Good MM cartridge

Wow...hang onto that table! Or call me immediately if you ever want to sell it! The TD126 is one of the best tables ever made. I'm not sure which version you have (MkI, MkII, MkIII) but I'm assuming you have the Thorens Isotrak TP16 arm, which was very decent.

The natural choice for the TD126 is the Stanton 681 or 881...those were Thorens' preferred cartridges in the early 1980s for the TD126. Both are still very competitive today though somewhat overlooked. I had the 881 on my Thorens TD115 and liked it very much.

Another popular choice among TD126 owners is the Ortofon OM series (OM10, OM20, OM30, OM40). Same cartridge body throughout the range, but finer styli as you move up in price. The OM30 is probably your best bang for the buck in this line.

Finally, there's the Shure M97xE, a very nice cartridge for around $100 or less. It's close in performance to the V15VxMR and with the TP16 arm, you probably won't hear the difference unless you have a pricey phono stage. (Shure has always been very open about that, steering most people toward the M97, even before they discontinued the V15.)

In my experience, the Stantons are excellent trackers, very detailed and involving but they can be too lively and forward for some ears. The Ortofons are detailed but laid back and a lot of people find them ho-hum. The Shure M97 is a smoothie...it's a little less extended in the highs than I'd like, but it's a class act for the price.

Post some pics of the TD126 some time...I'm sure we'd all love to see them!

The ortfon OM 20 super and OM30 Super(more analytical)are good choices.

Larry

Hi,
Thanks for your reply,
What do you say about the v15xMR or the goldring 1042
Will these be a good choice? which is better?

Cheers.

The V15VxMR is what I used in my TD126 MkII and it was a great match.

There are two questions here:

Which cartridges would be a good match for the Thorens, and which are the best match for your phono stage?

The V15VxMR is a great cartridge but if your phono stage is good to average (i.e., the MM input on your preamp or amp, or something in the $100-$300 range) then I'm not sure you'll hear the difference between the V15 and the M97.

If you tell us about the rest of your system, we can probably help you pin down the best values. If money is no object, then by all means go for the V15 or an Ortofon OM40.

Hi,
Thanks,
I have the cj pv10a +mv55.

The V15 is smoother than the 1042. It might sound a little dull when run through tube gear. Depends on your preferences. If it were me, I'd buy both. The V15 in particular has very strong resale value so the cost to try both and sell one is relatively low -- you might lose $100 or at worst. If you have two armwands, it might not be a bad idea to keep both on hand: the V15 for bright recordings, the 1042 for more neutral sounding ones.

Good luck!

A Benz Glider would be a good choice. It's a high output MC but it sounds much better than the Shure. Only thing is you can't replace the stylus. Have send it for a re-tip. But if use Sylast it will last a good 3 years. It's also around $800. If that's too much you can't go wrong with the Shure.