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Really good, inexpensive moving magnet cartridges - Celebrating "good enough" components

I have a main listening room, in which I keep my best turntable, tonearms and cartridges. Right now, the two I use most are an Ortofon Synergy G SPU, and a Koetsu Black Goldline. I know there are better cartridges than these, but they both suit me very well. Similar, but different. 

 

But I also have three other set ups around the house - one in the living room for all guests to use and hear. One down in the exercise room, to keep me from wanting to give up as I rehab the latest injury. And one in my chemical darkroom, to keep me company in the dark. 

 

In the Living room, I have a Funk Firm Vector V turntable, with a LP Gear "The Vessel," with its entry level stylus. In the exercise room is an old (but modified) Rega Planar 2 (the one with the wooden boundary on the plinth). On that one, I use a Sumiko Pearl. And last, in the darkroom, I have a NAD 5120 which originally came with that famous flat tonearm. On that, I have a Grado Black. 

 

What I'm surprised at is that at an average price of about $100, these devices have intelligent compromises that allow them to express music in an enjoyable way. In the setting where they do their thing, each is perfectly acceptable - I never find myself wishing for more. It might be that I'm distracted by other things -  I'm socializing, or working out, or printing photographs. In my main listening room, I just listen. 

 

Do you have other cartridges that are inexpensive, but do the job? Do you have other music making components that are satisfying, despite being far, far from state of the art?

dtorc
dtorc OP
107 posts
 

All three of you point towards Audio Technica - excellent under $100 cartridges. In the 80's my first Linn came with a "Linn Basik" cartridge - I used that thing for a couple of years until I could afford something better. Which was the Linn K-18 ll. another Audio Technica- sourced cartridge, made to Linn's design. 

 

@faustuss - Rotel is kind of the equivalent of NAD (sort of), and I use NAD as my electronics in those other places. Your speakers are way better than any I use in my secondary rigs.  

 

 

@pindac - That is an intriguing trio of gear. I am especially attracted to that tonearm. It looks pretty serious. Nice to look at, too.

 

@elliottbnewcombjr - I once traded in a couple of cartridges to a rebuilder. One of the "players to be named later" I received back from him was a AT V95 variant. I packaged it on a turntable I was selling (A Pro-ject RM-1), and the new owner loved it. I think they would be another head on my Mt. Rushmore of affordable cartridges, to go along with The Vessel, Sumiko and Grado. In another era, perhaps Shure would be on there, too. 

 

 

elliottbnewcombjr
7,749 posts
 

My favorite Elliptical is my Shure M97xe, aluminum cantilever, comes with the damped brush, the prices for it now (NOS, used, with Jico replacement stylus) are ridiculous.

I bought a broken stylus, to get the damped brush, and had VAS make a Boron/Microlinear to fit it, and it also happens to fit my V15Vxmr body.

Jico replacement for V15Vxmr or 97xe has a brush, but it is not damped. For warped LPs, I like the option of the damped brush.

pindac's avatar
pindac
3,921 posts
 

@pcbrandt  The Aurex Sr 510 is a serious tool, but unfortunately, in the past has been dealt a few blows on the Gon following my referencing it.

I specifically chose a model without a Tonesrm. 

I own a few SR 510's and a  AT 150 ML X, as well as a selection of AT 150E's.

An A&R P77 was a cart' I was very much Wed to. 

Option to reignite it are known, but I would Boron used zaz a Cantilever, Beryllium even more. 

 

 

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