What cartridge on your VPI prime?


I own a VPI prime, I installed a denon 103 R and I had never change the cart due to lack of funds. Now I want to upgrade my analog ring to the same level of my digital.
I have been considering based on reviews.

1- ortofon quintet
2- charisma MC2
3-ortofon black
4-kiseki blue.
5- rega alpheta 2.

I would appreciate any inputs from your end about cartridge selection and phono associated currently I am using graham slee reflex M.
Kind regards and thank you.
128x128mountainsong

Showing 3 responses by yani55404

I have the VPI Prime and have a Denon DL103r on the 3d arm. And I think it is sounds great. I am using a Vincent POH-8 phono preamp and running it into a Mcintosh preamp and out to some tube amps and some huge horn loaded speakers. I also tryed an Ortofon OM super 40 MM cartridge before the Denon, and it too sounded great. But I think the Denon had a llittle more detail in the midrange. I have also read that sending in the denon cartridge to be retiped with a better tip can make a big difference too. 
Since my last visit here I have upgraded my system, the Vincent POH-8 has been sold and  went to a McIntosh c50 preamp that has built in MC and MM phono preamp sections that are adjustable. Then I purchased a 2nd 10" 3D arm for my VPI Prime and started comparing cartridges that I own. 1st I compared an Ortofon 2M Bronze to my Denon 103R. Both sounded great but I liked the sound of the 2M better. The 103R had good detail and nice sound stage, but everything was a little repressed, hidden I would say. The 2M is a more in your face type of sound. The sound stage is more open and higher Hz notes just seam to jump out at you more.  One clear difference is the bass. The bass on the 2M is clear and tight, and you can pick out the sound of the drum skin vibrating at the end of a strike. The 2M has great detail when it comes to bass drums.  
I have 4 cartridges that I play on my prime, Ortofon ( Super OM40,& 2M Bronze) Denon 103R, Audio Technica 33EV. They all sound great on my VPI Prime and the 3D arm. The problem is it takes an hour to swap out a cartridge on the prime. And after an hour most people have forgotten a lot of details, unless you are one of these super human reviews that can hear the difference in music from years ago.   So I purchased a 2nd 3D arm. Now it takes a minute to compare two different cartridges. What I have learned so far is I like the 2M bronze over the 103r because of better detail in bass notes, the 2M has sharp bass notes, 103r kinds of duller sound. The 2M is more dynamic in the higher HZ area snare drums, symbols, ect more pronounced, sound vibrates longer with the 2M. I guess punchier would describe the 2M to the 103r over all. I am listening with a McIntosh C-50 preamp and Prima Luna tube amps running into horn loaded Klipsch LaScalla type speakers.  The 2M also has a deeper and wider sound stage, but both are good, I give a nod to the 2M. The OM40 is great for the money but again and 2M outdoes it in the tighter base and punchier highs. The sound stage again wider and more dynamic. But on a lesser table, like the MMF 7.1 I had before the prime, all 3 of these cartridges were a toss up.