Cartridge recommendation for classical listening

Buy cartridges made by respected manufacturers who are/were in cartridge manufacturing business for a long time. There are not so many of them and you will see that most of them are Japanese companies. Don’t forget that cantilevers and diamonds for most of the cartridge manufacturers outside of Japan are still made in Japan.

Many cartridges for turntable manufacturers are made in Japan, but they are selling them under their own European, US of British brands. Most of such cartridges can’t compete with pure Japanese high-end MM, MI or MC.

And finally, if you like Moving Magnet or Moving Iron cartridges you have to understand that modern trend in High-End is LOMC, not Moving Magnet or Moving Iron, except maybe for SoundSmith who promote his MI design for years, and those Grado (also in business for a very long time).

The giants of the industry designed MM cartridges in the 70’s and that was the time when MM was absolutely amazing, in my opinion it was a peak of Moving Magnet cartridges and it’s finished in the late 80’s when digital replaced analog slowly.

The main music media is no longer vinyl, so why do you think those companies of today will produce exceptional MM (like they did when vinyl was the main format for everyone) ? We lose a lot of superb MM/MI cartridges and instead we have mediocre modern MM cartridges for affordable price or something unique for insane prices like this one for example (for many thousand dollars). Or those amazing vintage MM/MI that still available in NOS or MINT condition (i prefer this myself and i can only recommend the same to others).

What i see today is the manufacturers of belt drive turntables jumped in with their strange cartridges, logically i can understand it, if they can sell turntables why not just sell them with "their own" cartridge, it’s so easy to promote it like that claiming their tonearm or turntables has the best sound with their own cartridge, but it’s a myth. Most of those cartridges are just cheap OEM from Audio-Technica and related big Japanese companies, just with a different name on it.

Look for original design instead, for something special.

Most of the new cartridge manufacturers design ONLY cartridges, not a turntables.

If your turntable is Rega then you don’t have to buy a Rega cartridge for it, what is Rega in cartridge manufacturing business ?

I remember Audio-Technica turntables (nothing special), but their cartridges are great. I remember Victor turntables, tonearms and cartridges and they are superb in everything. Technics no longer make any cartridges, but in the 70’s they designed everything on high-end level (turntables, tonearms and cartridges). I never used Grace tonearms, but Grace cartridges were superb.

Nagaoka ? Only cartridges and accessories.
Even Ortofon manufacturing cartridges, their tonearm are made in Japan by Jelco.

Most of the small companies like Benz, Lyra, Koetsu, ZYX, Shelter ... never tried to make a turntables, just cartridges, Koetsu used to make a tonearms, but i think it was also Jelco OEM.

EMT designed tonearms, cartridges and turntables
Thorens ordered their carts from EMT

There are very few (if ever) companies that can make tonearms, cartridges and turntables on the same level and Rega is not one of them.

ClearAudio using Audio-Technica signal generators for their cartridges.

... etc

Chakster,

 I really appreciate your input.
 My problem is that I have no ability to install a cartridge on my Rega arm by myself.( It’s not a screw in type.). Whenever I’ve tried it I’ve screwed it up.
Also, it’s hard to find a competent establishment in my area that will install, without buying.
 So, I’m limited to choosing a cartridge from a store that sells one.
Are you saying that Nagaoka is a good choice?

I know Grados can have this defect, and the extensively modified Rega P3 turntable I use can contribute to the problem

The problem here is not the cartridge but the turntable. For unknown reasons Rega doesn't ground their motor and so it can inject hum into the cartridge- most often Grado gets the blame for this. I have placed a wire between the motor and the base of the arm, grounding the two together and solving the problem.


Its too bad there isn't more feedback about this issue!

Cartridges cannot be designed to favor classical music! The idea that any component can favor a certain genre is entirely mythological. Usually this idea is applied to speakers but it really doesn't matter- what makes a component good for one genre makes it good for another.

I've been a classical music listener for many years.  I use an AT MC cartridge on a VPI TT into a 3 stage all tube phono pre.  Here is my $.02 in no particular order.

I wouldn't buy a moving magnate cartridge without a replaceable stylus.  There are too many good ones out there.

What you want for classical music (or any other kind) is just the best cartridge for your needs.   The cartridge doesn't know what kind of music it's playing.

There are very good cartridges with varying compliances.  Best to match it to your tonearm's effective mass.

For a MM cartridge, easily replaceable styli and good value I would look at the Ortofon line. 

The very best cartridges for any music are MC cartridges.  In the long term, you might want to consider either a phono pre-preamp or a step up transformer that would allow you to use a MC cartridge with your CJ.  Or you might even go for a separate phono preamp and bypass the phono section of the CJ, 

the 1812 Cannon shot is the same as a Bonham kick drum ! well, sort of.