Thoughts on a cartridge

I have always liked the Goldring 1042 and feel that it is competitive with the Ortofon 2M Black.  The Bronze is more forward in the midrange and is a good choice too, but both the 1042 and Black are more balanced, neutral.  Frankly all three are solid choices.  I bought a Black and also the mono 2M SE, which is the same cartridge wired for mono.  If stereo was all I cared about, I would have saved some money and gone with the 1042.

Thanks Bill
i appreciate the feedback - the reviews on the 1042 are all consistent and I was leaning in that direction. Thanks again and happy new year 

Look at the Audio Note IQ series. That’s based on the 1042.

I just recently purchased a 1042 as a back-up cart, and am very impresssed.

Thanks 
did you have any issues mounting it as I have read mixed opinions on issues especially when using a RP3

just wondering 

I have a friend who has he Goldring- sounds quite good- it is a lively cartridge. I like it

The 1042 is by all accounts a fine cartridge. It has an unbelievably grand stylus for it's price category. One of my cartridges has a Gyger S stylus and it is one of the quietest tracking styli I have ever heard. It is however very critical of azimuth adjustment. It has a very small tip radius and large contact area. The oncoming face of the stylus is almost dead flat and as far as SRA is concerned should be 90 degrees to the surface of the record which will give you the proper 92 degree SRA. The RP3 does not have an azimuth adjustment but the cartridge can be shimmed if necessary. It is critical for the stylus to be exactly vertical to the surface of the record. Forget about crosstalk. It is not what you are trying to achieve. So get out your loops and a bright light. Placing the stylus on a mirror always helps. Hopefully you will not have to touch it. 
The only other cartridge that I would consider in this context would be the Audio technica VM760SLC another very fine cartridge for the money. The 2M Black may be a little too compliant for this tonearm. You can always add mass but it is tough to take it off!

Thank you for your technical feedback and knowledge - since this is my first table and I’ve never mounted a cartridge I will stick to something more straight forward . I will take a look at the AT - 
happy new year !!

Personally, I wouldn’t let the finicky set-up talk keep you from considering the Goldring. I think the talk is somewhat exaggerated. No, it is not an elliptical stylus that is more forgiving, but that is a great thing at its price point. My main cart, the Soundsmith Zephyr, shares the same/similar stylus shape with the Goldring and costs 3x more. The Goldring also shares a very similar neutral sound, good tone, and detail of the Soundsmith. Seriously, when comparing the two, the 1042 is a bargain when you compare it to the cost of the Zephyr. And that is what I was looking for when purchasing a back-up, to use when I need to get the Zephyr serviced/retipped, similar sound, tone, and refined detail.

AT’s are fine carts as well, but have a different sound signature to the Goldring 1042, Ortofon Black, or most all Soundsmiths. It really depends on your preference in what you desire sound-wise. For me, they are a bit bright. But again, that is a personal preference.

But I’ll throw another option into the mix, a Soundsmith Otello. The downside to that is, it does not have a replaceable stylus, so you lose it for a while when sent in for retipping. Then, you need a back-up. Which is why I bought the Goldring.

Thanks for the info - do you think the sound smith would mount relatively easily with the RP3?

I have pro Ac super tablette speakers which are naturally bright with a frontal soundstage so a warmer cartridge would in my opinion be helpful 

Yes, it should mount fine. The Otello comes in both a medium and high compliance, so you should check with your arm mass specs to make the correct choice if that is a consideration. I think most being sold are medium compliance. 22 IIRC. The high compliance is 28.

Here is a link to the various Soundsmiths cart compatibility with various arm mass:

https://sound-smith.com/cartridge-compliancearm-mass-chart

But to be honest, I purchased a new 1042 for less than a new Otello, about $350 (from a gentleman locally on US Audio Mart, but he sells here too, and eBay.... Jazzfan67 IIRC. I believe he has one left). And that would be still be my choice for overall value.

Audio-Technica AT150SA may also worth a consideration at slightly lower price.

I really appreciate all the valuable insight and information 

thank you