what tt cartridge?

soundfreak1
soundfreak1 Posts: 3,414
edited April 2013 in Electronics
Should be getting the marantz 6100 out of shop after being gone thru and serviced ( belts, anti skate weight a full cleaning.) going to need a cartridge. Looking to get what i would refer to a starter cart. nothing exoctic or special, just something to test out tt and my willingness too get back into vynal. Suggustions would be helpfull. Figure a budget of about a hundo. Thanks.
Main Rig:
Krell KAV 250a biamped to mid/highs
Parasound HCA1500A biamped to lows
Nakamichi EC100 Active xover
MIT exp 1 ic's
Perreaux SA33 class A preamp
AQ kingcobra ic's
OPPO 83 CDP
Lehmann audio black cube SE phono pre, Audioquest phono wire (ITA1/1)
Denon DP-1200 TT. AToc9ML MC cart.
Monster HTS 3600 power conditioner
ADS L1590/2 Biamped
MIT exps2 speaker cable
Post edited by soundfreak1 on
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Comments

  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited March 2013
    Shure MX97E.

    http://www.amazon.com/Shure-M97xE-High-Performance-Magnetic-Cartridge/dp/B00006I5SB/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362918601&sr=8-1&keywords=Shure+mx97e

    Even enough leftover in your budget to buy a new album.
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,806
    edited March 2013
    I concur; Shure M97xe - fine sounding, easy to live with, and good tracking; a very good value at typical street prices.
    It's a pretty high compliance cartridge, but it works more than satisfactorily well in a typical medium mass S-shaped Japanese arm such as that in the 6100 (which was made by CEC for Marantz).

    I put an M97xe in a Pioneer PL-12D (quite similar to the 6100; basically entry-level belt drive) for my daughter when she went to college (2002); she and her husband :-) are still using it regularly sans complaints.
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  • soundfreak1
    soundfreak1 Posts: 3,414
    edited March 2013
    Sounds like kust what the doctor ordered! Thanks.
    Main Rig:
    Krell KAV 250a biamped to mid/highs
    Parasound HCA1500A biamped to lows
    Nakamichi EC100 Active xover
    MIT exp 1 ic's
    Perreaux SA33 class A preamp
    AQ kingcobra ic's
    OPPO 83 CDP
    Lehmann audio black cube SE phono pre, Audioquest phono wire (ITA1/1)
    Denon DP-1200 TT. AToc9ML MC cart.
    Monster HTS 3600 power conditioner
    ADS L1590/2 Biamped
    MIT exps2 speaker cable
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  • soundfreak1
    soundfreak1 Posts: 3,414
    edited April 2013
    Now that its here and im quite pleased with it, any value in spending 150.00 for cart? Is there any jump in sound for 150. Vs 100.?
    Main Rig:
    Krell KAV 250a biamped to mid/highs
    Parasound HCA1500A biamped to lows
    Nakamichi EC100 Active xover
    MIT exp 1 ic's
    Perreaux SA33 class A preamp
    AQ kingcobra ic's
    OPPO 83 CDP
    Lehmann audio black cube SE phono pre, Audioquest phono wire (ITA1/1)
    Denon DP-1200 TT. AToc9ML MC cart.
    Monster HTS 3600 power conditioner
    ADS L1590/2 Biamped
    MIT exps2 speaker cable
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  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited April 2013
    If you don't mind me asking, what type of record cleaning machine do you own?
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited April 2013
    Reason I ask is this. You've asked for a recommendation for a starter cartridge to test your willingness to get back into vinyl. I'm guessing by the fact that you're already asking about getting an even better cartridge than the MX97E that you've decided to go forward with vinyl. If that's the case, then you already have a very good starter cartridge that you can ride out for a while and get a lot of enjoyment out of. That Shure is a great sounding cartridge, you shouldn't be in a rush to go replacing it. I'm sure others will chime in here, but in my opinion if you're going to get serious about vinyl, there is no single change you can make that will improve your listening experience more than a quality vacuum-powered cleaning machine. I use the VPI 16.5, for example. They are not cheap, but when you think about the cost spread out over an entire vinyl collection, you can rationalize the price as being quite low on a per-record basis. When I got started, I spent considerably more money on my cleaning machine than I did on my first turntable.

    It doesn't matter how much you spend on a cartridge, you will not get great sound from a vinyl rig without starting with clean vinyl. I would put that $150 towards starting to save for a high quality RCM. Get all of your records, including brand new ones, thoroughly cleaned before you start investing money elsewhere into better turntables, tonearms, cartridges, etc.

    By the way, also should ask what you're using as a phono pre-amp? I would invest there next, after the RCM. Don't spend any more money on a better cartridge, you've got a great starter cartridge already. Spend money wisely from here on in on quality equipment that will take you forward for years to come.

    Just my two cents.
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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  • soundfreak1
    soundfreak1 Posts: 3,414
    edited April 2013
    The tt "has arrived" not the m97xe. Will order it and seriously shop around for a rcm. Thanks for all the good advise.
    Main Rig:
    Krell KAV 250a biamped to mid/highs
    Parasound HCA1500A biamped to lows
    Nakamichi EC100 Active xover
    MIT exp 1 ic's
    Perreaux SA33 class A preamp
    AQ kingcobra ic's
    OPPO 83 CDP
    Lehmann audio black cube SE phono pre, Audioquest phono wire (ITA1/1)
    Denon DP-1200 TT. AToc9ML MC cart.
    Monster HTS 3600 power conditioner
    ADS L1590/2 Biamped
    MIT exps2 speaker cable
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  • soundfreak1
    soundfreak1 Posts: 3,414
    edited April 2013
    The shure should be here by friday. Yea!
    Main Rig:
    Krell KAV 250a biamped to mid/highs
    Parasound HCA1500A biamped to lows
    Nakamichi EC100 Active xover
    MIT exp 1 ic's
    Perreaux SA33 class A preamp
    AQ kingcobra ic's
    OPPO 83 CDP
    Lehmann audio black cube SE phono pre, Audioquest phono wire (ITA1/1)
    Denon DP-1200 TT. AToc9ML MC cart.
    Monster HTS 3600 power conditioner
    ADS L1590/2 Biamped
    MIT exps2 speaker cable
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  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited April 2013
    Are you installing yourself or are you having someone do it for you?
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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  • soundfreak1
    soundfreak1 Posts: 3,414
    edited April 2013
    nspindel wrote: »
    Are you installing yourself or are you having someone do it for you?

    I have read this one is a bitc....hard so my tech ( he has the protractor) so he will mount the unir in the headshell for me.
    Main Rig:
    Krell KAV 250a biamped to mid/highs
    Parasound HCA1500A biamped to lows
    Nakamichi EC100 Active xover
    MIT exp 1 ic's
    Perreaux SA33 class A preamp
    AQ kingcobra ic's
    OPPO 83 CDP
    Lehmann audio black cube SE phono pre, Audioquest phono wire (ITA1/1)
    Denon DP-1200 TT. AToc9ML MC cart.
    Monster HTS 3600 power conditioner
    ADS L1590/2 Biamped
    MIT exps2 speaker cable
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  • nspindel
    nspindel Posts: 5,343
    edited April 2013
    Good. Unless you really know what you're doing, best to let a pro install a cartridge for you and adjust tone arm VTA.
    Good music, a good source, and good power can make SDA's sing. Tubes make them dance.
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  • Tankman
    Tankman Posts: 419
    edited April 2013
    Whats up Peoples!..I just got back into Vinyl!I ordered a TurnTable for Amazon it came in Monday of this week My oldest Son had been holding my LP's for over 17 years before I became disable from working in the Oilfield I moved around a lot cause of my work.Got all of my LP's and most of them are over 35 years old and in great shape.I am impress with the unit its not a highend unit but it does sound better then I expected its a Audio-Technica 120.I have to say I really like the way Vinyl sounds and I am very happy with the unit.
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  • RamZet
    RamZet Posts: 792
    edited April 2013
    The Shure MX97E is a nice piece. Im using it on my AudioTechnica240. You will like it.

    Lets see some pictures of the setup when you're all ready and setup!

    BTW
    Amazon .com
    If you buy a CD or vinyl you get the MP3 for free. If the album you are looking at say "auto rip" then you get both copies.
    B&W CM9Classé Sigma
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  • soundfreak1
    soundfreak1 Posts: 3,414
    edited April 2013
    Marantz 6100 tt.jpg
    6100 (a).jpg
    6100 (b).jpg
    here is some picts
    Main Rig:
    Krell KAV 250a biamped to mid/highs
    Parasound HCA1500A biamped to lows
    Nakamichi EC100 Active xover
    MIT exp 1 ic's
    Perreaux SA33 class A preamp
    AQ kingcobra ic's
    OPPO 83 CDP
    Lehmann audio black cube SE phono pre, Audioquest phono wire (ITA1/1)
    Denon DP-1200 TT. AToc9ML MC cart.
    Monster HTS 3600 power conditioner
    ADS L1590/2 Biamped
    MIT exps2 speaker cable
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  • Tankman
    Tankman Posts: 419
    edited April 2013
    Vinyl Wins nothing can Match it! Yep you heard right No CD,No tape=Player..lmao...or?
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  • Tankman
    Tankman Posts: 419
    edited April 2013
    RamZet wrote: »
    The Shure MX97E is a nice piece. Im using it on my AudioTechnica240. You will like it.

    Lets see some pictures of the setup when you're all ready and setup!

    BTW
    Amazon .com
    If you buy a CD or vinyl you get the MP3 for free. If the album you are looking at say "auto rip" then you get both copies.
    I will post photo today.I am beside myself about the lowend of my TT the mids and highs are very revealing.
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