Music Maker 3 cartridge (advice)

[macvisual]

I've heard good reports about Len Gregory's Music Maker 3 moving magnet cartridge, but not heard one myself. Does anyone own/run this cartridge as I'd love to hear your thoughts and views about it please...(?).

Thanks;
Peter

[vinylspinner]

Hi Peter,

I used one in my Morch UP4 arm with good results, nice cartridge imho, very good tracker and good sound with very firm bass.

Nigel

[petrat]

Had a Music Maker in the late 90s and thought it a very good cartridge at the price (around £350). High-ish compliance meant it worked best on a low mass arm ... SME 3009 improved, SME series III, etc (Len Gregory always said a Hadcock unipivot was the perfect combo). It must have been doing a lot right because it's about the only cartridge in recent memory that I've actually worn out, rather than trading on for something different :eek:

[Infinitely Baffled]

I've heard good reports about Len Gregory's Music Maker 3 moving magnet cartridge, but not heard one myself. Does anyone own/run this cartridge as I'd love to hear your thoughts and views about it please...(?).

Thanks;
Peter

Yes, I'll endorse the remarks above. I ran one for years in a Hadcock unipivot and it was a very satisfying listen indeed. Unfortunately when I changed decks and started using a SME M2, I just couldn't get the cartridge comfortable. It fidgeted and wobbled across the greater part of the record surface - I was very disappointed. So I got it re-tipped and sold it on. I think the new owner is very happy with it. It has a very rich, detailed sound, but doesn't major on any one particular feature of musical presentation. It does them all in balanced measure. It's a very even-handed, "grown-up" sound that isn't trying too hard to be clever or get noticed. Lovely cartridge.
IB.

[Riislingen]

Ran one for years!

Loved that thing, firm and deep bass with crisp and sparkly top end. I ran mine on a number of arms, not all ideal - it appeared to be less picky than it's rep though. Ran mine through two different Croft phono stages, both an excellent match for it. Len is top notch bloke as well.

For a HQ MM cart, I'd recommend without hesitation :eyebrows:

[pankon]

Ran one for years!

Loved that thing, firm and deep bass with crisp and sparkly top end. I ran mine on a number of arms, not all ideal - it appeared to be less picky than it's rep though. Ran mine through two different Croft phono stages, both an excellent match for it. Len is top notch bloke as well.

For a HQ MM cart, I'd recommend without hesitation :eyebrows:

I am also currently running a MusicMaker III mounted on an Audiomods arm, specifically prepared by Jeff Spall of Audiomods for the MusicMaker. TT is a Roksan Xerxes original. Preamp is a Croft SuperMicroII-R with NOS Tesla E833CC valves, and the power amp is a stock Series7. Speakers are Snell EII (forefathers of Audio Note AN-E) with bypass caps in the crossovers.

Overall sound? Quite satisfactory and that would be an under-statement, at least for my standards. The cartridge gives a quite natural sound in the midrange. Human voices are very natural, bass is strong and tight and there is no shrill in the treble. If I upgrade the cartridge, I would certainly consider one from Len Gregory again (perhaps a Music Master).