Other suitable cartridges for Rega R200 tonearm

[Magna Audio]

Probably too late...
I've heard many say the 103 and the RB arm is not a match made in heaven.
I heard one RB250 or was it a 200? that did work but that was modified with a SS bolt down the arm shaft and tensioned up to within an inch of the arms life.

I would suggest the AT 33PTG. Get it from Audiocubes II - reliable, pay the tax like a good citizen and enjoy. Takes 2 weeks to arrive.
I used it first on my all O.L tweaks modded RB250 and then on my air arm and PL-71 / arm. Very good

33PTG was prefered over the OC9 at the York bake off and I think it equalled or beat a lot of much more expensive carts sound wise.
You will need a phonostage capable of low impedance matching. I am using 100ohms right now.

Brilliant cart that is finding many converts and friends and within your budget.
0.5mV output.

[speakers-1989]

Probably too late...
I've heard many say the 103 and the RB arm is not a match made in heaven.
I heard one RB250 or was it a 200? that did work but that was modified with a SS bolt down the arm shaft and tensioned up to within an inch of the arms life.

I would suggest the AT 33PTG. Get it from Audiocubes II - reliable, pay the tax like a good citizen and enjoy. Takes 2 weeks to arrive.
I used it first on my all O.L tweaks modded RB250 and then on my air arm and PL-71 / arm. Very good

33PTG was prefered over the OC9 at the York bake off and I think it equalled or beat a lot of much more expensive carts sound wise.
You will need a phonostage capable of low impedance matching. I am using 100ohms right now.

Brilliant cart that is finding many converts and friends and within your budget.
0.5mV output.

Thanks ever so much for your reply, but I think i'll just settle down for a AT-440mla for now

Cheers

[speakers-1989]

Let me say this again - Quad get maligned by subjectivists because they have very little "character" in the sound. They also tried techniques in the later years without always seeing what else was around to compare them with - standard 405's can cook if thrashed, so they put in loads of current limiting which meant they didn't like the 4 Ohm speakers then available. they chose "adequate" IC based op-amps throughout the 44 which have now been bettered, thirty years on and these can be replaced by a comptetent solderer.

Shane, if you have the 44 up-dated, you may not need a different preamp. If you were to change, I'd look for a 77 pre if a Quad, as it has a natural and sweet (if anything) presentation with loads of atmosphere.

Ideally, I'd love for you to try a Croft preamp - I believe he has a line only version coming and you could add a Cambridge 640p phono stage to it to start with. A medium period Croft like a Vitale may be the best option though, although I don't know how well the more recent pre's like driving long interconnects to get the amps near to the speakers..

I've read the Ortofon bronze is reminiscant of the M20FL, which was a high point in their MM cartridge range over the decades I remember (lower compliance and a more solid sound as I recall).

I like my Quad 405s very much, they can sound a little to warm at times, no harm really.

[speakers-1989]

If I didn't go for the Quad 405, I would have bought a later Quad amp. Or on the other hand a Valve amp, something like a papworth intergrated, Tim use to have one and sounded very NICE!! But at the time Tim was using shit cables, but untill he bought some ecosse interconnects the sound started to get much better.

Sometimes I wish he kept that nice little amp. When you turn it on, the volume weel goes down.

[speakers-1989]

Quads 405 RULE!!! OK, OK i'll calm down now.

Anway, I just bought the Audio Technica AT-400mla. Hope I like it.

[speakers-1989]

My AT-440mla has almost run in and it's really starting to shine. I put on a Daft Punk Mix record, and my jaw just opened and hit the floor with amazement with what this cartridge can do. The speed and detail is just bloody great, to be really honest I think I'm Re-discovering all my vinyl's with this cartridge.


Cheers.

[DSJR]

Probably too late...
I've heard many say the 103 and the RB arm is not a match made in heaven.
I heard one RB250 or was it a 200? that did work but that was modified with a SS bolt down the arm shaft and tensioned up to within an inch of the arms life.

Wasn't that the mod done by Avondale? Apparently, this mod completely cured the single frequency "ring" the RB300 suffers from..