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MM Cartridge for music on the heavier side

Hello,
I will be getting a Parasound Hint 6 integrated which has an MM phono stage.Speakers will be either ATC SCM 40 or JBL 4312G
Most of my music is on the heavier side, Iron Maiden, Slayer, etc. I do listen to a good amount of Jazz and a wee bit of classical.

TT : modified Technics 1200 wtih cardas wiring,silicon damper trough and external power supply.

Budget for MM cartride is about $400
The characteristics i enjoy are tight slamming bass, rimshots that can kill and crunchy guitars. Projecting tight drum sound and full rounded bass guitar are important.

I am not seeking lush airy vocals etc. I want solid sound, I want the music to punch me in the gut. I want to feel the music.

Please float suggestions.

thanks
Jag
128x128jagjag
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,259 posts
 
Spend a little more and get an Ortofon 2M Black. Well worth the money and the best MM cartridge by many estimations. 
agrippa
160 posts
 
A friend of mine is the same persuasion and swears by the Goldring 1042. Personally I don’t touch the hard stuff, but I own a 1042 too and can attest to its virtues when playing other genres. I’d also choose it over the 2M Black, but that could just be me.
jagjag's avatar
jagjag OP
89 posts
 
Thank you Mijostyn and Agrippa. 
I will look into these.

I recall now, after the prompt, that I did use the 1042 when designing turntables for a company. 

Thanks again
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
For this tonearm and turntable look for Stanton 881s mkII or Pickering XSV-3000 cartridges with Stereohedron tip, within your budget you can find even unused samples probably. Another absolutely killer option for the money is Audio-Technica AT-ML150 OCC with MicroLine stylus.

read this article first.

For a better cartridges you will have to expand the budget for MM, each brand i have mentioned have higher models for higher prices, they are better, but what i recommended is already great! 

P.S. I have a pair of Sl1210mkII with all the mods (fluid dampers, isonoe footers, complete rewired etc), not in my main system, but i know this turntable very well. 




uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
Look at the Nagaoka MP-150.
Fits your budget at a hair under $400 new and delivers everything you ask for and more.
Still my goto cartridge for rock even though I have much more expensive options in my drawer to choose from.
It is a new current cartridge and replacement styli are easy to come by and fairly inexpensive.
Although I must have 600 hours on mine and it shows virtually no wear so you should get a long life from it.
Good luck.
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