What MM cartridge for RP6

[Leftfield]

Hi all. I'm new here but have been following from afar for a while. Due to recent landmark birthday I am upgrading my vinyl source. I have listened to a few decks but I like the rega sound and simplicity and I'm hoping to finalise an RP6 purchase today. I have also been fortunate to have purchase a Graham Slee Era Gold V mm phono stage from a member on here (and from the reviews I've read its a fantastic sounding stage).
But what I am after now is some advice/suggestions on a mm cartridge to match these two. I guess my budget is around £250 but could be stretched. Initially I'm thinking of a Nagaoka MP200, 300 or AT150mlx. I can buy these from Japan around budget but don't know if they would be vas good match etc.
I have a not yet run in MP110 which I shall be using whilst I decide so no major rush as I want to get it right.
Any thoughts/suggestions will be gratefully received.

Thanks.

[magoo]

I'm currently using a Clearaudio Performer (£250 new) on a Michel Technoarm and it's a great combination, the highs are clear as a bell but totally non fatiguing, and the bass is richly textured, deep but again, everything is under control. Mids are beautiful, voices sound remarkably natural considering the price range imho. I wasn't 100% convinced by this cart on a Jelco arm, and funnily enough was contemplating a Nagoaka direct from Japan too, but since trying the Clearaudio on a straight arm, it's been something of a revelation.

[Clive197]

Ortofon 2M Bronze but if you can stretch your budget a bit and get a deal from HIFI Dave of this parish, the 2M Black is arguably the best MM you can buy.

The interesting thing is that if you ask 20 people this question you are likely to get 20 different answers, so my real advise is get the best cartridge you can afford, then try to get a deal on it. SIMPLES

Clive

[carruthersesq]

Hi Simon and welcome

I have an RP6 and at present have an AT150mlx mounted on it, it is very good, a little sensitive to set up (don't let that put you off) but really sings once right. Prior to the AT i have had a Rega Exact which i thought was poor, then a Ortofon 2M red which was slightly better, then a Denon DL110 which was outstanding for the money it costs, and i also had a Nagaoka MP500 on for a short while, a really lovely cart but should be for the cost which is more than twice that of the AT and only a smidge better.
I personally would go AT150mlx but i also think you will also like the Nag.

[Leftfield]

Thanks all. From what I've read the 2m Black does appear to be at the top of the mm tree but I'm not sure my budget would stretch to it. Magoo - the clear audio sounds interesting and I'll look for some reviews. Carruthersesq - very interesting the cartridges you have tried. I currently have as denon dl110 on my soon to be replaced P3 and really like the sound. If the AT150mlx gives more along the lines of the Denon that could be what I'm looking for.
As an aside, how would I know if my system was clinical or warm and thus chose a cartridge to balance out?

[freefallrob]

Rega Exact, as long as the phonostage can take the high out put, it's superb on Rega arms.

[struth]

Been using a clearaudio aurum classic for a while on a few decks and it is very good with everything I've tried

[stevied]

Heard a Rega Exact at a recent bake off

Couldnt believe the price

Excellent for the money

[Gmanuk101]

ive got the RP6, with 2M blue.. lovely. Ive got a mate coming over friday for an objective listen. Everywhere recommends the Rega Exact cart and that's £5 more than your budget

[Leftfield]

Thanks all and there is a lot of 'love' for the rega exact. I heard the RP6 with this and it left me with some positives and negatives. I was mightly impressed by how it removed any surface noise from my vinyl. However, there was an annoying hum whenever I changed record and whilst there was greater separation high to low than my current set up, there didn't appear to be as wide a soundstage. This may be down to different pmc speakers at the dealer but I'm not sure. Hope I'm using the appropriate words to describe what I heard, but I think following it I'm after a cartridge that reduces surface noise whilst giving a nice soundstage and separation (although I guess this is what we are all after????).

[walpurgis]

The two quietest cartridges I've come across for surface noise are the Denon DL-160 and ZYX R50 Bloom H. Both are extremely nice sounding and very good at their respective price points. The Denon being a high output MC that works into MM inputs and the ZYX is a low output MC that needs a dedicated MC step-up. You'll only find the DL-160 second hand now, as it's not being imported any more, but good used examples crop up on eBay and are worth looking out for. It's only about a year since I sold my last one. Excellent little MC, significantly better than the cheaper DL-110.

[Leftfield]

Thanks for all the suggestions and am busy researching them all. But something which keeps cropping up in various threads is capacitance. I'm afraid I haven't a clue about this but understand the GS is fixed. Do I need to factor this figure in and will it affect the choice of interconnect used between the phono amp and integrated amp? (I'm repositioning the TT and need a 5m pair of interconnects so don't want to buy the wrong ones). Thanks again.

[Canetoad]

The two quietest cartridges I've come across for surface noise are the Denon DL-160 and ZYX R50 Bloom H. Both are extremely nice sounding and very good at their respective price points. The Denon being a high output MC that works into MM inputs and the ZYX is a low output MC that needs a dedicated MC step-up. You'll only find the DL-160 second hand now, as it's not being imported any more, but good used examples crop up on eBay and are worth looking out for. It's only about a year since I sold my last one. Excellent little MC, significantly better than the cheaper DL-110.

I currently have one (DL160) on my modded Techie. I like it a lot! Geoff is right about its ability to suppress surface noise. :)

[6L6]

I will agree with those that suggest the AT 150MLX. Fantastic cart. :)

[Andrei]

In the September 2013 edition of Hi-Fi Choice they did a shootout of 6 cartridges:


Audio-Technica AT-440MLa £195
Clearaudio Concept V2 MM £150
Goldring 1012GX £235
Grado Prestige Gold 1 £160
Nagaoka MP-150 £229
Ortofon 2M Blue £170

The Nagaoka was a comfortable winner.

[Leftfield]

I have now had my RP6 up and running for a little over a week (few issues with initial deck) and have installed a Denon DL160. I was so pleased with the sound from my P3 with DL110 and Graham Slee my thinking was that I would get more of the same sound with the new set up. Unfortunately the reality has been somewhat different. Whilst the DL110 was smooth the DL160 sounds shrill and thin. The cartridge was installed by the dealer and I have double checked the alignment.

The cartridge had approx 50hrs use when I bought it and looks absolutely mint. However it has been in storage for sometime and I wonder if it will need running in again?

Has anyone had any similar experiences with a Denon DL 160?

[struth]

Been after a 160 but ended up with the 110 which I like.. If its set up right then it may well have developed a problem while in storage Simon. Had you tried it when you got the 160 b4 you stored it?

[walpurgis]

Whilst the DL110 was smooth the DL160 sounds shrill and thin.

Definitely something wrong there. I've had a couple of DL-160s and used them alongside DL-110s, the 160 always proving better, smoother and slightly weightier. The 160 is a very pleasant sounding HO MC.

[RichB]

ive got the RP6, with 2M blue.. lovely. Ive got a mate coming over friday for an objective listen. Everywhere recommends the Rega Exact cart and that's £5 more than your budget

I've heard Graeme's RP6 and fwiw I prefer the sound of his ortofon over my exact.

And its cheaper. When the time comes I'll be getting the ortofon for my p3-24.

[Leftfield]

Thanks all the reviews I have read regarding the dl160 purport to it sounding smooth. At the moment it sounds mostly bright. I have tonight played MJ Thriller, an album I know very well and play frequently. Billie Jean opens with the bass line, this sounds very good, but as the mix opens up the higher frequencies sound, I'm not sure of the correct wording, thin (almost to the point where it becomes uncomfortable to listen to). Something must be wrong??

[walpurgis]

I don't know what weight you are tracking at. It may benefit from a bit more downforce. Denon specify up to 1.9 grams, but I used 2.2 grams, as the cartridge seemed more secure at that weight. It doesn't harm it.

The VTA may need looking at, is the base of the cartridge body level and parallel to the record once the arm is lowered?

[Leftfield]

I've currently got it tracking at 1.75 with a 1mm spacer. It did have 3mm vta adjustment but I've just taken the 2mm spacer out hoping this would firm up the sound. I shall try gradually increasing the vt force with a variety of vta heights and hope to find a sweet spot! I really hope it's there somewhere. Aarrggghh

[6L6]

DL160 has a narrower diamond profile, meaning it will be more sensitive to VTA.

Also, as suggested, try more tracking force.

[rubber duck]

The cartridge had approx 50hrs use when I bought it and looks absolutely mint. However it has been in storage for sometime and I wonder if it will need running in again?

Do you know the history of this particular DL160? Was the seller reliable? Can you get it inspected, perhaps by the dealer who installed it? Did your dealer who set it up also listen to it? Was he happy with the sound?

[Leftfield]

Do you know the history of this particular DL160? Was the seller reliable? Can you get it inspected, perhaps by the dealer who installed it? Did your dealer who set it up also listen to it? Was he happy with the sound?

I bought the cartridge from a reliable seller on the wamwho told me it had approx 50hrs use. I'm assuming the dealer checked it but I'll double check. I think I'll need to spend some time adjusting the vta and vtf and hope I find the sweet spot. Fingers crossed!

[destroysall]

I'd vote for the Denon DL-103 personally. I loved that cartridge, and if you add in a Step-Up Transformer (future upgrade?), it just sings. Another good cartridge (though slightly over budget and will require a phono preamp capable of supporting MC cartridges) is the Dynavector 10x5.

My .02 cents. Hope you find something.

Cheers,
Chris

[cjm123]

My Rega Exact comfortably beat the Ortofon 2m Blue I had originally on my RP8. It was possibly a little less accurate but also less clinical and well just made music. The 2M Blue was more forward in the midrange and HF which I found tiring with some recordings but to be fair the 2M Blue was the better tracker and also picked up less motor induced hum than the Exact did. The Exact was significantly livelier and better balanced than my old Elys 2 I had before on my Rega P3 2000.

It is so difficult to choose carts as dealers are reluctant to demo them so you end up relying on fellow enthusiast views in forums and reviews. Anyway I hope my experiences with these carts is helpful and informs your choice a bit more.

Good luck with your search.


Cheers

Chris

[Ned664]

Currently listening to a Benz Micro silver. Ok it's not moving magnet but high output moving coil, have to say I think this is a fantastically musical cartridge and would have no hesitation recommending it.