Back when I was transcribing a lot of records(70s,80s) I used three cartridges.
A Stanton conical, Ortofon elliptical, and an MA 'tiny nudie', to hit different parts of the grooves, depending
on where it was healthiest.
On a new LP, they were different, but I really did not have a favorite.
On old LPs, it was not just which was quietest, the distortion was also different.
So, whatever stylus or cartridge you acquire next, pick a different tip shape than you have now, and try
your problem records to learn what you can do with the equipment you have.
The drawback is that with more styli, you have to learn about how tracking angles and forces affect more
setups.
A Stanton conical, Ortofon elliptical, and an MA 'tiny nudie', to hit different parts of the grooves, depending
on where it was healthiest.
On a new LP, they were different, but I really did not have a favorite.
On old LPs, it was not just which was quietest, the distortion was also different.
So, whatever stylus or cartridge you acquire next, pick a different tip shape than you have now, and try
your problem records to learn what you can do with the equipment you have.
The drawback is that with more styli, you have to learn about how tracking angles and forces affect more
setups.
I now advise if you do not have a decent number of LP’s in your collection in brilliant condition, then do not go into vinyl as the sound from my LG phone straight into my Pass KorgB1 is 96% as good as my vinyl.
But from your post it sounds like you are into vinyl, so the answer with ‘’caveats’’ is yes it would be worth while, say upgrading your Blue to a Bronze, BUT ONLY if you have a suitable arm.
And this is the mistake most people make, as you go up in cartridge quality you also need to go up in Arm quality. In fact you would get more improvement buy a decent S/H arm & using it with your Blue.
Also if going to the Bronze with it’s Nude Fine Line stylus, you need to check that your arm has independent height adjustment so you can adjust the stylus to the correct SRA angle of 92 degrees. Whereas the Blue having an Elliptical does not need that fine level of adjustment.
So I suppose the question now is what arm do you have for a more definitive answer
Cheers
But from your post it sounds like you are into vinyl, so the answer with ‘’caveats’’ is yes it would be worth while, say upgrading your Blue to a Bronze, BUT ONLY if you have a suitable arm.
And this is the mistake most people make, as you go up in cartridge quality you also need to go up in Arm quality. In fact you would get more improvement buy a decent S/H arm & using it with your Blue.
Also if going to the Bronze with it’s Nude Fine Line stylus, you need to check that your arm has independent height adjustment so you can adjust the stylus to the correct SRA angle of 92 degrees. Whereas the Blue having an Elliptical does not need that fine level of adjustment.
So I suppose the question now is what arm do you have for a more definitive answer
Cheers
It sounds like you're happy with the 'classic warmth' that was associated with the 'sound of vinyl'. This warmth was mainly due to the 'generator loss' in MM cartridge coils. However, modern technology is now able to improve on the high frequency response of MM cartridges.
Warm sounding cartridges lessen the strength of upper distortion frequencies (as well as reducing surface noise). This results in less harshness when listening to old, damaged or just poor LPs.
If you have new high quality pressings which are clean and have little wear, then go for a stylus upgrade which will impart more clarity and accuracy to the reproduction.
I'll just add some information on 'generator loss'.
I recenty saw a comparison between the (£95) Ortofon 2M Red and the (£164) Ortofon 2M Silver (an OEM model).
The Silver has fewer turns on its coils than the Red, resulting in a lower electrical impedance which, in turn, results in it having less warmth and more treble.
Both the Red and the Silver have elliptical styli that appear identical, showing that high frequency performance is not just down to stylus type.
I recenty saw a comparison between the (£95) Ortofon 2M Red and the (£164) Ortofon 2M Silver (an OEM model).
The Silver has fewer turns on its coils than the Red, resulting in a lower electrical impedance which, in turn, results in it having less warmth and more treble.
Both the Red and the Silver have elliptical styli that appear identical, showing that high frequency performance is not just down to stylus type.
The Stanton 680 was the cartridge my son used to make money disco-ing in high school. He started the gig as soon as he could get a drivers license. Now a jet-jockey!
I am just no good at setting up a cart and always require the attention of a "golden-ears" friend from our audio society.
Ah, the ole cartridge "discussion" thread....... yet again. 🙄
Sways like a boat on rough seas.... one way to the other.
Get a decent Audio Technica, slap it in that tonearm, and enjoy some music.
Sways like a boat on rough seas.... one way to the other.
Get a decent Audio Technica, slap it in that tonearm, and enjoy some music.
Ah, that nasty SRA thing again.
How bout 90 degrees?..... will that make frank sinatra sound like a woman now?
All this talk about the "angle" is BS because that so-called 92 degrees is fluctuating as the disk plays and is never exact.
OMG that warp!.... it changed the SRA momentarily by over 10 degrees!
Please..... that stuff is not just for fanatics, it's for those people with OCD disease.... nutty people.
wiseoldtech - What warp, I have over 1000 LP,s & only 1 wrapped (received that way in the mail). But overcoming warps is the tonearms job. That's why you need a great tonearm.
Cheers
They are still a great buy to enter and stay in the world of LOMC. A great "bargain"! They have not been exceeded for that value, the generator is excellent, they only attribute the needle (it is conical) and the body (too weak, somewhat elastic) as points to improve them but specialists have emerged in "improving" them so that they can compete and still outperform those that are 10 times their price, many reviews say.
That being said, the DL 103 cartridge is not suitable for coupling with conventional low mass arms.
Also a few years ago, the high-output HOMCs have emerged, but I have never heard them, so I can not comment.
I also ignore the issue of compliance, I imagine they have made them compatible with the light arms for MM. It would be the logical thing to do.
I had a lot of MM cartridges, from entry-level to top-of-the-range, mainly Shure's and Stanton's, and recently, I decided to go for the DL103, something that I didn't decide on because I had to buy a phono preamplifier for MC as well.
I should have done this much sooner, I am fascinated rediscovering my vinyls.
https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...rtridge-dl-103-happy-end.380936/#post-6888625
You're missing my general point.
This Vertical Trackng Angle "worry" or debate has become silly with its "exactness" of application.
Like the Snake Oil discussions, it's WAY overblown, and limited to "snob appeal".
If it was THAT important to everyone, then EVERY turntable made would have the facility of adjusting it.
Everything has a reason, that some are not interested in the VTA is another song ...
https://www.google.com/search?q=adj...e&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_fz_JYbbeGfDL1sQPvZmM0AY36
https://www.google.com/search?q=adj...e&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_fz_JYbbeGfDL1sQPvZmM0AY36