New to vinyl; cartridge help

[satx]

Okay thanks,

I downloaded the manual and it outlines how tho set it up pretty well. It says it came with low capacitance cable; is that just manufacture speak? what would you suggest as repacements?

I might change the caps in the future, but right now I want to get it up and running. I did hear it play before I bought it, so I know it sounds nice and is quite.

One thing I didn't notice before I bought it is that the lateral balance weight is missing. Is there any thing diy that you guys use for weights. Do you know what the weight might have been if I want to make something or have one made?

[sreten]

Hi,

Lateral balance weights cause more problems (resonance) than they fix,
which TBH is not much at all, I always removed them, including the arm.

A remarkably decent budget cartridge is the Red Ed elliptical :
Ed Saunders Red Ed Cartridge
Hi-Fi Cartridge Reviews - Moving Magnet Cartridges
See the Elektra entry

Up to $100 this is hard to beat :
LP Gear AT-95VL phono cartridge,LP Gear AT 95VL phono cartridge,LP Gear AT95VL phono cartridge,LP Gear AT-95VL phonograph cartridge,LP Gear AT 95VL phonograph cartridge,LP Gear AT95VL phonograph cartridge,LP Gear AT-95VL phonograph cartridge stylus,L
Has a far longer stylus life than ellipticals.

rgds, sreten,

[satx]

sreten, Thanks for the review link, I'll look through it. If I bought something like the second option, is it worth it over say the Red Ed or other budget carts, considering even at $100 it's still relatively budget?
Brian at needle doctor just replied to an email from me and suggested the Ortofon red 2m or AT95e for a cheaper option. Would you take the one's you recommended over these?

Evan

[satx]

Is the goldring electra in the review similar to the Red Ed you recommended or is it completely different?

[satx]

Sreten, the tone arm on the Marantz tilts to the outside (away from lateral balance arm). Do you still say to remove the weight and arm?

Evan

[sreten]

Hi,

The Elecktra is built on the same production line, after that who knows ?
IMO the Red Ed elliptical is definitely worth a punt.

The lateral balance on all arms I've come across does not affect tilt.
(Clearly I'm not referring to unipivots here, double pivots only.)
It affects the bias if your deck is way out of level, due to the
CofG not being co-incident with the vertical bearing centre.

rgds, sreten.

[satx]

Okay, thanks.

Evan

[Russellc]

Also consider what ever model number of the Nagaoka line you can afford. I hear nothing but good about the entire line.

Russellc

[satx]

Ah, I hadn't scrolled down to the Red Ed elliptical and electra, now I see the comparison

[sreten]

Hi,

The $100 Vital tipped cartridge will last much longer and maintain
performance over its life much better than an elliptical, though
brand new variants of each tip may sound quite similar new.

In fact brand new ellipticals tend to better all other tip types
in terms of sound quality for you money, (sphericals can in
some bright systems), so its all a question of your options.

For all cartridges IMO a lot of it is do with system matching as
well as cartridge quality. Grado's can sound fine in one system
(not mine) but impossibly dull in another system (again not
mine), in mine though they lack treble extension and detail.

The Red is the modern version of the OM10 (and UK 510)
and goes back in principle to the FF15E, bonded elliptical.

There is a whole raft of bonded ellipticals you could buy,
from the RedEdE and AT95E at the bottom of the market
to the Red, Pearl and Music Hall Tracker (another Elektra
clone) and similar around $100 to the $300 Shelter which
is not the same but not disimilar to the $100 Pearl.

Personally I like the $140 nude tipped elliptical HOMC Denon
DL110. Nude tips start about $100 for the AT120E/T.

My tendency would be to take a punt on the RedEdE
or push the boat out on the DL110 - exotic for $140.

Inbetween is the $100 bonded Vital tip from LP Gear.

rgds, sreten.