Dipping toe in water

Just ordered myself a Michell Tecnodec with RB250 (be here on tuesday), need to consider a cartridge for it circa £100 (could go a wee bit higher) will be using it with project phonobox SE am looking for neutral musical sounding cart, peppy with plenty drive, any suggestions?

Psthe project is suitable for mm at 47k and mc at 100/220 ohms.

 

AK,

Depending on how good you are at searching the web (or how lucky) you could get a Denon 103 or even a 103R Moving Coil for about that money, if you want a MM you can get a new Shure V15??? for about £150 ish.

Have a look on audiogon.

 

Ortofohn MC15 Super II.

High output moving coil, will work in MM stage.

Chris

 

i also recommend the denons.... they are great for the money.. and using the phono box's MC loading options u should be able to get it sounding pretty good..

i also use a phono box SE and an RB250 arm (modified)

 

The Ortofons are lovely sounding cartridges for the money. I bought a brand new MC3 for about £80 off ebay. Was well worth it's money.

 

I'd say the Ortofon MC15 as well, or praps for a cleaner (rather than warmer) sound there's the Clearaudio Aurum Beta... Not quite as good as the S but substantially cheaper!

 

MMM Many choices given me some searching to do guys, looking forward to getting it set up, then heading into loft for old elpees, plus a trip to local record shops, that's my main reason for getting it. It is a chrimbo pressie from my wife, so I have to get cart myself.

 

heres a good place to read about cartridges - glossy pictures, reviews etc.
(from memory, hope link is right)

www.needledoctor.com

Chris

 

Great Link Chris cheers

Narrowing down to Shure V15 mxr

Goldring 1042

Ortofon MC 25FL

Looking for fast dynamic, good soundstage, pretty neutral sound.

Not sure if MC work too well in the RB250, maybe someone can tell me different.

 

as fasr as im aware the rega arms are fine with MC.... a lot of people use sumike blue points with rega arms and they are highish output MC's

 

The RB250's a decent arm, will do a good job with any of the carts in the price range you're thinking of.

Most budget phono stages do better with MM and high-output MCs than low-output MCs, for MM I like the Goldring 1042, and still keep one as a spare in case I destroy my main cart.

-- Ian

 

Denon 103 will work fine in a Rega arm, especially if the arm uses the Technoweight.
The 103 has a really glorious midband, and and a nice, open, though not very extended, treble - just make sure, as with any cart, that you set it up well. Bass can be a bit lumpy at times, but that's more a Rega problem than it is a Denon thing IME. The 103R and 103 PRO are worthwhile steps up the ladder from the vanilla 103.

 

Not much use if you blow the arm though

Evil toad. Must stop

 

The arm problem is solved. Bloody thing developed a nasty electrical buzz in the left channel late last night. It had clearly definitively gone over to the side of evil, so I had it shot and bought a Michell Technoarm today instead (which, on a brief listen, is really really good).

-- Ian

 

Shame about the harbeths though

 

Now now Tony,

Dont upset the Harbeth head honchos!

 

Bummer. Glad you got it sorted. First impressions of the Technoarm, is it a keeper?

?

 

Yes indeed pop pickers, Shame about the Harbeths, is the myth about to be exploded? Stay tooned for the next exciting episode of 'jelly bass in space';

 

Chill dude, it's not a competition.

Have you bought some Harbeths then? Good choice.

-- Ian

 

Ahh. Ok. Ho hum as they say. Anyway, not by you it isn't