Recommend me a cheapo MM cart, new or vintage I Aint bothered! [Archive]

Wakefield Turntables

08-02-2014, 21:19

Guys, I'm slowing putting a 3rd deck together just to play car boot finds and charity buys etc. I'm using a Sansui au719 integrated and planned on using the MM stage thats built into it. Vinyl playing duties will be a replintged Lenco gl75 when I can find one cheap enough. So, I'd like a few suggestions for MM carts. I dont want to spend the money on the Ortofon 2M black. I'd like to try something a little different, so new or vintage MM suggestions are more than welcome.

Thanks

A

Ali Tait

08-02-2014, 21:20

Wakefield Turntables

08-02-2014, 21:32

Thanks ali!

RobbieGong

08-02-2014, 21:33

Whats your budget Andrew as that will help us with suggestions.

Wakefield Turntables

08-02-2014, 21:52

£100. I dont really want to spend more as its only a system I'll be firing up every now and then.

RobbieGong

08-02-2014, 22:00

Get a 2M red on it Andrew you really can't go wrong for £80 and with Ortofon ....

The Grand Wazoo

08-02-2014, 23:44

Can't help thinking you're underestimating the potential of the Goldring/Lenco Andrew.

NRG

09-02-2014, 00:33

AT100E which can take stylus from better models in the range apparently like the 120E, no experience of either but maybe worth checking out....

Wakefield Turntables

09-02-2014, 10:54

Can't help thinking you're underestimating the potential of the Goldring/Lenco Andrew.

No I have seen what they can do, I'm eyeing up a rather nice plinth and I think I might be able to get an Ortonfon 2M bronze for a little over a hundred notes :eyebrows: This plugged into the Sansui and the JR149's which I own should make for a nice system. TBH it's a toss up between the highly modified Celestion Ditton 15XR's and the recapped jr149's. But with regards the cartridge, I also fancy on old Shure V III but finding one at a decent price is a little difficult.

guy

09-02-2014, 16:18

belloire

09-02-2014, 16:38

Have a Look for a low use ortofon 2m blue. Lot of cart for the cash :-)

CageyH

09-02-2014, 17:06

If you stretch the budget slightly, you can get a NOS MP-20.
£130 + postage

walpurgis

09-02-2014, 17:34

ADC XLM series - mkIII going on ebay at the moment.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ADC-XLM-MkIII-stereo-magnetic-cartridge-/161219489614?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Turntables&hash=item25896e2f4e

From memory (30 years ago?) beautiful "refined" cartridge, far better than the Linn K9 that I replaced it with :doh:
What can I say, I was young/easily lead.

Guy

Lovely sounding cartridge and that looks like a nice one. Way better than the V15III (I've owned both). The XLM III is a bit less wildly compliant than the original XLM and may just about be OK in the Lenco arm. I still use ADCs now and then, they are not to be underestimated, my ADC 10E Mk.IV was a match for my Denon DL-103R soundwise. I used to swap between the two and they actually sounded very similar. I reckon the XLM III will thrash any AT or Nagaoka MM you care to compare it to.

dantheman91

09-02-2014, 17:59

Ortofon OM Super 10 , 20 , 40

Great sounding carts for not much dosh!!!

Wakefield Turntables

09-02-2014, 18:04

tried a super 10 and 20, didnt like them much, but thanks for suggestion anyway.

Kember

09-02-2014, 18:40

FWIW, I had a Shure V-something on my GL years ago and it sang quite nicely (but can't remember what arm it was on).

Other MMs worth considering might be Goldring 1042 (if you can find a low mileage version) and I was always quite taken with the Linn K9 which I ran on a Kuzma TT with Linn Basik for several years in the 90s.

A new one on me was Edwards - Deco in Aylesbury stocks them (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Edwards-Audio-Zephyr-C200-Cartridge-Moving-Magnet-MM-design-Brand-new-/321308343259?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_Turntables&hash=item4acf783bdb) - I heard one on a friend's budget TT and was quite impressed with the dynamic range - it costs about a ton.

Peter

twotone

09-02-2014, 19:29

Lovely sounding cartridge and that looks like a nice one. Way better than the V15III (I've owned both). The XLM III is a bit less wildly compliant than the original XLM and may just about be OK in the Lenco arm. I still use ADCs now and then, they are not to be underestimated, my ADC 10E Mk.IV was a match for my Denon DL-103R soundwise. I used to swap between the two and they actually sounded very similar. I reckon the XLM III will thrash any AT or Nagaoka MM you care to compare it to.

Would that cart be okay in a Micro Seiki MA-202 arm and headshell Geoff?

I've no idea of the arm's effective mass but the headshell weighs about 9.5g, thanks.

Tony

walpurgis

09-02-2014, 21:26

Would that cart be okay in a Micro Seiki MA-202 arm and headshell Geoff?

I've no idea of the arm's effective mass but the headshell weighs about 9.5g, thanks.

Tony

It's borderline. You should just about get away with it but the MA-202 is no lightweight arm (nice though). I did use my ADCs including an XLM III in an Acos Lustre arm, which is about the same mass. I'd say it's probably worth a try, as the XLM III sounds stunning compared to just about any other MM.

twotone

10-02-2014, 08:55

It's borderline. You should just about get away with it but the MA-202 is no lightweight arm (nice though). I did use my ADCs including an XLM III in an Acos Lustre arm, which is about the same mass. I'd say it's probably worth a try, as the XLM III sounds stunning compared to just about any other MM.

Thanks Geoff, do you know what the MA-202's arm mass is and how much is that cart worth, roughtly?

dantheman91

10-02-2014, 10:45

tried a super 10 and 20, didnt like them much, but thanks for suggestion anyway.

Hi

Fair.....i think it sounds good in my system i'm on a budget to get the best i can.

walpurgis

10-02-2014, 11:24

Thanks Geoff, do you know what the MA-202's arm mass is and how much is that cart worth, roughtly?

I got this from a German website:

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmicro%2Bseiki%2Bma%2B202%2Beffective% 2Bmass%26start%3D20%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1551%26bih%3D 764&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&sl=de&u=http://brandinside.de/link.php%3Fq%3DMicro%2520Seiki%26url%3Dhttp%253A%2 52F%252Fwww.my-micro.de%252Fmicro_produkte_ton.htm&usg=ALkJrhi1IDmc8y3u08DtaX6y4F_ix5m6Rw

The quoted 15 to 27 gr. may be the effective mass. You could probably bring that down a touch by using a very low mass headshell, like the SME or Osawa magnesium job.

The ADC XLM III is basically worth what somebody is willing to pay. If I was looking for one, I'd be willing to pay maybe up to £65.

twotone

10-02-2014, 11:59

I got this from a German website:

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmicro%2Bseiki%2Bma%2B202%2Beffective% 2Bmass%26start%3D20%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1551%26bih%3D 764&rurl=translate.google.co.uk&sl=de&u=http://brandinside.de/link.php%3Fq%3DMicro%2520Seiki%26url%3Dhttp%253A%2 52F%252Fwww.my-micro.de%252Fmicro_produkte_ton.htm&usg=ALkJrhi1IDmc8y3u08DtaX6y4F_ix5m6Rw

The quoted 15 to 27 gr. may be the effective mass. You could probably bring that down a touch by using a very low mass headshell, like the SME or Osawa magnesium job.

The ADC XLM III is basically worth what somebody is willing to pay. If I was looking for one, I'd be willing to pay maybe up to £65.

Thanks Geoff, that's very help full, I've a manual for the arm but it doesn't state the weight or the arm mass and there's nothing on vinyl engine either, does that weight range quoted in the link include the HS 202, I presume it does as the headshell weighs 9.5 grammes?

Thanks too for the rough idead of the cart's value.

No doubt the price will shoot up now with this thread :doh:

Tony

twotone

10-02-2014, 21:04

Have a Look for a low use ortofon 2m blue. Lot of cart for the cash :-)

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?101404-FS-Ortofon-2M-Blue-Cartridge

Just passing this on, don't know the seller.

littlest hobo

14-02-2014, 14:47

I'm using one of these at the moment, very good IMHO.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TESTINA-ACUTEX-M-312-III-STR-PUNTINA-PER-GIRADISCHI-INTROVABILE-STYLUS-FOR-NUOVA-/261373387171?pt=Altro_Audio_da_Casa&hash=item3cdb1161a3

Seconded, mine arrived this morning. Nice smooth sound with solid punchy bass, it's well worth £50 incl postage. Lost some of the detail of the Decca maroon it's replaced but it's much more forgiving with poorly pressed records. My Civil Wars & Evatt Bros records are now playable again with much less surface noise than before. :cool: I think it's well suited to vocalists / funky soul music rather than classical/instrumental sounds

twotone

14-02-2014, 14:56

Seconded, mine arrived this morning. Nice smooth sound with solid punchy bass, it's well worth £50 incl postage. Lost some of the detail of the Decca maroon it's replaced but it's much more forgiving with poorly pressed records. My Civil Wars & Evatt Bros records are now playable again with much less surface noise than before. :cool: I think it's well suited to vocalists / funky soul music rather than classical/instrumental sounds

I managed to get the ADC cart linked to earlier on in the thread, paid £56 plus postage and the guy has already sent it out so really looking forward to trying it along with my newly modded phono amp, that's if the amp ever turns up:rolleyes:

twotone

15-02-2014, 15:20

Hi guys, bit of an update, the ADC cart is awesome and I mean awesome.

Best cart that I've heard in my system, bar none and a complete steal at the price.

Geoff I owe you a large one:cool:

To everyone else beg borrow or steal one of these carts cause they're absoultey fantastic, the sound stage is huge and I mean huge and wide and the bass is just fantastic as is the rythm and timing.

I love it!

Tony

RobbieGong

15-02-2014, 15:30

twotone

15-02-2014, 15:44

Wow !! Nice one Tony and for £56 - sounds like a right result !!

Absolutely fantastic Rob, I shit you not mate, the only thing is the cart tracks really light at about 1gr so when you lift the arm up with the arm lift the whole arm swings about a bit but I'm using a technics headshell for it the cart at the minute so I think I'll try the MS headshell which is a lot heavier.

I really like the SAE cart but this ADC cart hasa different sound, punchy is how I would describe it, snare drums sound really clean and tight as does guitars.

I'll need to really listen to it over a few days then stick the SAE back on the arm to make a decent comparision between the two however I would say that the ADC sounds really vinyl like, analogue sounding like how my records used to sound back in the day.

Tony

twotone

17-02-2014, 16:44

Right guys I received my Turbo Arkless phono stage this morning and it sounds great but the big surprise is how much better the ADC cart sounds relative to the SAE 1000LT that I've been using up till now.

The SAE sounds a bit closed in and 'warm' I suppose or 'muddy' the ADC on the otherhand is very open and clear with a sparkly treble, good bass and a good sound stage.

The phono stage will need a bit of time to bed in so will try the two carts again but the SAE is defintely 'forward' sounding on vocals with the rest of the music sort of behind the singer.

Tony

guy

18-02-2014, 16:29

Absolutely fantastic Rob, I shit you not mate, the only thing is the cart tracks really light at about 1gr
Tony

It was a long time ago that I last used one, but you might like to try it tracking a little heavier: 1.2/1.3g?

Guy

twotone

18-02-2014, 19:25

It was a long time ago that I last used one, but you might like to try it tracking a little heavier: 1.2/1.3g?

Guy

Thanks guy.

Tony

Andrei

20-02-2014, 00:17

If you are wanting to give it a bit of a 'vintage' theme then a Denon or Nagoaka could be the way to go. I've got a DL110 that is excellent for the price.

Qwin

21-02-2014, 18:18

The Ortofon 2m Red is a good all rounder as a new purchase.

The Goldring 1042 is one of my favourites but may stretch the budget as a used buy.

The very respectable 2m Blue is a good bit better than the Red and is regularly on fleabay as a used item for £80/£85.