Cart/Stylus for Pioneer PL510
codycatalist
Posts: 2,662
in Electronics
Decided to get the TT back up and running, need to get the belt replaced and a proper stylus. Originally the TT came with the Pioneer headshell and an Empire Cart/Stylus (Don't remember model number but may be able to dig it up. I have since switched to an Ortofon Pro S and do not like the sound. What is a good affordable alternative where I can use the original headshell? Budget is around 50 bones or so as I don't listen as much as I used to.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Just a dude doing dude-ly things
"Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
" I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
"Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
"Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
"Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
"Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
" I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
"Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
"Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
"Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member
Comments
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I do want to mention I can look up resources for recommendations but I wanted to get your opinions and I am COMPLETELY lost on almost any knowledge of TTs, carts, stylus and set up.Just a dude doing dude-ly things
"Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
" I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
"Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
"Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
"Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member -
Well -- I like Grado but I do not know if that particular Pioneer would have issues with hum (the Grados are infamously un-shielded).
The Grado Black has gotten to be more than fiddy smackers, though.
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mhardy6647 wrote: »Well -- I like Grado but I do not know if that particular Pioneer would have issues with hum (the Grados are infamously un-shielded).
The Grado Black has gotten to be more than fiddy smackers, though.
I read online someone recommended the Grado Black Cart, I assume they know they are un-shielded. I might go that direction, is there anything I need to know about this cart? Sound signature, certain phono pre specs I need to meet etc? I plan on using my Marantz PM325 and running them to my Polk TSI200s.Just a dude doing dude-ly things
"Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
" I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
"Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
"Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
"Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member -
I dunno, I've used Grados on and off for nearly four decades. They have a rich, lush sound that - to me - gets one in the ballpark of a good low output MC for (in the case of the Black) a fraction of the price. My opinion -- which may not reflect current thinking on these! -- is they're pretty undemanding in terms of loading and have good output (i.e., don't need more than average gain). There are - at the higher price points - low output versions of some Grado cartridges... but not for the Black (at least AFAIK).
In full disclosure, in some arms, Grados will exhibit some weird tracing behavior known as "the Grado dance". I'll also note that the 1970s-style "S" shaped Japanese massmarket tt arms, in principle, are a bot on the high-ish mass side for the fairly high compliance Grados.... but I've used a Grado FTE+1 (essentially the 1970s equivalent to the Black -- the entry-level Grado elliptical ca. 1977, @ $13
) on a PL-512xD with, I thought, good results.
EL84PPstereoconsole by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
(you can't actually see it in that photo, but there was an FTE+1 in that Pioneer tt in a basement system we had in MA for years)
As a point of comparison, I don't like the sound of any A-T cartridges that I can afford! I find them thin and brittle sounding. I feel sort of the same way about affordable (modern) Ortofons, too.
Many (many) folks will disagree with me on both of the latter, and probably on my "recommendation", too!
Sorry about that!
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Thanks for the run down Doc! You haven't steered me wrong yet so I'll probably take your advice and just get the Grado Black. I have a decent turn table that's just collecting dust and would rather put it to use than not. I mostly moved over to cds due to the inconsistency I get from my vinyl collection but always preferred playing anything pre 1980s through that medium amd I got plenty of it.Just a dude doing dude-ly things
"Temptation is the manifestation of desire which equals necessity." - Mikey081057
" I have always had a champange taste with a beer budget" - Rick88
"Just because the thread is getting views don't mean much .. I like a good train wreck doesn't mean i want to be in one..." - pitdogg2
"Those that don't know, don't know that they don't know." - heiney9
"Audiophiles are the male equivalent of cat ladies." - Audiokarma Member -
Yeah, me, too.
My estimate is ca. 3k record albums -- Mrs. H thinks it's more like 6k.
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I have an old Grado "G" cart on my PL-530 and love it. I also tried it on a PL-518 with same results. Results further improve with a Parasound phono pre-amp.Stan
Main 2ch:
Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.
HT:
Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60
Other stuff:
Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601 -
The Schiit Mani @ $129 has been getting a lot of favorable reviews and I agree that the Parasound zphono is also a nice "budget" option. I have also tried the Art DJ Pre II and it's a ridiculously good value just to get you started. I'm no longer using the DJ pre II since I got the Bottlehead pre going in my setup so I'd be more than happy to sell it to you if you need a dedicated phono pre to get you started. Yes, it works well with the Grado Black Send me a PM if interested.
I had several Pioneer 'tables here over the last year (2 PL-7's & a PL-500) and they all played very well with the Grado Black. Thankfully, I did not experience the Grado "hum" on any 'table with which I paired it.
I actually have the Black on my Technics SL-Q3 right now. I am torn between the Shure M95ED & the Grado Black on this 'table. They both sound great.Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10 -
I find it amazing how a little box like the Zphono can improve sound. It's a go to for affordable phono preamp duties.
I experienced the same with my PPH-100.
Stan
Main 2ch:
Polk LSi15 (DB840 upgrade), Parasound: P/LD-1100, HCA-1000A; Denon: DVD-2910, DRM-800A; Benchmark DAC1, Monster HTS3600-MKII, Grado SR-225i; Technics SL-J2, Parasound PPH-100.
HT:
Marantz SR7010, Polk: RTA11TL (RDO198-1, XO and Damping Upgrades), S4, CS250, PSW110 , Marantz UD5005, Pioneer PL-530, Panasonic TC-P42S60
Other stuff:
Denon: DRA-835R, AVR-888, DCD-660, DRM-700A, DRR-780; Polk: S8, Monitor 5A, 5B, TSi100, RM7, PSW10 (DXi104 upgrade); Pioneer: CT-6R; Onkyo CP-1046F; Ortofon OM5E, Marantz: PM5004, CD5004, CDR-615; Parasound C/PT-600, HCA-800ii, Sony CDP-650ESD, Technics SA 5070, B&W DM601 -
The really nice thing about the DJ PreII is that it offers a lot of adjustability for a
bargain price. I've never heard one, but I am half-tempted to acquire one just to play with.
Believe it or not, I really do try to offer (really stong) opinions on stuff I've actually experienced ears-on.
You know -- I might just start a phono preamp thread... I feel like pontificating about a couple of other things, and it's really not fair to the OP to do it here!
