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Best Cartridges for the Money You've Experienced

I'd like to ask those of you who have tried many a cartridge over the years to nominate ones that you feel are among the very best and are available today, new or used, at a substantially lower price than most of today's reference-level cartridges. Feel free to mention great cartridges from years past that still show up now and then on Audiogon.

I currently have a Koetsu Rosewood Signature mounted on an SME-5 arm. I'd like to go up from there in sound quality without having to rob a bank.
bolson
thomasheisig
568 posts
 
Zyx 100 UNIverse
inpepinnovations
134 posts
 
Stanton 681EEE. Really, installed on a Stax UA7 arm on a Thorens 125, it was great, although considered expensive back then!

Bob P.
perditty
28 posts
 
I would have to agree with TPSONIC, I've had many carts. Koetsu rosewood, rosewood sig, Ureshi, RSP, Onyx plat. helicon, accuphase ac1,and several Clearaudio's,but just having acquired an Allaerts mc1 eco I am TOTALLY blown away. This cart. is the most musical, fullest, most spacious, least hi fi sounding device I have ever heard!!! The sound stage is canyon like, musicians appear in the room with you in three dimensions, detail is outstanding and backing vocals and chorus singers are heard as individual images not homogenized masses of sound. If this is the bottom of the line model, I can't imagine what the higher models sound like!!!!!
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
Bolson,
Your original question seems to imply an interest in the issue of "value". I have a Sumiko Pearwood Celebration on my SME V arm. It cost only $1500 and is available for $2K today in an updated form. It competes well with more expensive cartridges on that arm and is considered one of the better "values" out there. It may or may not sound better than your Rosewood, BUT Sumiko is currently developing a $3K+ cartridge which should sound much better than the Celebration and it will be voiced on the SME V.

As you know, the cartridge/arm combination is critical, and my decision to buy it was based in strong part to the Celebration being developed on that particular arm. The new Sumiko Anniversary/SME V may be a great "value" combination if it can compete with the $5K and up cartridges out there, but you can't yet buy it. And it won't "break the bank" as you say.

Raul has also commented favorably on the value of the Celebration and on the combination of it on the SME V.
aisip
84 posts
 
I had both the Shelter 501 and the fantastic 901. Both of these can deliver analog magic for a song. My ears and other fellow audiophiles tell me that if you don't listen too critically, you won't hear much of a difference between the Shelters and those megabuck pickups from other manufacturers.

Regards,
Aisip
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