Good cartridge match for a Pioneer PL-518

Andy_H

Andy_H

Behind the Wall of Sleep
I have a Pioneer PL-518 that I acquired not too long ago. I haven't yet replaced the cart/stylus that came with it (shame on me, I know) so now I need to decide what to get. The current cart is an Audio Technica XLE-50. I'm trying to decide whether to get just a replacement stylus or a whole new cartridge (I'm leaning toward a new cartridge) and what to get.

I'm willing to spend up to $150-200 and I've read recommendations of AT 440MLA, Shure M97XE, Stanton 681EEE, Denon DL-110 and Grado Black/Green/Red in my price range. I'm largely concerned in my question here of which might be a good match (arm mass-wise etc.) for my TT. There's also the option of buying just a new stylus for my current cartridge, but I'm wondering if I'd be better off to just get a newer/perhaps better cart instead. I listen mostly to rock and metal, and a little bit of ambient and jazz and whatnot.

Also I'm wondering how necessary it is to get a force tracking gauge or any other such special turntable tools. I've never set up a cartridge before and I'm a little bit intimidated by it :scratch2:
 
G'day mate, although I realize that it's not everyone's cup of tea, I recommend the Shure M97xE. There have been some well documented 'build quality' issues of late, but hopefully your sample if you wish to buy one, will be ok.

They are a cartridge that demands optimal set up. If this is done then results are first class. The dynamic stabiliser (brush) is a near miracle in its value, and it makes that cartridge compatible with nearly any tonearm. This is an article I've written that covers many areas of the M97xE and optimal set up. http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/vinyl07.html The other cartridges you mentioned are also very good. Regards, Felix aka catman.
 
I partnered my PL-518 with a Goldring 1012GX and was very surprised (and happy) with the sound that this combination produced.
 
in that i have never fully liked the overall sound of a shure

there always being a 'something missing' form the sound. this has usually been with the v15 models. the III was a bit hard sounding, the V models just lacking something.

some recommend using it with the brush up stating that it is more dynamic that way. still, for me.....a different cart. i have wondered what the new mm series of ortofons would be like. i certainly like my mc200, a moving coil from many years ago. it caused my friend to buy several orto MCs-Kb, rohmann, jubilee, and mc30IIs.
 
A digital scale similar to this can be useful, though not essential.
http://www.amazon.com/American-Weig...al/dp/B0012LOQUQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=

Cartridges like the AT 95HE is a great performer as well as a bargain.
http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=LPGAT95HE&Categ

The Nagaoka MP-11 and the newer version the MP-110 are very good too.
http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=NAGAOKAMP011&C

http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=NAGAOKAMP110&C

Breaking in the AT 95HE now, it is as good as Howard said!:D
 
Thanks for the input, everyone. However, I'm still not 100% clear on how to determine a good match in terms of tonearm mass and compliance (I don't actually know what the compliance rating means).

In my continued cartridge-browsing I've stumbled across the Ortofon OM 10, and I'm certainly intrigued by it - I really like its ability to considerably upgrade the stylus while keeping the same cartridge body. Would this one be a suitable match for my PL-518?
http://www.needledoctor.com/s.nl/it.A/id.274/.f
 
Compliance is the stiffness of the cantilever spring in a stylus. Higher compliance is a soft spring, lower compliance is a stiffer spring. A higher mass arm will mate better with a stiffer spring, a lower mass arm with a softer spring. Compliance numbers can be confusing and sometimes are either absent or incorrect. The next best indicator of compliance is tracking force. A stiffer spring will require a higher tracking force and vice versa. And s-arms, as on the PL-518, are medium to high mass.

So putting all that together, a higher mass arm mates better with a lower compliance cartridge (or stylus really), in other words, a stylus that is stiffer and requires a higher tracking force. Boiled down even further, higher mass arms mate best with higher tracking force cartridges. That isn't to say that people don't have success with less than ideal matches. And if you're not spending a lot, you can experiment. But if spending upwards of $200, I'd try to stick with the best matches. Cartridges with median tracking forces of perhaps 1.7g to 2.5g would mate the best.

That said, the OM10 is not the best match. The new Ortofon 2M Red or Blue would be good matches. Any of the suggestions made in the previous post by Balifly are also good. The M97xE is not ideal based on its specs, but the brush (aka dynamic stabilizer) actually negates the undesirable factors and makes it a good match as Catman stated, so that's fine, too. The Denon DL-110 is also a good match.

The cartridge on your arm now is a rebadged AT-11E, or at least that's the body. The 11E stylus was green. It can be upgraded with an ATS-12S or ATN-12S, which is a Shibata (line contact). At 1.5g median TF, it's a little low for the arm, but it should still sound very good and for $60 or so, I think that's okay. If you wanted to just stick with the elliptical 11E or 12E styli, they are good matches themselves.
 
Thanks, Howard, that is very informative. I'm starting to think the 2M Red might be for me. The Nagaoka MP110 also looks like a good one (and LP Gear's offering a trade-in allowance on your old cart if you get the MP110.) I've some deciding to do …
 
Well, I thought I had my mind made up for the Ortofon 2M Red, but then I started thinking about Grado. I've read enough to know that this is an extremely polarizing brand, so I might be opening a can of worms here. I've never heard one before, but what I really like about them is that they're made in the USA. And for the price of a Prestige Black, I'm wondering if it might be worth trying.

I suppose I'm getting to the point now where I'm really overthinking my cartridge decision and I need to just buy one, give it a workout, and find out what I like.
 
the grado black

would be a good intro to grado. i had an f1+ back in the late 70s and the black's equiv (FTE+1) also and whereas the f1+ was superlative (today's equiv is the red), the fte was also vg. these carts are good to go in arms like yours.

my fte exhibited the grado dance on my grace 707 because the 707 was low mass but i squelched it with some mass at the headshell. the pio arm is more massive and should interface nicely.

in this youtube of an ad for pio, it shows a denon 103 cart mounted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8nyXBBXs1Y
 
I've used a Grado Prestige Silver in my 518, and while there was nothing wrong with it, I just thought it was a bit boring. But I feel that's a matter of taste, not incompatibility. I just liked the Goldring better, it was more 'rock 'n roll' to my ears. But it was also twice as expensive as the Grado...
 
Well, I finally made a decision and ordered a Grado Black 1. I figure if I don't like it I'll try the Ortofon 2M Red next and if I do like it maybe I'll move further up the Grado food chain. Thanks for your input everyone.
 
Hey everyone, new member to this site(though Ive been on and read alot of great stuff through the years!) and new owner of a pl-518. I have never gotten into or learned much about different carts for various reasons, but I'm ready and have been doing my best. My question is the same as the original post here, but just thought Id fine tune it a bit for myself if anyones interested in helping out. If not theres a great chunk of info for the Pl-518 cart matches here already so thanks to those who have posted. Anyways I'm playing the table through a Sx-780 and HPM 100s. The cart on the PL seems to be a GT red. According to google its complete junk. I am playing records from extreme metal/punk to jazz trios and hip hop and every other genre you can think of. I'm looking to upgrade for sure so I'll spend up to a 100 or 200$ like the original poster. Is there a good site to buy carts/styli or straight from the manufacturer? Thanks guys!
 
I have had many good experiences here: www.lpgear.com There are quite a few places on the web to purchase carts and styli, and you will likely search them out as you go, but this is a great start.

I have a PL-516 (belt drive version of your PL-518, basically) and have quite enjoyed an old Audio Technica AT-71E on it. I think these decks are generally under-appreciated and can justify quite a wide selection of cartridges.

I have found that my own preferences skew toward conical or thicker elliptical (4x7) styli when setting a turntable up for all-purpose play. When I have a more-or-less dedicated turntable, then I will get fussier about a finer or more accurate stylus. For example, right now I am using a Stanton 680EE for general folk and rock records. This alternates with a Shure M44-G for more worn records or for when I'm going through another reggae or Black Sabbath phase. But I also have pre-mounted an AT-125LC for those pristine jazz & folk albums I get from my high end audiophile friend, and for classical music when everyone is out of the house.

Good luck. I hope you enjoy whatever you decide on.
 
I have an Ortofon 2M Red on my PL-518X and I think it's brilliant. Never any distortion and apparently the blue is supposed to be even better. If you have the cash I would say get the 2M Blue.

Think I used Stevenson alignment and 1.8g
 
Thanks for the quick replies everyone! In conjunction with whats already on here this is turning out to be a great first cart upgrade list, pl-518 or not. Though specifically speaking with the 518 i guess I'm really just concerned with cart weight and if it does well on a direct drive table correct? Eric I found your info about an all purpose play cart very helpful as I will not be setting up a dedicated turn table for any one or moderatley similiar genre in the foreseeable future. I guess I will do my research for good multi purpose styli and or follow up on your suggested conical size. All that said and aside, intuitively that 2M Blue just reaches out to me.
 
I have an Empire 2000E III with replacement LP Gear stylus on my 518. I like it. I've also had good luck with the AT carts of which the 440 is in the same series of. I'm not a fan of the modern Shure carts, but I do like the earlier M91 and 95, and the V15 II, I've had or heard all of those on 518's. I used to have the identical, but belt drive 516 and had an Ortofon FF15XE MKII on it that sounded nice also.

The Grado Black is nice as long as it doesn't hum, but I tend to favor cartridges with a built in stylus guard.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

aabottom
What cartridge for my Pioneer PL-518?
Replies
4
Views
3K
Balifly
Balifly
Spellbinder
Pioneer PL-518 Cart?
Replies
9
Views
2K
AK 47
AK 47
R
Recommend New Cartridge (or stylus) for PL-518?
Replies
1
Views
516
Bob_in_OKC
Bob_in_OKC
S
Stanton 681EEE and PL-518 advice
Replies
14
Views
380
mccalljd
mccalljd
fastrodger
Pioneer Pl-518 Upgrade
Replies
7
Views
2K
Jnevill
Jnevill
Back
Top Bottom