Cartridge Assistance Required

[MCRU]

Have an SL1210 arriving soon, Rega RB300 arm with full Cardas re-wire low slung counterweight etc, etc and just ordered the isonoe feet, will be using it initially without extra power supply just the standard one and stock platter with Oyaide mat or blue horizon or my own copper one I am having made.

Final piece of the jigsaw is what cartridge do I use? No point is spending loads yet is there?

[DSJR]

Physically, an RB300 can take almost anything, but whether you like the sound of it is a different matter.

I'm a bit with Marco on this one. Get it wrong, and it will be a total disaster IMO.

My own recommendation on money-saving cartridges would be for an AT440MLa or Nagaoka if you like a lively balance, or possibly a Pickering V15/757S for £130 if you fancy something a little different. The Denon DL110 can also be a good choice for an RB300 although I personally find both the 110 and 160 lacking to a degree in the tracing ease of a good MM and the subtlety of a decent MC.

Hope I haven't confused you too much. Your idea of "not much dosh" may be £500 for all I know in which case a whole world of opportunity opens up for you ;)

[MCRU]

Thanks.
About £100 ish or maybe a bit higher depends how it performs. I listen to mainly 80's funk and soul. Does that help? ta

[DSJR]

I think I'd take a gamble on the Pickering, as it's the direct sibling to the similarly priced Stanton 681EEE mk3 yet features a line or similar contact stylus. The Stereohedron stylus has long gone from the Stanton version, but for £130 or so, I think it should work really well without breaking the bank and the better profile on the tip should add a little sparkle to an otherwise gently soft cartridge. The AT440MLa is eager and lively (I prefer this sort of sound from vinyl, but you may not), well known and tracks well, but ultra fine-line tips need very careful setup and you can't do this with the RB300 on a Techie sadly.

I'm not helping, am I? :(

[Spectral Morn]

Hi David

Benz Micro Gold or Silver depending on whether you need high output coil or low output coil. Both sound very good on Technics decks and Rega/Origin Live typed arms...imho/e.

Beware though there are those selling them cheap but they are selling the old version which use an inferior stylus to the new ones.

Give Steven Riddick at Select Audio a ring...he's the official UK distributor.

Both carts have a nice open sound, that is very musical and organic. Not warm or bright or forward just nice and very right imho and they suit the Technics approach to making music + they will balance out the Oyaide mat and weights slightly cooler character.

Regards D S D L

[Marco]

Neil, did you miss the £100 (or just over) budget? If you can get a Benz Micro Gold or Silver for that much, I want to know where! ;)

Hi David,

I'm in agreement with Dave (DSJR), although I would avoid the Audio Technica.

With £100 or so to spend, you'll get far better results with a quality MM design, like the Stanton (sadly the Pickering is out of stock at the moment), than any high-output MC, especially considering the T/T and arm you're using, and the fact that the sonic signature of the arm isn't ideally suited to that of your T/T.

Therefore I have two recommendations which I think will allow your deck to make music with plenty of fun factor!

Either buy the Stanton, here (and stay within your budget): http://www.htfr.com/more-info/MR250774

Or, if you can stretch to £200, you will be UTTERLY blown away by this little chap:

http://www.musonic.co.uk/mp150-cartridge-p-17417.html

If you can afford it, trust me, on the end of a Cardas-rewired Rega, you'll not be wanting to upgrade it in a hurry! :eek:

At that price too there's of course the Benz that Neil recommended, and it also deserves consideration:

http://www.analogueseduction.net/product/Benz_Micro_MC_Gold_Moving_Coil_Cartridge_BENZ-MCG

Marco.

[MCRU]

MARCO,
Are you on a commission scheme with the Nagaoka as £200 is way over priced. £160 is more the norm and my very best virtual friend happens to be an agent for that brand and at that I think I have solved my issues. Luckily for me a lot of others dis-agree about the RB300 and the SL1210...

Thanks guys, I am reaching the end of the road and un-like a lot of you will be listening to vinyl not typing or tweaking.:lol::lol::lol:

Now I cannot decide whether to add an extra power amp to my system or attach my tuner as I only have 1 space left in my rack so its one or the other,,,gggrrrrrrrrhhhhhh

[Marco]

Hi David,

Lol - nope, unfortunately, no commission. If you can get the Nagaoka cheaper - great! Are you going for it, then? :)

Regarding the RB300 and Techie, it's not that it's a really bad match (it isn't - you'll love it when you hear it, as this is all new to you).

It's simply that other options, in my experience, offer better synergy, especially as you begin to upgrade your Techie with off-board PSUs, etc, which start to reveal the limitations of the weakest link.

Anyway, enjoy, and keep us posted how you get on! :cool:

Marco.

[DSJR]

The whole point - IMO - about vinyl replay (and the whole Hifi "thing" altogether) is to be able to suspend disbelief and I sincerely hope you'll be able to do that when the cartridge has been set up on your record playing system.

The thing is, tonearms like the Jelco's do seem to make the above easier, the RB300/Techie perhaps giving the sonics an almost brutal directness that perhaps doesn't flow with the musical dynamics the way "our" favoured arms can and do. I find the RB300 CAN do this, but for me, it needs the adjustable collet of my favourite belt drive decks for it to sing as well as the old R200 did on "solid" plinthed decks..

Anyway, glad you got your cartridge sorted.

Neil, I don't know the Benz cartridges at all I'm afraid.

[MCRU]

Got the nagoaka from my very best virtual friend (in that we speak but have never met) Gary at analogue seduction who is a top bloke and I have to say has the best website and e-bay shop in the country for analogue goodies.

Next step is fit the isonoe thingy feet when Tony has put the arm on and fitted the cartridge, just sold another oyaide mat 10 mins. ago to the USA so low on stocks now so will maybe use the Blue Horizon mat for now.

Can't wait to try a Delrin (acetal) record clamp and I am even getting a delrin record mat made with a 1 degree angle like the Oyaide so interesting to see how that performs. OOOOOhhhhhh so exciting isn't it!

[Marco]

Hey, it's all coming together now, David! I bet you'll love the Nagaoka ;)

Btw, who's Tony? :)

Marco.

[MCRU]

Tony is a friend of mine who used to own Select Audio in London, he retired some years ago but still dabbles and had 2 x SL1210's going spare and the arm.

[MartinT]

From the Nagaoka blurb "The Nagaoka MP stereo turntable cartridge provides strong skip resistance" :lol:

Don't you just love marketing blurb written by a non-techie?

[Marco]

Tony is a friend of mine who used to own Select Audio in London, he retired some years ago but still dabbles and had 2 x SL1210's going spare and the arm.

Nice one, dude. It was just the way you mentioned him, as if we all knew who he was! ;)

Marco.