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Cartridge Upgrade Advice:

Hi all — I’d love some guidance from this community on choosing my next cartridge upgrade.  I am looking for a “reference” cartridge that can “take it up a notch”.  Thinking $5k max range,

My current system:

  • Turntable: VPI Classic Signature HW with 12” tonearm
  • Phono stage: Manley Chinook (tube)
  • Preamplifier: McIntosh C2800 (tube)
  • Amps: McIntosh MC611 mono blocks (600 wpc)
  • Speakers: Revel Salon 2
  • Current cartridges: Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC ES, Denon 103 (beater), Miyajima Zero (mono)

Upgrade candidates I’m considering:

  • Kiseki Purple Heart
  • Soundsmith Sussurro Mk II
  • Lyra Kleos
  • Ortofon Cadenza Bronze
  • Hana Umami Red

Priorities: I listen to a lot of jazz vocals and large-scale orchestral, with some classic rock. I want resolution and refinement but without harshness, grain, or fatiguing sibilance. Musicality is just as important to me as detail retrieval.

👉 I’ve set up a short poll to keep things organized. Please vote and add your reasoning/experience: [insert link here]

Thank you in advance — your experience will help me (and likely others) make a more informed choice.

Q1. Which cartridge would you recommend for my setup?

  • Kiseki Purple Heart
  • Soundsmith Sussurro Mk II
  • Lyra Kleos
  • Ortofon Cadenza Bronze
  • Hana Umami Red
  • Other (please specify)

 

Q2. Why did you choose this one?

 

Q3. What speakers/amp/TT do you run, and what kind of music do you mostly listen to?

ulcerdoc
dhite71
454 posts
 

@ulcerdoc 

I have a completely different TT, with a Rega P10 but I have had 3 of your choices.  The Kiseki Purpleheart stayed and I love it.  I tried a Kleos and it was just a little thin and bright in my system.  I had a Sussuro MkII ES and had an odd experience.  While the output was very close to my other cartridges, I had to increase the volume from my usual 35ish on my ARC REF 6 up to 60ish.  This introduced hum and was super annoying.  I spoke to Peter about this and he refused to look at the cartridge and said there was no way anything could be wrong to interfere with the output that it was my system.  I bought it from a dealer too!  It was a horrible customer service experience and musical experience so I will never consider a SoundSmith again.

ulcerdoc OP
68 posts
 

I installed and have been listening to the SoundSmith Hyperion Mkii MR in my system.  It’s been glorious.  Was easy to set up.  The best cartridge I have heard to date.  Blows my Koetsu out of the water.  Detail ++++, Soundstage ++++, bass: super tight and deep. Musicality +++.  I couldn’t be happier.  Or maybe I could.  My Chinook is a bit noisy on 65 dB gain.  Maybe time for a Steelhead?

dogberry
965 posts
 

Glad to hear it!

I have no experience with either Manley, but if a phono stage of that quality is noisy I wonder if you have a tube that needs replacing?

ulcerdoc OP
68 posts
 

Good suggestion.

ulcerdoc OP
68 posts
 

Dogberry

The Chinook is actually very sensitive to tube noise, especially at 60–65 dB gain with low-output MC cartridges. Some tubes work extremely well; others sound great but can be noisy.

It’s not a bad tube - and the Gold Lions have are pretty reliably quiet.  I am getting a steady hiss out of both channels.  No variability of tube tap exacerbation.  I have the SE version which goe to 65dB, overdriving the tubes.  This is the probable cause.  I don’t get it at 50dB,  Haven’t tried 6o 

There are too many things I don’t like about the Chinook - especially having to open the box to set the gain and all the load adjustments on the back - even though it sounds wonderful for the price.  I have decided to step up to a Steelhead because I want to run multiple tone arms and now have a cartridge that can benefit from a better prestage.  I will stay within the Manley house sound family though.   And it should be a lot quieter.

Thanks for your input.

 

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