Please recommend my first MC cart.

MudSlideSlim said:
Thanks for the info mjw. Am I following you right? Is a Victor retip a Nagaoka cantilever reconfigured on a Denon DL? I have to ponder that. Nagaoka's do seem to have a loyal following. I'm always seeing Victor retips
on E bay but I'm really clueless as to what it really means.

Michael
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Yeah, Nagaoka made the stylus assembly for a whole lot of user replaceable styli. This is simply a seller in Japan fitting these NOS styli onto used Denon LOMC carts. They're exceptional value for money :)
 
It can be fun to play with new things, and anything you choose that's different than what you have now should be an enjoyable experience that adds to your knowledge of what you do and don't like, of what helps you get the most from your record collection. Personally, I have not been overly impressed with moving coil cartridges. I've mostly heard them at dealer showrooms and only bought one for a home system, a Linn Asaka over 25 years ago, and using an all-Linn system of LK1/LK2 amplification, LP12/Ittok turntable, and Sara speakers. I liked it well enough, but it didn't make record playing any more enjoyable than the modestly-priced moving magnet or moving iron cartridges I was accustomed to (mostly Linn's own or models from Stanton/Pickering).

You have all the parts of the front end that Herb Reichert was so glowing about in his review:

"The Pioneer PLX-1000 turntable and tonearm, with Shure SC35C cartridge and Schiit Mani phono stage, play music unbelievably well. . . I could live the rest of my music-loving, record-collecting life quite happily with this addicting $900 front end." http://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-3-shure-sc35c#HAVmtGq4lIwVG2lg.97

Who knows, at some point you may return to this combination and be totally satisfied, but there's nothing wrong with trying anything and everything that may be of interest. It's a hobby, so have fun with it. I've been at it long enough to now be totally satisfied with a similarly low-cost front end of Rega RP3, M97xE cartridge, and the built-in phono stage of my Audio by Van Alstine preamp. If Shure keeps making replacement styli for the M97xE, I expect this combination to let me "live the rest of my music-loving, record-collecting life quite happily."
 
Mister Pig said:
I am not sure what the issue is with a Dl 301 MK II, 2Juki sells it for $280 USD off his Ebay store. Very reputable seller. New United is attractive for price, but mixed reviews on customer service and complaint resolution.

Would agree that there is a certain quality level you want to be at when dealing with LOMC otherwise you are just wasting your money. IMHO the DL 301 MK II or Audio Technica OC9 II is that point. Otherwise stick with a good moving magnet, or perhaps the Denon DL110, but don't consider it to be representative of a good moving coil.

At some point there is a hard deck of what has to be spent to get into a certain product type or level of performance. For LOMC it seems to be just shy of $300. And for what its worth, I don't consider a stock 103 to be that great of a cartridge. But that is just my opinion.

Regards
Mister Pig
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The Pig is spot on with this one . I have a DL301 MK2 it is on a SP10 MK2 with a 12 " Ortofon tonearm this cartridge is a screaming bargain it is compared to the DL103D . Why pot a DL103 if the DL301 is already in a aluminum body
 
Luis.correia said:
Hi guys. Since getting back to viny 3 years ago, I have always been using MM carts. From the AT-120eb, Ortofon 2M Red, Nagaoka MP-110, Shure SC35C and M35X. I have been happy with them especially the 2M red that I like a lot and the Nagaoka.

Having acquired the Schiit Mani recently, I now have, for ther first time, the opportunity to get my first MC cart.

What MC cart do you guys recommend for a first time in the Moving Coils?

My budget us around 200$.

Will an "entry level" MC cart will sound better than a MM (the 2M red for example)?

Is there a distinctive sound or characteristic of MC carts compared to MM carts?

Thanks in advance.
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Louis, have you thought about getting the Paradox body for your Shure 35c? It's supposed to take it up another level and it's only around $40 bucks. My buddy has one and thinks highly of it.
Sturgus
 
sturgus said:
Louis, have you thought about getting the Paradox body for your Shure 35c? It's supposed to take it up another level and it's only around $40 bucks. My buddy has one and thinks highly of it.
Sturgus
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I heard about it, but found that the process of installing it may be too difficult for me. Will it work with super glue?

Anyway, I don't know how a outer metal shell will improve sound. I am thinking it's going to be one of those things that i will end up spending money and not find any difference in sound
 
The Paradox body helps the sc35 but I think the biggest improvement I had with it was using the N97xVL stylus with it in the new body.

I still vote for DL 301 mk II from New United or 2juki. Just played it last night and it is very engaging.

If money and shipping are an issue then why not a nagaoka MP 200 stylus upgrade for your 110? (not moving coil but it should be s nice step up from MP 110).
 
This is my first post, so be gentle. I am looking to upgrade my cartridge for my Sony PS-X600 turntable and am thinking either a Denon DL-110 or the DL-301 MKII. I have a Sony STR-GX10ES Receiver and it has the MM/MC button. The specs for the MC setting are 100 ohms, is this enough for the low output DL-301. From researching other posts it seems like people are saying it needs a higher rated ohm number to get the best out of it -- like 300 ohms plus. It's all a little confusing. Should I just stick with getting a DL-110 and play it on the MM setting? Currently I have an old Grado G+ cartridge.
 
PaperBoy007 said:
This is my first post, so be gentle. I am looking to upgrade my cartridge for my Sony PS-X600 turntable and am thinking either a Denon DL-110 or the DL-301 MKII. I have a Sony STR-GX10ES Receiver and it has the MM/MC button. The specs for the MC setting are 100 ohms, is this enough for the low output DL-301. From researching other posts it seems like people are saying it needs a higher rated ohm number to get the best out of it -- like 300 ohms plus. It's all a little confusing. Should I just stick with getting a DL-110 and play it on the MM setting? Currently I have an old Grado G+ cartridge.
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Welcome to the AK turn table forum.

Try the Denon DL-301 MKII, it should sound quite nice on your Sony. :thumbsup:
 
PaperBoy007 said:
One last thing, I like your handle, I have a '99 R1100GS.
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Thanks, I like your bike also. They are the "Jack of all Trades"
Bought mine new in Feb of '92 and "Bette" got new shoes and a tune-up last week. Good for another 10K "fingers crossed" A pic for you
DSC_0002 (7).JPG
The puddle is water. Bette just got a bath before the pic.
 
91r100gs said:
Thanks, I like your bike also. They are the "Jack of all Trades"
Bought mine new in Feb of '92 and "Bette" got new shoes and a tune-up last week. Good for another 10K "fingers crossed" A pic for you
View attachment 1036778
The puddle is water. Bette just got a bath before the pic.
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Nice Bike! I would surrender my audio gear before I gave up my GS..BTW, I am waiting delivery of my first Denon cartridge, a new DL-110 for my Sony PS-X7. It will be replacing an ancient MA 2002
082117 Phone 013.jpg 082117 Phone 013.jpg
 
It certainly was, but I made a poor choice in lending my turntable to a friend who returned it to me with a smashed dust cover and the MA 2002 missing its cantilever. Unfortunately the only 2002 stylus I can find is north of $320, and that is assuming that the cartridge itself wasn't damaged.
 
JosephH said:
It certainly was, but I made a poor choice in lending my turntable to a friend who returned it to me with a smashed dust cover and the MA 2002 missing its cantilever. Unfortunately the only 2002 stylus I can find is north of $320, and that is assuming that the cartridge itself wasn't damaged.
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Hopefully he is covering the damage. And how did he manage to do this?

Regards
Mister Pig
 
Mister Pig said:
Hopefully he is covering the damage. And how did he manage to do this?

Regards
Mister Pig
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Well.....no he did not. I am told it was damaged when he moved into a new house. He will not be allowed to borrow anything else, that is for sure......
 
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