MC for Low Mass Tonearm


With my table's low mass tonearm I am sad to see only Ortefon and Sumiko MC carts available.  Please offer suggestions for other carts/brands that might work with an 8.5gm arm.  <$3000.00 budget

My System:
Pro-ject RPM Table / EVO Carbon 10 inch arm  8.5 gm mass and very rigid

Into all Aric Audio front-end:  the 'Transend MM phono pre' (12ax7 and 47ohm), '6SN7 Linestage Preamp' and 'Transcend Push-pull' amp into ZU Soul Supreme.

My current carts are MM and MI, Grace F9e and Soundsmith The Voice. Both are hi-compliance (+22cu).

Will I be able to best those with a $3k Moving Coil cartridge?  The Voice is really nice! 

I'll know that I need to purchase an SUT.

Bent

128x128michaellent

OP question is, I believe, in response to JCarr’s comment on his other thread. How many cart designers will steer you away from their product ;) ?

AnaMighty / Sculpture A may have something tasty, in the budget range, worth an ask.

I have two carts in my portfolio that are brilliant for a lighter carbon arm, but both ( Aidas AU-CU baby ebony and Tedeska Lacote ) are a little above the budget mentioned. 

 

 

B&O MMC1 might be the finest cartridge I’ve ever owned, until I accidentally destroyed the cantilever. SS replaced cantilever and stylus but I’ve been reluctant to listen to the repaired version for fear that I’ll be disappointed. Acutex LPM320STRIII is in the same category of greatness. Both MI. 

Dear @michaellent : Project designer recomend in its site the Ofrtofon Cadenza RED ( in this line the Black is trully good. ) that has lower compliance and higher weigth that the Kleos and its resonance frequency is around 11hz against the healthy 9hz in the Lyra.

Ovbiously that who knows best the Kleos quality performance is the designer but the 10" EVO must be really good tonearm for Project makes the Cadenza recomendation.

 

I think that you can try the Kleos. Resonance frequency is not all between the relationship in tonearm/cartridge, the quality of the design and builded results are important because around tonearm/cartridge exist several other resonances/distortions developed during playback.

For me always is better that the cartridge suspension sees a lower dynamic mass than heavier one.

About those " shortfalls " you posted in the other thread can or can’t appears, in analog world always are trade-offs nothing is perfect . I don’t know in the EVO/Kleos which kind of shortfall could appears if any.

Btw, phono stage quality performance is way critical because it’s the unit that has the responsability to handled the sensible cartridge signal adding and losting almost nothing of what the cartridge stylus tip pick-up from those LP groove modulations. As better your phono stage as better your listening sessions.

 

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

 

@daveyf 
Agreed.  I've run the Benz Wood SL, Gullwing, and LPS on my Clearaudio Tracer arm (9.5g effective mass) with success.  Tracks well, sounds rich, but detailed.  The resonant frequency was about 8hz  IIRC.  Also ran an Aidas Gold (recommended by Solypsa) which mates well, and has a resonant frequency of just shy of 9hz.  @michaellent is onto something with those vintage MM and that low mass arm though! I'm currently running a Stanton 980 and it rocks, literally it is the best tracker I've ever experienced.  Very dynamic and vivid presentation taboot.  Resonant frequency is between 7 and 9hz for that, strangely there are two peaks, one at about 9 and the other at 7, but tracking is superb.  I wanted a change from MCs, so I'm running this Stanton for a while, will put the Aidas back on sometime soon.  I still love the Aidas @solypsa! 

@gakerty   I did not recommend the top of the line Benz LPS as it could be mistaken for the MR model, which I think is one of the heaviest cartridges and probably not suitable for a lightweight arm ( albeit, I do think on my WTA Black it would work, due to the arm's suspension design). Not sure if the regular model you use, the LPS, is lighter, I think it may be considerably so...??