Cartridges better than Colibri XGP?


It's time for me to change my cartridge ( I'm using a ZYX Airy 3 Gold) trying to improve my analogue source. So, I'm using a DIY suspended turntable and my technician believes in low mass tonearms - low mass / high compliance cartridges combo. I know that Colibri is a major cantidate but with which tonearm? Do you believe there are cartridges better than colibri? Which would be your favor tonearm/cartridge matching? Please give me your opinions.
Thanks a lot in advance.
pentatonia

Showing 3 responses by rauliruegas

Dear Pentatonia: Better than...?, this fact is dependent on the tpnearm match for a cartridge, the analog rig where it will work, whole audio system performance, your quality performanve priorities and many other factors.

I like the Colibri as other Van denHul cartridges but maybe you don't have to go in that high price " direction ". You can try what IMHO is worth to invest with: the MM/MI alternative and these are very good choice that not only are different of what you have but that outperform what you have:

http://www.elexatelier.com/bangandolufsenphono.htm
the MMC2 model.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgcart&1261282177&/Soundsmith-The-Voice

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=NAGAOKAMP050&Category_Code=NAGAOKACART

or

http://www.audiophile.com.au/product_amber.html

here see " cartridges: Grado Amber. ".

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
Dear Audiofeil: I never had problems like the ones you posted.

Due to that I have mounted so many tonearms/cartridges in my TT's time to time I " suffer " " bent cantilever accidents ", well four times with my Colibri and in each one the Van den HUl service was first rate, but this is my experience aand different from yours and maybe different from other people.

I agree with you the Colibri is one of the best LOMC cartridges out there, carefully tonearm match is very important here, at least with my very low weight ( 2.5grs. ) and low output ( 0.22mv ) sample.

regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
Dear Ddriveman: As already mentioned the Colibri is very good cartridge but not an " easy " one on tonearm set up.

The latest I own is alow output ( o.23mv ) in polycarbonate/plastic like body and gold coils. All the ones I owned are at the very border line of " edgy " on HF and to not cross that line it is not only that you need a good tonearm ( the AC4000 could woks but I prefer in that line the 3300 or 4400. ) but a neutral speaker/electronics.

As Mike said it: when the Colibri is right on target is a very hard LOMC cartridge hard to beat for other LOMC ones, yes the Colibri is very demanding one and VdH makes things more in " trouble " with so to many Colibri options.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.