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How Cartridges Fall Out Of Favor Over Time

I returned to analog in the late 1990's and early mid 2000's. Over time I have seen cartridge models, and even manufacturers fall out of favor and others rise or be even begin. 

As I think about it, these models have lost favor in the eyes of vinylophiles. At one time they were the cats meow. 

Dynavector 10x5 and 17D2 or 3 Karat

Benz Micro Ace and Glider

Audio Technica oc9 II

Sumiko Blackbird and Bluepoint Evo III

ZYX cartridges such as the Bloom and the Airy

Grado wood bodies

These are just the ones I can remember without digging too deep. Some cartridges have model replacements or have been discontinued. Others are still there but just forgotten. 

I just bought a Blackbird Lo for a casual use cartridge, I also keep a Glider H2 for those duties also. My next new cartridge purchase is planned on being an Audio Technica ART20. I just wonder how it compares to my older high tier cartridges, as I play a Transfiguration Audio Proteus that has been serviced by VAS and a Kiseki OG Blackheart serviced by AllClear. 

neonknight
lewm
14,669 posts
 

Dynavector 17D3 is a fabulous cartridge. I listen to mine quite often. There are many other great cartridges that do not get much mention in threads. So what?

inna
8,240 posts
 

ulcerdoc,

I didn't really mean collecting, I meant having a luxury of variety. 

 

theophile's avatar
theophile
410 posts
 

The ART20 is one of those very rare cartridges that doesn't throw out either the baby nor the bathwater. Forensic detail married to exquisite musical insight. Great value even at its price.

big_greg
6,821 posts
 

I'm in the headshell of the month club and have a variety of cartridges ranging from a couple of old Shure carts outfitted with JICO SAS styli to a couple of fairly expensive carts, including a van den Hul Crimson XGW Stradivarius, which seems to be one of those cartridges that some feel is "out of favor". 

I mentioned it in another venue recently and there were a couple of people that shared very strong negative impressions of the brand, while another person absolutely loves the one he has.  I'm somewhere in the middle of the road.  It's not the cartridge I love the most, but it does many things well and I enjoy it. We like what we like, it doesn't really matter what others think.  Those opinions may help guide us towards or away from a choice, but once we make it, it's on us to decide whether it was the right choice or not.

I have 3 turntables, all with removeable headshells (one is in a second system) and while a fixed headshell may (or may not) have some sonic advantages, I really enjoy being able to swap out cartridges. I have a total of 9 cartridges to choose from.  Three or four of them came with turntables I bought, or were very cheap, so had I spent what I have on one or two "grail" cartridges, I'm not sure I could it would be much better than the best ones I have, which are a Dynavector XV-1s, the van den Hul, and a Zu Denon DL-103 that has been hot-rodded by Andy Kim.  

mark200mph
842 posts
 

I got a couple of turntables 7 I think only one set up .I need to get busy I guess as a bought an estate sale who was a retired rec exec for a major company and have many records.happy listening

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