Cart for my TT

Upstatemax
Upstatemax Posts: 2,670
edited September 2011 in 2 Channel Audio
I'm looking for some input for my new to me Thorens TD 166 MKII.

The cart it came with is a Grado MT+, it needs a new stylus but I'm looking to see if I might be better off going with a whole new cart.

vinyl is new to me, so I really could use some help and education!

Thanks for any input.
Post edited by Upstatemax on
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  • gudnoyez
    gudnoyez Posts: 8,124
    edited September 2011
    Go to the needledoctor web site I have gotten a replacement Stylus for my Ortofon cartridge and my Audio Technica cartridge from them.
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  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited September 2011
    What Phono stage do you have, looking for mm or mc, what is your budget and what is it the grado is making you want more of?
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited September 2011
    FYI, Needle Doctor is having a sale that ends today. Use "labor10" during checkout for 10% off.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,804
    edited September 2011
    The Thorens is a very good turntable with a low-mass arm. It will be happiest with a high-compliance cartridge; the Grado that is on there now fills the bill. I quite like the Grado sound, they're lush and (truth be told) somewhat euphonic. I don't know that particular model - suffice it to say that Grados are available today at prices from $50 to several thousand smackers... and they all sound good (and similar in "tone"). You could do worse than to chuck a nice new stylus into your extant Grado.

    http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store/Grado-Phono-Cartridges

    The venerable and inexpensive Shure M97xe would be also be a good choice.
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,670
    edited September 2011
    I'll be using my HK 3490 with the Thorens, I have never even spun a record on it! The seller pulled the good cart for his new unit and threw in this Grado for the hell of it and it had a busted stylus.

    From what I can gather, the cart it came with is a fairly inexpensive Grado... comparable to the current Prestige "Black" cart.
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,670
    edited September 2011
    Thanks for the input so far.

    I'm going back and forth on the Grado Blue1 and the Shure M97xe, with a slight favor to the Grado based on online feedback. I feel like the Grado gets all around good reviews while the Shure is far more mixed.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited September 2011
    The Shure sounds nice, but is a little on the warm side. It works very well in my system, but YMMV.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,670
    edited September 2011
    Face wrote: »
    The Shure sounds nice, but is a little on the warm side. It works very well in my system, but YMMV.

    Never mind my last post, lol.

    I just saw that the Shure is available through Amazon for $53... I'm not willing to spend over double that for the Grado.
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,670
    edited September 2011
    So I have the Shure M97xe and Thorens all set up and I have been spinning some stuff and WOW...

    I'm in love with Vinyl... SMOOTH and just a joy to listen to.

    I got my fingers on ZZ Tops "First Album" and I'm just in love with the solid bass lines, natural drum tone and Billy's guitar has NEVER sounded so sweet to my ears.

    I have a lot more stuff to spin and I can't wait for the Cart to break in.
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  • inspiredsports
    inspiredsports Posts: 5,501
    edited September 2011
    I've had (or still have) several of the TD 166 MKII's and the Shure M97xe is an excellent match until you spend a lot more money. You made a great choice and it will definitely get even better over the next 100 hours or so of use.

    I've had several of the TD 166 MKII's matched up with numerous Grado Cartridges and stylii as well as the Shure M97xe. In my opinion, you need to get to a Grado that at least supports the Silver stylus to tie the Shure, and that would cost about 3 times what you spent. Good job.

    Enjoy!
    VTL ST50 w/mods / RCA6L6GC / TlfnknECC801S
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 w/mods
    TT Conrad Johnson Sonographe SG3 Oak / Sumiko LMT / Grado Woodbody Platinum / Sumiko PIB2 / The Clamp
    Musical Fidelity A1 CDPro/ Bada DD-22 Tube CDP / Conrad Johnson SD-22 CDP
    Tuners w/mods Kenwood KT5020 / Fisher KM60
    MF x-DAC V8, HAInfo NG27
    Herbies Ti-9 / Vibrapods / MIT Shotgun AC1 IEC's / MIT Shotgun 2 IC's / MIT Shotgun 2 Speaker Cables
    PS Audio Cryo / PowerPort Premium Outlets / Exact Power EP15A Conditioner
    Walnut SDA 2B TL /Oak SDA SRS II TL (Sonicaps/Mills/Cardas/Custom SDA ICs / Dynamat Extreme / Larry's Rings/ FSB-2 Spikes
    NAD SS rigs w/mods
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  • indyhawg
    indyhawg Posts: 1,642
    edited September 2011
    Congrats on the TT. I have that same model and it is paired with a Signet TK 1E cartridge. It sounds great. You'll have a lot of fun spinning vinyl.
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,670
    edited September 2011
    Thanks guys. I'm spinning Mumford and Sons "Sigh No More" and it just beats the pants off of copy that my friend ripped to my PS3. No real shock there...
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  • inspiredsports
    inspiredsports Posts: 5,501
    edited September 2011
    I forgot to ask, how low are you able to get that Shure to track?
    VTL ST50 w/mods / RCA6L6GC / TlfnknECC801S
    Conrad Johnson PV-5 w/mods
    TT Conrad Johnson Sonographe SG3 Oak / Sumiko LMT / Grado Woodbody Platinum / Sumiko PIB2 / The Clamp
    Musical Fidelity A1 CDPro/ Bada DD-22 Tube CDP / Conrad Johnson SD-22 CDP
    Tuners w/mods Kenwood KT5020 / Fisher KM60
    MF x-DAC V8, HAInfo NG27
    Herbies Ti-9 / Vibrapods / MIT Shotgun AC1 IEC's / MIT Shotgun 2 IC's / MIT Shotgun 2 Speaker Cables
    PS Audio Cryo / PowerPort Premium Outlets / Exact Power EP15A Conditioner
    Walnut SDA 2B TL /Oak SDA SRS II TL (Sonicaps/Mills/Cardas/Custom SDA ICs / Dynamat Extreme / Larry's Rings/ FSB-2 Spikes
    NAD SS rigs w/mods
    GIK panels
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  • Upstatemax
    Upstatemax Posts: 2,670
    edited September 2011
    inspiredsports wrote: »
    I forgot to ask, how low are you able to get that Shure to track?

    Max recommended is 1.5g minimum is .75g
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  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited September 2011
    Setup is key and can yield excellent improvements. Be anal about setup and you will be rewarded.

    I had the 97 then went to 160 in old technics and found the 97 to be a great price to performance ratio.

    Clean your records and stylis. A microscope is handy.
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
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