Advice needed on MC cartridges

Jmarin, appresiate your recommendation.

Wspohn, the Hana cartridges seem to be getting a lot of good reviews here. Thanks for yours.

Sokogear, I’m wondering too how much difference there would be between two high quality cartridges with that much difference in price. I’ll really need to find a dealer somewhere that has both types, so I can hear what the differences may be.

I am willing to spend the money to get a significant improvement in sound. But I’m not guessing there would be that much improvement over the $700 Ortofon Black 2M MM cartridge I already have and MC ones, perhaps the Hana ML for example, which is a fine MC from what people here are saying, but costing only only a few hundred more. Especially if MC cartridges are already generically more expensive. I’m speculating there may be some differences in sound quality one might prefer, but that might not translate to the amount of improvement maybe a Frog or equivalent model could deliver.

Mike

I have the 2MBronze , and a Benz Wood SL and a Charisa Audio Ref1.  (Also the A3s)  The two MCs are a significant step up over the Ortofon.  Cartridges are one the Big Three: Microphones, Cartridges, Speakers.  They are transducers and make the most difference in sound.  Having said that I am unlikely to go the MC route in future - mainly for cost reasons.  Not only do they cost more but the stylus cannot be replaced.  A phono stage based on an LCR network (eg Vida or Allnic) is where you will get better value for money, because of the longevity - though to be fair they will not make as much difference as a cart upgrade.

@skyscraper its been mentioned in this thread already a couple of times, but I'd like to throw my recommendation behind the stylus upgrade for the 2M Black - the LVB 250 (boron cantilever with the same Shibata stylus).

Don't overlook this option or think that it will be only a minor upgrade - it's profound. Everything gets better. Soundstage, focus, detail and other objective parameters like greater quietness in the groove and increased composure. But there is also something far more important - timbral quality, natural balance and realism make great strides forward (and the stock 2M Black was pretty good).

Along with this is an innate ability to present the musical picture without highlighting/spotlighting. For instance you feel like you can move your focus anywhere so easily  - listen to the bass player in the background while a soloist is going gangbusters in the foreground. I'm hearing new things in old favourites, everything sounds so musical and communicative.  

The LVB 250 is for sure a great cartridge for not crazy money. The medium compliance and high output means it won't put stress on tonearms and phono stages like a low compliance/output MC and you'll be more likely to extract its best (from less than the best turntable/arm/phono). I'm using mine on a Technics 1200GR with a Parasound JC3jr phono and it sounds superb. 

@skyscraper - for $1850 (you should be able to get a 15% discount) the MC One Special from VDH should provide a big improvement for you, and because it sounds like you are a value (not cost no object) conscious audiophile like me, the fact that VDH stylus lasts 25-50% longer, makes it a no brainer. I always invest incrementally, so you should plan on a phono stage when you want to take your next step after getting a MC cartridge. It will make a BIG difference if you get a good one. Expect it to cost in the neighborhood of the cartridge at a minimum. It is very important.

VDH will do whatever service is needed for a reasonable price and sometimes VDH will do a total replacement at an attractive price which they did for me because of the pandemic. For some reason, they dont get the publicity in the US I think they deserve. 

Dear @skyscraper  : Why so many posts about Hana cartridge?

Like almost everything the audiophile world moves inside what in stastistics is knowed as a Normal Distribution Curve ( a " bell " curve ". ). According that around the 80% of audiophiles live somewhere near the center of that " beell " live in the average/mediocrity space. So you will always find out thousands of advises around that average audiophile world that through our audio life we were there or still we are and nothing wrong with that: is a reality.

Now, unfortunatelly in analog is not easy to go out of that mediocrity/average world. We need money important money to do it but money is not enough we need high whole analog knowledge levls and certainly a very good know-how/experiences with live MUSIC events.

The audio world function inside that " bell " distribution.

You already arrive to that conlusion with the Hana cartridges and other " average " advises here that only permit that you " swimm " more time in that average/mediocre world till you decide you are already prepared to go out.

R.