Low Output MC recommendation

[gary f]

I have a Technics SL-1210M5G and considering buying a low output moving coil. I want to pay around 300$ maximum. So my main choices are:

Audio-Technica OC9 at 289$
Denon 103 à 229$
New Orthofon Salsa or Samba at 225/275$
And I sometimes see some low hours Benz ACE around 300$

Right now, the OC9 seems like the good choice, but does anyone has any opinions and experience with those carts.

Thanks

[phn]

The 103 is the obvious choice in my book. But you need a high-mass arm for that.

Matching the cart with the tonearm is more important than the cart and tonearms by themselves. I would think you need a high-compliant cart, equal to that of a MM cart.

[gary f]

My arm effective mass is 12. BUT, the headshell has an extra screw-on weight of 4g. So I guess that if I put it on, the arm is now 16 g mass which I believe is high mass. it seems like I could use the Denon
F

[pjpoes]

The denon is definatly the best of that specific grouping.

If you can stretch your budget a little more, the new cheapest model from ZYX, which I just picked up, is far better sounding than the denon. I believe i paid like 450-500ish something like that. I know thats more than you want to spend, but it was a sizable improvement. If not, save your money and buy the Denon. Look on ebay, you might be able to find some better prices on the standerd version, which I always thought a lot like the R version. I don't know that I agree the R is a worthwhile upgrade, like some people feel.

[phn]

High-mass is in the 20+ range. Ortofon arms are around 35g, which used to be low-mass. The Neumann Z 25 is twice that.

People who use the 103 with the SME 3012 usually add a heavier counter-weight and headshell. That's no lightweight arm by today's standard.

There are people who insist the 103 smokes carts priced in the thousands,.

From the Vinyl Engine forum:

Poster 1: Garrard 301/Neil Hollow plinth --> Ikeda IT-407 --> Denon 103 --> Auditorium 23 step-up transformer --> Shindo Monbrison --> Leak Stereo 20 --> Quad ESL 57

Poster 2: with your very high class kit, why are you using a Denon cartridge?
for only a bit more, you can have a much better one and much better sound!
try a Dynavector, or Shelter, or Benz Micro......
there are so many cartridges better suited to your equipment, and give the dynamics of what you now have, but with much more detail, realism, and a bigger soundstage.

Poster 1: Simple answer... I've tried all of the above, and the 103R blows them all away. More specifically I've owned Shelter 501 and 901, Dyna 10x4 and Benz L2... in every important way the Denon is far more musical to me.

Having that said, I stand by my first post.

[gary f]

Well, I checked, and there is also a auxilliary screw on weight that you can put at the rear of the tonearm, near the counterweight that will also increase the tonearm mass. Plus other weights that I can put between the cart and the headshell. Anyway, I can always try and see if this does any audible difference. This tonearm is really polyvalent.
F

[phn]

You should buy what you want. But I don't think you should get hung up on a component. Synergy is the thing.

Here in Europe many high-price carts are modified EMTs and Denons. Van den Hul is the most famous example. But those carts are usually high-compliant versions made for modern tonearms.

Try http://www.needledoctor.com

[adason]

i have both, the benz ace and at oc9
they are both equaly good, might prefer oc9 for slightly sweeter sound

[Panicos K]

At the price you are aiming the dynavector 20XL is a killer cartridge

[Panicos K]

OC9,too compliant for the technics

DL103,has a spherical tip not enough anymore for a cartridge at this price imo,and very flimsy body

salsa/samba,too plasticky for this price,even less

Ace,I did not check one

DV20XL,aluminium body,micro ridge stylus tip,excellent matching for the technics.Compared to the above,it could cost up to 50% more than any of them and still be good value.Consider the excellent sound as an extra bonus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!