

Kendra

[loo]

Hi Kendra, My recommendation would be a Nagaoka , I would go for an MP200 , that will give you a classic flowing organic sounding cartridge with impeccable tracking and a wonderfully musical presentation with a wide variety of music , they work well in the notts Arm too , I find the ortofons A bit strident and cold in comparison ,
enjoy whatever you go for
Paul

[Clive197]

Hi Kendra

While some Ortofons can sound a bit strident and cold as suggested by Loo, I must strongly disagree re the 2M Black. I have read that some well respected reviewers have said that it is the best MM cartridge you can buy. My own experience suggests the same as it has a very MC quality that even compares with my own Cadenza Bronze.

Clive

[kendrab]

My dealer is in the midst of moving into a new store, and his current stock was a bit on the low side. He gave me a great deal on an Ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge, and will set it up properly at no cost. If I don't like the sound, I can always upgrade to the Black stylus.

One of the reviews I read about this cartridge said that it could be a bit bright, but the "brightness issue" was only a factor with recordings that were originally done in digital. I am building up a collection of records that date back before digital was popular, so that shouldn't be much of a problem.

Kendra

[audio39]

The Ortofon 2M Black is a fantastic sounding cartridge, and it tracks very well. The 2M Bronze is a nice cart as well...but it isn't the Black.

I'm seldom at a loss for words, but I just can't recommend the Black highly enough.

Good luck,

Rick.

[kendrab]

If I could "stretch things a little bit further" is unfortunately a familiar refrain for me. I often need to be pretty creative in order to fund my audio hobby (particularly at Christmas time). I am retired due to medical reasons, and live on a pretty modest income.

I know the Ortofon 2M Black cartridge is the one getting rave reviews, but it ultimately fell outside my real-world budget. It wasn't just the cartridge that I had to buy, but the whole record playing system plus a good set of headphones. I needed to be pragmatic, and get the big ticket items first, and that meant compromising a bit on the cartridge (or phono preamp).

At the end of the day, my choice ultimately came down to: 1) buying the Ortofon 2M Black cartridge, and then running it through an absolute entry level phone preamp (like $150 entry level). or 2) taking a step down to the Ortofon 2M Bronze (which can be turned into a 2M Black with a stylus upgrade) and buying a much better used phono stage (retail on it was $1800 a few years ago, and I am paying $700 for it now).

I was not sure that the Ortofon 2M Black cartridge played through an entry level phono stage would sound as good as the lesser 2M Bronze cartridge being played through a decent phono preamp, and I knew that upgrading to a 2M Black stylus in the future was possible. It seemed more prudent to get the better phono stage now while it was available, and buy the less expensive Ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge, so that is what I did.

Worst case scenario is I have to live with a cartridge that isn't quite as good as the very best MM cartridge for the next six months. I can live with that.

Kendra

[vouk]

Hi Kendra (and welcome to AOS by the way)
Your reasoning sounds rock solid to me; the Black is a great cartridge but I think you'll find that the Bronze has a lot going for it. It has a distinct and different voicing to that of the Black but I know quite a few people who find that equally appealing. Either way, the Bronze is still a top notch choice at its price point. Hope you enjoy it.