Cult item or not, a great cardridge. Bought one with an original stylus. The item had spent it's decades as a spare to another MC201 so the condition was/is flawless. I bought the cartridge to back up my EMT TSD 15 sfl but it has served as my regular for months. Great sound! Balanced but not bland, warm but not overly romantic, dynamic and powerfull when needed. Maybe not as "see through" as some of the cardridges I have reviewed (Shelter,ZYX, Benz Micro) but tracks well and does not magnify surface noises like some other oldies. For$150 item -a steal.
Fidelity Research MC201 m/c...still a cult item?
I bought this ultra low output m/c cartridge about 25yrs ago, having auditioned it against the best of the day from the likes of Linn and Supex, which in my estimation, it blew away completely. I have had it re-tipped by the late Garrott Bros (twice), Expert Stylus Co and latterly, Van den Hul. Audiophile friends who have heard my system (which has been assembled over many years at very low cost) comprising Quads ELS 57s, Quad II power amps, Audio Research SP-8, Leak Trough Line valve tuner, Linn LP12/Ittok LVII/FR FRT-4 transformer, have all been impressed with the system's realism and level of detail. The FR MC201 was regarded as a 'cult' item, but I have seen very little or no reference to it for many years and nothing on Audiogon. Question is has/is anyone running one and how does it stack up today? I have been contemplating buying a Koetsu Urushi but am reluctant to commit to such a large expenditure and find the MC201 (notwithstanding any age deterioration) can still hack it with the best! Any comments appreciated.