Wow...hang onto that table! Or call me immediately if you ever want to sell it! The TD126 is one of the best tables ever made. I'm not sure which version you have (MkI, MkII, MkIII) but I'm assuming you have the Thorens Isotrak TP16 arm, which was very decent.
The natural choice for the TD126 is the Stanton 681 or 881...those were Thorens' preferred cartridges in the early 1980s for the TD126. Both are still very competitive today though somewhat overlooked. I had the 881 on my Thorens TD115 and liked it very much.
Another popular choice among TD126 owners is the Ortofon OM series (OM10, OM20, OM30, OM40). Same cartridge body throughout the range, but finer styli as you move up in price. The OM30 is probably your best bang for the buck in this line.
Finally, there's the Shure M97xE, a very nice cartridge for around $100 or less. It's close in performance to the V15VxMR and with the TP16 arm, you probably won't hear the difference unless you have a pricey phono stage. (Shure has always been very open about that, steering most people toward the M97, even before they discontinued the V15.)
In my experience, the Stantons are excellent trackers, very detailed and involving but they can be too lively and forward for some ears. The Ortofons are detailed but laid back and a lot of people find them ho-hum. The Shure M97 is a smoothie...it's a little less extended in the highs than I'd like, but it's a class act for the price.
Post some pics of the TD126 some time...I'm sure we'd all love to see them!
The natural choice for the TD126 is the Stanton 681 or 881...those were Thorens' preferred cartridges in the early 1980s for the TD126. Both are still very competitive today though somewhat overlooked. I had the 881 on my Thorens TD115 and liked it very much.
Another popular choice among TD126 owners is the Ortofon OM series (OM10, OM20, OM30, OM40). Same cartridge body throughout the range, but finer styli as you move up in price. The OM30 is probably your best bang for the buck in this line.
Finally, there's the Shure M97xE, a very nice cartridge for around $100 or less. It's close in performance to the V15VxMR and with the TP16 arm, you probably won't hear the difference unless you have a pricey phono stage. (Shure has always been very open about that, steering most people toward the M97, even before they discontinued the V15.)
In my experience, the Stantons are excellent trackers, very detailed and involving but they can be too lively and forward for some ears. The Ortofons are detailed but laid back and a lot of people find them ho-hum. The Shure M97 is a smoothie...it's a little less extended in the highs than I'd like, but it's a class act for the price.
Post some pics of the TD126 some time...I'm sure we'd all love to see them!
