Phono Cartridges - Your favorites and least favorites?

HiFi Guy said:
Both the level and the mirror reflection of the line on the front of the cartridge body assume the same thing- that the diamond is mounted perpendicular in the cantilever and that the cantilever is mounted correctly to the suspension.

I can tell you that the SAE has superior channel separation to the Grado. I can hear it. It’s obvious. This tells me it’s constructed correctly. I also saw at SHF that my retip guy bought some of the SAEs and channel separation had his meter pegged to the right- so somewhere north of 40dB. You can’t match that for less than $2k in a currently produced cartridge that I am aware of.
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Oh, I understand that both are inherently trying to achieve the same thing, which is why I'm really confused at the moment. I'm with you on the channel separation, I think the M5 brought some of that, and the proper alignment has carried it to the finish line, lol.

Like I said, it's always something ;)
 
The mystery continues. Just to remove any thoughts of a wonky shaped head shell..........I know, a stretch, lol. We mounted the Otello, secured it and checked it with the mirror and acrylic block...

All good here
20230309_115057.jpg

Then, in talking with @HiFi Guy, he mentioned maybe checking the mounting slots to see if they were perpendicular to the table... check
20230309_114917.jpg

So at that point we're golden..................right?
20230309_115200.jpg

Nope. At this point my investigation is done, I know how I can achieve perfect azimuth, and the "why" seems irrelevant because everything except the bubble level checks out..........faulty bubbles maybe ;)

The one thing I did conclude after trying this with 4 pre-mounted carts is, that securing the head shell to the arm with a snug adequate tightening achieved dead on azimuth 3 out of 4 times, with the 1 being a hair off.

Techinics, just use me as I say, don't do anything thinking, lol
 
AnthonyI said:
The mystery continues. Just to remove any thoughts of a wonky shaped head shell..........I know, a stretch, lol. We mounted the Otello, secured it and checked it with the mirror and acrylic block...

All good here
View attachment 169239

Then, in talking with @HiFi Guy, he mentioned maybe checking the mounting slots to see if they were perpendicular to the table... check
View attachment 169240

So at that point we're golden..................right?
View attachment 169241

Nope. At this point my investigation is done, I know how I can achieve perfect azimuth, and the "why" seems irrelevant because everything except the bubble level checks out..........faulty bubbles maybe ;)

The one thing I did conclude after trying this with 4 pre-mounted carts is, that securing the head shell to the arm with a snug adequate tightening achieved dead on azimuth 3 out of 4 times, with the 1 being a hair off.

Techinics, just use me as I say, don't do anything thinking, lol
Click to expand...
Most bubble levels aren’t exactly high precision tools. I wouldn’t overthink it.
 
AnthonyI said:
So at that point we're golden..................right?
View attachment 169241
Nope. At this point my investigation is done, I know how I can achieve perfect azimuth, and the "why" seems irrelevant because everything except the bubble level checks out..........faulty bubbles maybe ;)
Click to expand...
kvetcha said:
Most bubble levels aren’t exactly high precision tools. I wouldn’t overthink it.
Click to expand...
Do you have another level of higher quality? You could do some side by side comparisons on various surfaces to see if the little cheapie matches it.
 
AnthonyI said:
The mystery continues. Just to remove any thoughts of a wonky shaped head shell..........I know, a stretch, lol. We mounted the Otello, secured it and checked it with the mirror and acrylic block...

All good here
View attachment 169239

Then, in talking with @HiFi Guy, he mentioned maybe checking the mounting slots to see if they were perpendicular to the table... check
View attachment 169240

So at that point we're golden..................right?
View attachment 169241

Nope. At this point my investigation is done, I know how I can achieve perfect azimuth, and the "why" seems irrelevant because everything except the bubble level checks out..........faulty bubbles maybe ;)

The one thing I did conclude after trying this with 4 pre-mounted carts is, that securing the head shell to the arm with a snug adequate tightening achieved dead on azimuth 3 out of 4 times, with the 1 being a hair off.

Techinics, just use me as I say, don't do anything thinking, lol
Click to expand...
Perhaps the top of the headshell itself is not level. If you get accurate azimuth with the mirror, I see no need to worry. But, there always is the Fozgometer…
 
Angsty said:
Perhaps the top of the headshell itself is not level. If you get accurate azimuth with the mirror, I see no need to worry. But, there always is the Fozgometer…
Click to expand...
“As every AnalogPlanet reader surely knows, proper azimuth is rarely though sometimes achieved when the head shell is parallel to the record surface and the cantilever is perpendicular. The Fozgometer helps you set azimuth electronically by measuring channel crosstalk rather than setting azimuth visually.”

www.analogplanet.com

Fozgometer V2 From Musical Surroundings

Musical Surroundings just announced a new V2 version of its Fozgometer, a highly successful azimuth adjustment tool, the original of which has sold close to 5000 units.
www.analogplanet.com www.analogplanet.com
 
HiFi Guy said:
If that offer is open to me, I’d love to.
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Sure thing. Mine is the original, not the current updated one. You would need the Analog Productions Test LP or something like that in conjunction with the Fozgometer. I have that also if needed.
 
Revisiting the Nagaoka MP-300 on a Luxman PD-151 versus the PLX-1000 I used it on previously. The MP-300 was the best cartridge pairing for the PLX-1000 (that I had used) and it sounded very good.

On the Luxman, well … damn! It sounds incredible. I’ve seen postings from others on how cartridges can sound different on different rigs, but frankly I was surprised. Originally, I was planning to put a SAE 1000LT or Hana ML on the PD-151; the Nagaoka was just for testing. The MP-300 has made me slow my roll and take notice. I’ve got a new head shell coming for the Luxman, but I won’t be too quick to change once it arrives.
 
Angsty said:
Revisiting the Nagaoka MP-300 on a Luxman PD-151 versus the PLX-1000 I used it on previously. The MP-300 was the best cartridge pairing for the PLX-1000 (that I had used) and it sounded very good.

On the Luxman, well … damn! It sounds incredible. I’ve seen postings from others on how cartridges can sound different on different rigs, but frankly I was surprised. Originally, I was planning to put a SAE 1000LT or Hana ML on the PD-151; the Nagaoka was just for testing. The MP-300 has made me slow my roll and take notice. I’ve got a new head shell coming for the Luxman, but I won’t be too quick to change once it arrives.
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You’ve experienced what I’ve learned:

1. Turntables do sound different. All of the sound doesn’t come from the cartridge.

2. Big jumps are where it’s at. Small incremental jumps aren’t cost effective.
 
HiFi Guy said:
You’ve experienced what I’ve learned:

1. Turntables do sound different. All of the sound doesn’t come from the cartridge.

2. Big jumps are where it’s at. Small incremental jumps aren’t cost effective.
Click to expand...
But a PLX-1000 looks a lot like a 1210G, so they should sound alike, right? 😂
 
HiFi Guy said:
People who buy those overpriced 1210Gs are idiots. 😂😂😂😂😂
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I may have been skeptical before, but I get it now. I’m on my fourth* turntable purchase and each has sounded different than the others. I believe I’m at the end of the line for the foreseeable future - the difference between each has been a notable step up.

*Fourth if I don’t count that I bought two Travelers and inherited a Garrard changer. I now have six turntables somewhere in the house … a formula that could set fire to domestic tranquility.
 
Well, the Grado Reference3 arrived and is installed. I don’t have azimuth dialed in with the Fozgometer yet. That’ll wait until Tuesday. I checked it and it’s oh so close. Much closer than the Gold3 was.

It’s super early yet- my first spin. Right now- Jerry Garcia and David Grisman MoFi.

What I expected:

More/deeper bass- it’s the wrong LP to judge, that’ll have to wait.

More lush/more liquid sounding.

Nope.

I’m getting so much more-

Way better clarity across the board.

Better left/right separation. Like the SAE had. Might get even better once I dial it with the Fozgometer.

Better high frequencies.

More texture from stringed instruments.

Way better soundstage. Again, the Fozgometer might make it even better.

If a budget A/T or Ortofon sounds like playing records and a Grado Gold3 sounds more musical, this is that much of a difference again, maybe more. It sounds even closer to real music at home. You get a really good sense of the body of an acoustic guitar or mandolin, not just the sound the strings make. Jerry’s voice sounds real.

It’s still very much a Grado, both good and bad. It sounds like a Grado, but a much more mature and refined Grado. Grown up. It’ll still hum on tables that don’t like Grados. Because it wants to run “wide open” at 47k ohms but needs 50-55 dB gain, it isn’t compatible with all phono stages. In other words, it takes planning and research to run a Grado successfully. It’s worth it IMO.

I’ve seen people complain about aligning the Grado woodys. It’s actually easy. First you must align to Baerwald on a Technics- it’ll be almost all the way back in the headshell. Use a Geodisc and there’s a line that goes from the center of the circle to the edge of the disc. You’ll be able to easily see the stylus when it’s lined up when viewed from the side. The line will look like an extension of the diamond coming towards you when aligned.

Surface noise is non existent.

I know one thing already- I’ll never buy anything again but a Grado. And I’ll most likely trade this for another when it’s worn.

More to come in a week or so.

CA61A148-7DAF-4ED8-964A-AD1BD050C2AD.jpeg
 
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