@michaellent , I have used the Soundsmith Voice in my system. A $4000 MC cartridge is not going to get you far if not backwards. The Soundsmith Voice is an excellent cartridge. It tracks as well or better than any MC made. It has a very high quality diamond and cantilever. To be sure of a significant improvement in a MC you would have to jump to something like a top model Van den Hul like a Crimson or Colibri and a solid state phono stage.
MC for Low Mass Tonearm
With my table's low mass tonearm I am sad to see only Ortefon and Sumiko MC carts available. Please offer suggestions for other carts/brands that might work with an 8.5gm arm. <$3000.00 budget
My System:
Pro-ject RPM Table / EVO Carbon 10 inch arm 8.5 gm mass and very rigid
Into all Aric Audio front-end: the 'Transend MM phono pre' (12ax7 and 47ohm), '6SN7 Linestage Preamp' and 'Transcend Push-pull' amp into ZU Soul Supreme.
My current carts are MM and MI, Grace F9e and Soundsmith The Voice. Both are hi-compliance (+22cu).
Will I be able to best those with a $3k Moving Coil cartridge? The Voice is really nice!
I'll know that I need to purchase an SUT.
Bent