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Best cartridge under $100 - vintage Akai TT

I recently acquired a vintage Akai AP-Q80 direct drive TT, fully auto, with a "S" tonearm, standard mount. (My Beogram 4002 crapped out.) It has an ADC Ser-III cart and it just doesn't sound very good. Stylus cantilever looks corroded.
I'm running it into a Proton 1100 pre-amp with nice sounding phono stage for MM or MC.
Cartridges I'm considering:
• Sumiko Pearl
• AT-440MLa
• Ortofon OM-5E, OM-10, OM-20, Red
• Denon DL110 (a little outside my budget)
• Grado - Pick a color

I'll be playing a mix of classical chamber and symphony (CBS Masterworks, digitally remastered), classical guitar. old rock, blues, Dizzy and Miles. (Some are noisy LPs.)

My budget is really at $100, but if I can get something that will do the job at $60... after years as a carpenter, my hearing is not as refined as it used to be. I'm a bit sensitive to upper register harshness.

Any help??
Thanks in advance.
Craig
craig_c
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
Based on my experience with an Ortofon OM-10 and Denon DL-160 (and I also have a Shure M97xE and previous experience with Grado), plus reviews I've read, I'd go for the Ortofon 2M Red or the DL-110. I think you'll like their treble better than what I've read about the 440MLa, and either will do very well on the kinds of music you like most. These will do better than anything I could imagine at $60.

I also recommend you get some appropriate direct drive bearing oil and refresh the lubrication in the motor bearing. You can get a little tube of Technics bearing oil from http://www.kabusa.com for $4.95.
craig_c OP
21 posts
 
Thanks for the input on the motor bearings. I had gotten the impression that direct drive is more accurate than belt drive, but recently I've been hearing that the DD can have motor rumble transmitted through the system.

I've also gotten the impression, as you suggest, that the 440MLa can be heard as harsh in the upper register. -- Thanks Jonnyb53

I've read good things about the Sumiko Pearl, if anyone has experience with that cart, I'd like to hear it.

LP Gear suggested the "LP Gear Deft 2", is this essentially the Sumiko Pearl packaged for LP Gear?

TIA - Craig C.
celtic66
1,609 posts
 
If I remember correctly, this is a higher mass arm. The Grado does better with higher mass than the Ortofon. I've sold all of them at one time. Ortofon is very good sound, just did not handle heavier arms well.
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