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LOMC... phono stage okay, but which cart?

I ordered a Graham Slee Reflex and Elevator in order to have a LOMC-compatible phono stage. I have a MM cartridge, but want to buy a LOMC. My budget is around $1-1.5K. I desire a cartridge with nicely balanced tonal quality, yet with punch/dynamics and articulation. I listen mostly to 70's-80's rock and some jazz/fusion. On the radar so far is the Dynavector 17D3 'Karat' and the Ortofon Kontrapunkt B. My tonearm is an OL Encounter with 14.5g effective mass. According to my calcs, either of these cartridges would work theoretically, even though the Dyna is really light and the Ortofon is fairly heavy. According to reviews and forum posts, both of these cartridges have the sonic qualities I desire. What are some other cartridges in this price range to consider that will likely work well in my tonearm?
rockinrobin
9 responses Add your response
halcro's avatar
halcro
2,664 posts
 
I used to have the unipivot Hadcock GH228 tonearm and experienced rather poor sound with the Lyra Titan i. Before that, the Lyra Helikon seemed to be no problem for the Hadcock and sounded beautifully full and melodious.
rockinrobin OP
74 posts
 
Thanks for the Lyra recommendation. But, my arm is an OL Encounter Mk.III, which has bearings that are not fixed (they are 'needles' that 'float' in cups). The Lyra website indicates that the cartridges perform best in 'fixed' pivot tonearms, otherwise the sound may be too bright because of all the high frequency energy these cartridges transmit to the tonarm assembly. I was steering away from the Lyra line because of this potential problem. The Argo i is the one in their range which would fit my budget (brand new), but I am leery because of their tonearm compatabilty warnings. As attractive as the Lyra's are, there is a huge market of other cartridges out there without these compatability issues/warnings.
ptmconsulting
1,000 posts
 
I have an older XX1 (which preceeded the XX2), so my comments may not totally apply. I moved from a well loved 20X because I got a can't miss deal on this baby (it was literally sitting in a drawer and forgotten for 8 years and wasn't fully broken in when I got it).

The XX1 kept the DV house sound but provided me with much more depth and detail and finesse. That's what I was told, that these characteristics will just increase as you move up the DV line. However, I lost some of the dynamics and punch that the 20X had. Now this is 2 generations below the current XX2 MKII so I would guess that issue would have been adressed and corrected.

Enjoy,
Bob
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,193 posts
 
I would recommend to get a 2. Hand Lyra Helikon. Great Performance for the price and a good upgrade Policy.
johnbrown
195 posts
 
Thanks 'Tom hankins', you described the differences better than I could have. Right on the money.
tom_hankins
928 posts
 
The XX2 MKII is as fast and has a more natural and smoother presentation than the 17D3. The 17D3 is a brighter cartridge that can be a little edgy. The XX2 MKII is more dynamic, better detail, and quieter, slightly more relaxed. Balanced sound from top to bottom. If you go the XX2 route make sure and get the MKII version. I think the original XX2 was a little on the slow sounding side compared to the newer version.
rockinrobin OP
74 posts
 
Johnbrown, thanks for your recommendation! What do you mean by the 17D3 sounding "hotter"? Do you mean brighter, more dynamic, or what? I don't want an overly bright cartridge, but lots of dynamic capability would be great. As I stated, my main listening is to rock music of various sorts and I appreciate dynamics and articulation over a warm, syrupy sound. I have read that the 17D3 is very dynamic and "fast" with its miniscule diamond cantilever, so that intrigues me. In what ways is the XX2 better? Any insight into the Ortofon Kontrapunkt B? That one looks pretty interesting, too. Thanks again...
johnbrown
195 posts
 
Amazing...or...something. I too was going to suggest trying to stretch the budget a bit for the XX2. The 17D3 is a good cart, but the times I've heard it, it seemed a little 'hotter' than the usual DV sound.

If you like the house sound, the XX2 is a cartridge that would be difficult to beat at any price.
tom_hankins
928 posts
 
The 17D3 is a very nice cartridge, the xx2 MKII is alot better. Something almost new like this might be what you looking for.
http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgcart&1248640585&/Dynavector-XX2-Mk-ii-
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