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Thread: Cartridges

  1. #11
    Join Date: Sep 2012

    Location: Derbyshire

    Posts: 542
    I'm mark.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Matt_J View Post
    Interesting, thanks Mark. What didn't you like about the Benz? I've owned AT carts previously and enjoyed them, the Benz was the first cart where things seemed to come together and nothing seemed to be missing.

    I forgot to put DV carts on the list as well, another I've never heard anything from aside from a shonky old 10x5 that was well past its best.
    Benz was a bit too polite, all very nice but I prefer a sharper leading edge?
    I've had DV's, 17/2 and XX1 which have sounded great, but ones lost cantilever, and ones lost its tip, I can't recommend them off those experiences.

    All personal choice, I still haven't heard an Ortofon I'd buy, but they're liked well enough here and about...

  2. #12
    montesquieu Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Matt_J View Post
    I've tried a fair few but there's obviously too many to make any sort of headway into hearing anything approaching all of them.

    The sort of sound I'd like is one that doesn't sacrifice detail, space, air and imaging for a bit of fluidity/warmth to the sound, I'm definitely NOT a fan of the typical "analogue" sound that people talk about when they mention warmth or smoothness etc, likewise I don't want something that is so clinical I may as well be listening to a CD Player. Has to be MC as well.

    Carts that intrigue me that I haven't heard, or have any sort of clue, about are the Ortofon Cadenzas, higher end AT MCs, anything from ZYX, Hana. I'd rather not get dragged into cables/phono stages/amps/speakers debate but keep it isolated to carts if we could.

    I currently use a high mileage Benz Glider SL and I'm starting to plan ahead, either to get it rebuilt or to replace it. I really like it but obviously this gives the chance to improve if it's possible at a sensible cost.


    Depends entirely on your arm and turntable, your phono stage and what your aural preferences are.

    Can you tell us a bit more?

  3. #13
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Chorley, Lancs

    Posts: 2,734
    I'm Mike.

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    If you are going to the Bake off planned in Sheffield then you can hear my Art 9 as i'll be taking my TT over


    As the late Colonel Sanders once said
    "I'm too drunk to taste this chicken!!"

  4. #14
    Join Date: Aug 2013

    Location: Isle of Wight, UK

    Posts: 73
    I'm David.

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    montesquieu: "Depends entirely on your arm and turntable, your phono stage and what your aural preferences are."

    I couldn't agree more, though when you read the threads on here matching cartridges to arms, phono stages, turntables and SUT's is almost always ignored!

  5. #15
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnG View Post
    If anybody has a well used or damaged Shelter 501 they may want to sell on, I am interested in any that may be offered.
    This belongs in a 'wanted' thread of its own in the Private Exhibitions area, not piggybacked on somebody else's cartridge thread.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  6. #16
    Join Date: Dec 2014

    Location: Midlands

    Posts: 91
    I'm Matt.

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    Quote Originally Posted by montesquieu View Post
    Depends entirely on your arm and turntable, your phono stage and what your aural preferences are.

    Can you tell us a bit more?
    Depending on how I get on with it, Rega P8. Phono stage is a Ryan Sound Lab MC stage. I like a holographic/3D/spacious sound but not at the expense of everything else, it just has to be good at that. I'm definitely not overly concerned with bass performance as a priority.

  7. #17
    Join Date: Jul 2011

    Location: Northamptonshire

    Posts: 1,914
    I'm Peter.

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    Last year, I was impressed by a Rega Ania on the lowly P3 (with the NEO speed controller). I heard it at Signals in Ipswich, and I'd certainly recommend you give it (and the Apheta 2) a listen at a local Rega dealer ... there was definitely some synergy there. Whether it'd out-perform your Benz, though, I don't know. The other one I'd consider, given your description of what you like, is the Lyra Delos. Again, that was on demo at Signals on the Rega turntables.

  8. #18
    Join Date: May 2018

    Location: Woking

    Posts: 803
    I'm Chris.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Matt_J View Post

    Carts that intrigue me that I haven't heard, or have any sort of clue, about are the Ortofon Cadenzas, higher end AT MCs,
    Not necessarily in the "high end" class of the ART range but I've just started to break in an AT OC9XEN (nude elliptical) cart. So far its up there with a friends Hana and I would say the only MC under a grand that I like as much as my Benz Micro ACE SL. There is literally nothing missing from its performance so far.
    System 1: - Amp - Musical Paradise MP-701 mk2 - Neurochrome 686
    - Source: Audio Technica LP-5 - Custom 6V6 stage - Novafidelity X30 - Soekris 1421 (LPSU) - Custom TDA1541 C3G DAC -
    - Speakers: Martin Logan Prodigy's - Subs: - REL T3's -

    System 2 - Amp: Musical Paradise MP 303/Custom 300B SET - Custom 6SL7 Pre -
    - Source: Pioneer N-30K - SONCOZ SGD1 -
    - Speakers: Loth X BS1's - Sub: REL T3 -

  9. #19
    Join Date: Dec 2014

    Location: Midlands

    Posts: 91
    I'm Matt.

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    Quote Originally Posted by petrat View Post
    Last year, I was impressed by a Rega Ania on the lowly P3 (with the NEO speed controller). I heard it at Signals in Ipswich, and I'd certainly recommend you give it (and the Apheta 2) a listen at a local Rega dealer ... there was definitely some synergy there. Whether it'd out-perform your Benz, though, I don't know. The other one I'd consider, given your description of what you like, is the Lyra Delos. Again, that was on demo at Signals on the Rega turntables.
    Thanks, I'm not a fan of Rega carts, even less so after owning an Apheta 1, so I don't think I'll be adding either of those to the list, cheers anyway.

    Quote Originally Posted by Opti-cal View Post
    Not necessarily in the "high end" class of the ART range but I've just started to break in an AT OC9XEN (nude elliptical) cart. So far its up there with a friends Hana and I would say the only MC under a grand that I like as much as my Benz Micro ACE SL. There is literally nothing missing from its performance so far.
    Interesting, I did wonder why AT have released about 12 new different versions badged as OC9s. Seems a bit of an odd line up now.

  10. #20
    Join Date: Mar 2015

    Location: Finland

    Posts: 237
    I'm Kai.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Matt_J View Post
    Depending on how I get on with it, Rega P8. Phono stage is a Ryan Sound Lab MC stage. I like a holographic/3D/spacious sound but not at the expense of everything else, it just has to be good at that. I'm definitely not overly concerned with bass performance as a priority.
    If imaging is what you want, Goldring Elite might be worth checking out.

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