Hey guys, I've been doing a lot of late night spin sessions lately with my new harman/kardon 3490 receiver and my garage-sale-find Technics D202 turntable. :music: I just got In Rainbows by Radiohead a few days ago, and I must have spun it at least ten times by now, but...

the quality is less than earth-shattering. It's not that crisp and/or clear, the audio stage just isn't there, and it's severely lacking high-end. The mp3 version of the album sounds crisper to me, although it lacks that warm vinyl feel. But the biggest problem is just the fact that the high-end is nonexistent. Turning up the treble on my hk helps, but I consider that a bandaid fix to the real problem. Something is wrong here. I shouldn't have to be EQing anything to get decent highs.

This vinyl pressing appears to be widely regarded as having excellent sound quality all over the net, so I don't think that's the problem here.

I think the culprit here is my shitty Shure M25C, "dj needlz" cartridge and stylus. It was $25 at Guitar Center. Do you guys think upgrading to a Grado would make Radiohead sound good? I know for sure my cartridge sucks, but do you guys think that's it or is there something else wrong here?

Yes!

Per the Shure website re your cart:

"Sound Emphasis: solid bass with clear mids"

So for treble/HF you'll want to look elsewheres...

Yes, there's no question that I'd change the cartridge. What to change it do depends on how much you want to spend. I think the AT440MLa is the ticket if you can afford it. The microline stylus is very detailed, and the high end is where it shines. And they are known to have good synergy with Technics tables.

But then is the problem only on this record or on all of them? Yes, others may be praising this pressing, but that doesn't mean you can't get a defective one. It can happen even in this day and age.

I'd be willing to spend up to $60 on a cartridge/stylus. I will look into the AT440MLa as soon as I finish typing this post, any other suggestions that might fit my budget?

EDIT: Oh man, the AT440MLa is too far out of budget for me. Any $60-ish recommendations? Grado?

EDIT 2: And yup, the problem is on all my other records too, completely forgot to write about that in my original post. I always assumed it was because they were old records that probably needed a better cleaning than what I had given them, but I guess not... And wushuliu, I found the clear plastic tube the cartridge came in and sure enough, it says it right there on the package. *slams head on wall*

Try the AT95E on LP Gear. You can ugrade to an HE or Shibata stylus. It's reasonable in cost a great sound. Get ride of the DJ cart asap.

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=ATC95E

Well within budget, seems to have won recognition in some high end audio magazine. It goes up to 20,000hz (or is it khz?) as compared to the M25C's 18,000(k)hz. Would that make a noticeable difference? Output is 3.5mV, so one of the quieter cartridges, yes? Not that it matters much, but I'm just wondering.

On the other hand, we have the very well-known 'round these parts Grado Black:
http://www.gradolabs.com/product_pages/black_green.htm
Says it goes up to 50, which I'm assuming means 50,000(k)hz. Would I be able to hear much of a difference in high end frequencies vs. the 20,000(k)hz since the human ear can't even go up that high? My amp is supposed to handle up to 120,000(k)hz at low volumes, so it wouldn't bottleneck the Grado. It's a 5mV cartridge so output would be comparable to what I have now.

My experience with this kind of stuff ends at a vague familiarity with the terms involved, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated :)

What about your speakers? What are they?

Speakers are generic crap at the moment, good for blasting a party but not much else. Still looking for a decent set. Amp is a brand new hk3490, high current, high bandwidth 10-120,000 at low volumes, 120wpc. TT is Technics SL-D202, circa 1982.

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=ATC95E

Well within budget, seems to have won recognition in some high end audio magazine. It goes up to 20,000hz (or is it khz?) as compared to the M25C's 18,000(k)hz. Would that make a noticeable difference? Output is 3.5mV, so one of the quieter cartridges, yes? Not that it matters much, but I'm just wondering.

On the other hand, we have the very well-known 'round these parts Grado Black:
http://www.gradolabs.com/product_pages/black_green.htm
Says it goes up to 50, which I'm assuming means 50,000(k)hz. Would I be able to hear much of a difference in high end frequencies vs. the 20,000(k)hz since the human ear can't even go up that high? My amp is supposed to handle up to 120,000(k)hz at low volumes, so it wouldn't bottleneck the Grado. It's a 5mV cartridge so output would be comparable to what I have now.

My experience with this kind of stuff ends at a vague familiarity with the terms involved, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated :)
No, don't go by the frequency specs--it's a non-issue. Most human ears can't even hear to 20K. The output (5mV) only tells you the relative loudness. A lower output cart will require a higher position of the volume knob. Has nothing to do with reproduction of high frequencies. How the cartridge sounds is simply a matter of the character designed into it and isn't really reflected by the specs. Specs of interest might be channel separation and naturally, tracking force.

Grados are known for their beautiful midrange and a lush, seductive sound. No doubt it's competent at the high end, but that's not what you hear people raving about. So you see the 50KHz does not necessarily translate to accentuated high end. The ATs are known to be bright, so the AT95E or AT110E would more fit the bill with respect to the high end. The Ortofon OM5E is another possibility. But I think you'll be very happy no matter what you choose compared to the M25C.

The SL-D202 is a respectable turntable. Many AK members own these or similar models and are quite satisfied.

Want a cartridge which can Rock and Roll? On a Budget! Why not try you an Audio-Technica AT 95e, AT 110, or AT 120 E/T. All nice matches for the Technics arm. The AT 95e is under $60 at LP Gear. Tracks like a demon. Does need some break in time to sound best. 50-70 hours will get you there. I use one myself.

+1 on the AT95e

The AT120E is only $80 at Lp Gear-a great alternative to the AT440Mla.

Another vote for the AT95E. I also have a Grado Black that I like alot, but find the AT to be a better tracker :)