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Arm and cart for Spacedeck

I have just picked up a nice used Spacedeck and need to decide on a matching arm/cartridge. My current TT is a Rega P2 with a Linn Basik LV V arm that I bought used many many years ago. The cartridge is an Audio Note IQ1 that is quite new. The IQ1 is made by Goldring for Audio Note and I am guessing, equivalent to the the Goldring 1012 GX. The IQ1 can be upgraded to the IQ2 or IQ3. IQ3 would be roughly equivalent to the Goldring 1042? I have the option of either keeping my current cart, upgrading it to the IQ3, or selling it with the P2 and getting something different. My amp is a MF nuvista M3 which has an MM phono stage with an input sensitivity of 3.5mV (for full output), line sensitivity is 300mV. From another posting on this site I have learned that total gain through the phono stage of the M3 is about 71dB.
Going through this site and other, people have found that the following arms work well with the Spacedeck.
For a new arm the most expensive I would consider is the OL Silver at 700-800. Other new arms include one of the modifed RB250 arms, or the Hadcock GE228. Possible used arms including the Hadcock 242, Morsch DP6 or UP-4, Bluenote Borshese, Morsani CM1.
As for carts, the simplest is to keep my current cart as is or upgrade it. That would allow me to go with a better arm. As I understand it, cirtain arms work better with MC carts (eg OL silver), others better with MM carts (eg hadcock). So am I correct in thinking that if I do that, then that narrows my choice of arms, and makes it more difficult latter should I wish to go to a different type cart as that would also mean getting a new arm as well?
I don't think I can afford to go to a low output MC (Denon 103 seems like the best deal) since I would then have to either get a step-up transfomer or phono stage, plus another set of interconnects, but if someone can figure out how to do it I am listening. Considering the amp, how low output MC is workable straight into the phono stage? Would a Dynavector 10x5 be a good choice for a high output MC?

So, if you have made it this far, what arm/cart combination would you recommend and why, keeping in mind a total outlay of $1000 max.
miker

Showing 1 response by ozzy62

ozzy62's avatar
ozzy62
2,836 posts
 
As far as arms go, unless you are willing to spend big money in Graham territory, stick with the Spacearm. I have had the following arms on my Spacedeck:

Rega RB600
OL Silver
Bluenote Borghese
Bluenote Borromeo

Some of them definitely performed better than others, but none of them sound as good as the Spacearm when used with the Spacedeck. There seems to be a definite synergy with these two, as you might suspect. Down the road I may go with a more expensive arm, but for now, I don't have the inclination to change a thing. It just sounds right.

As for cartridges, I am using a Benz L2. Although the Spacearm is a unipivot, it is not as fussy as the Bluenote arms were with cartridge compliance. I think 4yanx even had good success with a Shelter on his previous Spacedeck combo.
I tried the 501 with the Borromeo but in the long run, they weren't a great match.

Oz
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