Phono Cartridges - Your favorites and least favorites?

[Bob from Florida]

if i understand proper anti skating, cart/styli should move slowly towards label when styli is in the dead wax.cd test/laser disc are not proper test for anti skate?

This works quite well. I don't bother with test tracks anymore as the technique shown works so well.

 

[HiFi Guy]

if i understand proper anti skating, cart/styli should move slowly towards label when styli is in the dead wax.cd test/laser disc are not proper test for anti skate?

Correct. I use this method and it works perfectly.

 

[displayname]

Has anyone gotten ears on either of the Mofi MC carts?

 

[Jbraswell]

(Warning: socks with sandals NSFW)

 

[Ghost]

(Warning: socks with sandals NSFW)

Very nice dude btw, got to meet him at the USM x OJAS listening room here in NYC and he's a cool guy, very passionate about what he does.

 

[Vinyl&Kicks86]

(Warning: socks with sandals NSFW)

i wear socks with sandals and also call records vinyls it seems to trigger a certain demographic.

 

[Jbraswell]

i wear socks with sandals and also call records vinyls it seems to trigger a certain demographic.

What about mandals?

 

[Mather]

i wear socks with sandals and also call records vinyls it seems to trigger a certain demographic.

 

[Vinyl&Kicks86]

What about mandals?

i wear slides very similar to these with socks.

 

[duke86fan]

dumb question.. but when is it considered worth it to move to moving coil instead of moving magnet... I'm tempted by the audio bug and though I don't have money yet I do plan on buying a good table and cartridge and wondering myself whether once I get a job should I go moving coil or not

 

[SnowmaNick]

dumb question.. but when is it considered worth it to move to moving coil instead of moving magnet... I'm tempted by the audio bug and though I don't have money yet I do plan on buying a good table and cartridge and wondering myself whether once I get a job should I go moving coil or not

Personally, if you can handle a moving coil, I’d start considering around the Hana EH/EL level. I love that cart. Great tracker, wonderful and incisive tone.

 

[duke86fan]

Personally, if you can handle a moving coil, I’d start considering around the Hana EH/EL level. I love that cart. Great tracker, wonderful and incisive tone.

i thought of that... but its going to be a bit louder than line level on my music hall because it has 0.5mv output and the preamp only does .4 and 0.2, and the impedance loading only being 100 compared to the recommended loading of >400 ohm so I dunno how it might sound

 

[Bob from Florida]

i thought of that... but its going to be a bit louder than line level on my music hall because it has 0.5mv output and the preamp only does .4 and 0.2, and the impedance loading only being 100 compared to the recommended loading of >400 ohm so I dunno how it might sound

Don't worry about the 100 ohm loading, it will work fine.

 

[duke86fan]

Don't worry about the 100 ohm loading, it will work fine.

so despite the milivolt and loading difference I should probably get a hana el.. or maybe I should use the hana eh and not deal with that moving coil side of my preamp (one review said you could just plug it in to the MM side)... though depending on my turntable it might be complicated with stuff like VTA (looking between a rega P3/6 or a mofi deck)

 

[Bob from Florida]

so despite the milivolt and loading difference I should probably get a hana el.. or maybe I should use the hana eh and not deal with that moving coil side of my preamp (one review said you could just plug it in to the MM side)... though depending on my turntable it might be complicated with stuff like VTA (looking between a rega P3/6 or a mofi deck)

What are you currently using?

 

[SnowmaNick]

so despite the milivolt and loading difference I should probably get a hana el.. or maybe I should use the hana eh and not deal with that moving coil side of my preamp (one review said you could just plug it in to the MM side)... though depending on my turntable it might be complicated with stuff like VTA (looking between a rega P3/6 or a mofi deck)

I’ve used Hana EL and SL on Planar 3 and the SL on a Planar 8. No shim required.

 

[duke86fan]

What are you currently using?

im currently using a uturn.. but I'm going down the upgradeitis because of the idea of getting a job.. i might get either a rega or a mofi.. but with that I might just go with the exact cartridge or the mastertracker/ultratracker

 

[Bob from Florida]

im currently using a uturn.. but I'm going down the upgradeitis because of the idea of getting a job.. i might get either a rega or a mofi.. but with that I might just go with the exact cartridge or the mastertracker/ultratracker

I was actually asking what cartridge.

 

[duke86fan]

I was actually asking what cartridge.

my current is an ortofon 2M blue.. but whats more important is when I upgrade I'll either have an exact or a mastertracker.... but I could buy either without a cartridge and get a hana

 

[Nee Lewman]

my current is an ortofon 2M blue.. but whats more important is when I upgrade I'll either have an exact or a mastertracker.... but I could buy either without a cartridge and get a hana

My thought is this (and it’s one that has served me well so far)… get whatever the table you buy comes with (unless for some batshit reason it is a lesser cartridge). The manufacturer sells it with that cartridge for a reason. Then you do a few thjnah, more than likely you get a deal on the cart, you get something you probably wouldn’t have tried otherwise, and you get more thoughts about what you like, why and how it might be better for your table.