:banana: Hello, I have been using the Stanton 500 stereo cartridge with my Technics SL-1200MKII. I want to replace this cartridge with an audiophile stereo cartridge with a very flat frequency response. I like Jazz and Easy Listening Music. I buy most of my LP's at the thrifty stores. Some are in pretty good shape. Is it an overkill to purchase an audiophile stereo cartridge for my application? Thanks for any reply to my post.

What's your price range? A good place to check specs, prices and pics is Needle Doctor (www.needledoctor.com). Audio-Technica, Grado, Ortofon, and Shure have quality cartridges in a wide range of prices.

AT440ML is very good and works on your arm. Garage-A-Records has them for about $80.00.

Ron-C

Hi Mark B: Thanks for the advice. My price range is $50.00 to $125.00

Thanks ron-c for the recommendation, I will check the B\Needle Doctor website

You can get a fine cartridge within that price range. Amazon is a good place to check for prices. ww1.onecall.com/ has low prices on Grado cartridges. On the upper right hand side of the home page next to "Shop By" click on "brand" and then click on the pull down "choice" and find Grado. They carry Grado Headphones & cartridges.

I have been told that the Grado cartridges produce hum in the presence of an unshielded motor. The platter on your Technics is part of the motor...

Bob

"Technics SL-1200MKII.... Is it an overkill to purchase an audiophile stereo cartridge for my application? Thanks for any reply to my post."

The SL1200 is a fine table, please remember that Technics slated this as the top of their line home audio product, it just worked so well as a DJ table that that is where people tend to slot it.

I've always felt that the 1200 could carry a much higher line cartridge than is normally placed on it. I think that you may be surprised just how fine this table can sound for home music. I also like the adjustability of their tonearms, although many may feel the arm has too much effective mass.

Cartridge recommendation? Each line has its own tonal quality (sorta like a house sound) and only you can determine what hits your sweet spot. Although it may not be a perfect match, I'd try a Benz Silver on it, but that's because the Benz sound is my favorite. The Silver will be slightly out of your range, but with a trade of another cart, Venus HiFi is very fair with the deals.

Let us know how things turn out :yes:

I have been told that the Grado cartridges produce hum in the presence of an unshielded motor. The platter on your Technics is part of the motor...

Bob
My Grado Blue doesn't hum on my SL-1200mk2.

- Harald

My Grado Blue doesn't hum on my SL-1200mk2.

- Harald

Aha! Verrry interesting. The SL-1200mk2 is my primary tt. I have not considered a Grado cartridge for it because of this hum factor. I hope someone here will explain.

Bob

Aha! Verrry interesting. The SL-1200mk2 is my primary tt. I have not considered a Grado cartridge for it because of this hum factor. I hope someone here will explain.
It's unshielded AC motors that are supposed to generate hum picked up by the unshielded Grado cartridges; I believe the SL1200 uses a DC motor. I also believe the hum issue to be overstated in terms of real-world use--there are many people happily using AC motor driven Linn's and Rega's with Grado cartridges, and the low level of hum is easily masked by the music. When using a Grado, I had far more trouble with hum generated from my preamp than from the LP12, but things sounded fine after relocating the preamp.

Cartridge recommendation? Each line has its own tonal quality (sorta like a house sound) and only you can determine what hits your sweet spot.
Elegey, that's great advice. Obviously you don't think your Stanton 500 is giving you flat frequency response in your system (though I happen to love the frequency balance of the Stanton 500 in my system). What parts of the frequency spectrum do you feel are lacking and/or over-emphasized in your current set-up? Maybe someone can suggest an alternative if we know which direction things need to swing.

Is the body of the 500 the same as the 681? If so, why not get a 681EEE stylus...?

Is the body of the 500 the same as the 681? If so, why not get a 681EEE stylus...?
The bodies are not the same. The 500 is a 2-coil moving magnet cartridge while the 680/681 is a 4-coil induced magnet design.

Hi reyneman, I really think the Stanton 500 is not tracking the highs very well, once in a while the highs break, the mids are mediocre, bass is ok. I love Jazz, Easy Listening . I love Bossa Nova LP's, hard to find good ones, like Getz and Jobim. I was brought up listening to live Jazz, I still love the live Jazz performances. Cannot beat the Sound of a live Jazz Presentation. I love the natural sound. Presence, no reverbs, I like to listen to the music as if we were in the room with the musicians Perhaps the Audio Technica AT440ML may be a candidate. Because the replacement stlylus are readily available and it has received good reviews.. What do you think?, The Shure Brothers is another choice. I am not so Shure will continue to produce stereo cartridges. Thanks for your advice. I want a cartridge that will not mistrack at high passages. My turntable is the Technics Sl-1200MKII.

The 680 series is much nicer than the 500 and yes I have them both. The 440ML is very good on the 1200 arm although I am using the KAB dampner on mine which is worth the money. I prefer the 440Ml to The V15MXR on this arm. I also have used the 681 EEE / 680 EL and they have performed well. The 440ML is tough to beat for the money and has one of the finest needles and mounts when viewed under the microscope of any cartridge I own.

Ron-C

Thanks to all who are viewing and replying to this thread. I just received an e-mail from Stanton regarding replacement stylus for the Stanton 500. They recommend the D5200SK for better tracking, original Stanton product. Just want to pass the news for all of you who help me in the Forums. Thanks.

I have an SL-1800 MK2 (same arm as 1200) I use a Stanton 680HiFi which works wonderfully for me. I listen almost exclusively to jazz (60-70's Blue Note's Verve, Riverside etc...)

I highly recommend the Shure V15xMR. I bought one for my office system a few months ago and have been very impressed with it on my modded Rega P3.:)
http://www.amusicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?cat=&sku=ASHUV15