Phono cartridges

I haven't had a turntable in decades since my beloved HK was stolen. I'm sort of considering getting back into it because, honestly, turntables are just the coolest looking piece of audio there is and I miss the sweet sound.

Question is: Which cartridge makers are still in business? I remember Ortofon, AT, Shure, Pickering, and B&O used to build some good sounding units. Which ones survived digital?
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Comments

  • voltz
    voltz Posts: 5,384
    2 ch- Polk CRS+ * Vincent SA-31MK Preamp * Vincent Sp-331 Amp * Marantz SA8005 SACD * Project Xperience Classic TT * Sumiko Blue Point #2 MC cartridge

    HT - Polk 703's * NAD T-758 * Adcom 5503 * Oppo 103 * Samsung 60" series 8 LCD
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,560
    Can't go wrong with an Ortofon Blue.
  • mpitogo
    mpitogo Posts: 475
    @The_Polkster I picked it back up sometime around 2011 and have been enjoying it since. I actually "listen" to more music now than I did when it was a digital download. I now have 3 TT and each has its own character. So far I have three integrated amps and they have a standard MM phono section, Rotel, McIntosh and Sansui. I have not yet looked into the rabbit hole that is MC and dedicated phono-pre.

    Check out https://www.needledoctor.com and https://www.musicdirect.com. Those sites are pretty cool to show you what is out there but sometimes Amazon has them cheaper.

    @Clipdat I was looking at Ortofon Blue for a medium mass tonearm on a Denon DP-2500. I think the specs show its a medium compliance cart. What TT do you have it attached to? I also have a Sansui FR-1080 and I tried an Ortofon Super OM-10 and it was a terrible combo. So much noise and and it lacked low and mid definition. I tried to make sure the cart was well aligned but it was just not meant to be. I went the super entry level and got an AT3600 and what a 360 in sound. The sound was much better balanced. The stylus picked up less noise and more body but was lacking top end compared to higher priced AT440MLb.
    • Living Room Music-2.0 Polk Legend L800 | McIntosh C70 | McIntosh MA5200 (Treble) | McIntosh MC452 (Bass) | Sublimeacoustic K231 Active xover | Denon DP-2500A | Denafrips Ares II | Belkin Soundform Connect | iPad Air USB to DAC
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    Grado's doin' fine.

    Plenty of good cartridges to choose from -- often not inexpensive any more, though.
  • gce
    gce Posts: 2,158
    Ortofon Quintet Black was just what the doctor ordered for my table.
    Anaheim Hills CA,
    HT 5.1: Anthem MRX 720 / BDP-Denon DBT1713UD / Polkaudio LSiM703 / W4S mAmp's / Polkaudio LSiM706c / Polkaudio LSiM702F/X's / SVS PC12-NSD / Panasonic TC P55VT30

    2 Channel: Rogue RP-5 / WireWorld Electra power cord / Marantz TT-15S1/ Ortofon - Quintet Black MC / Marantz NA8005 DAC / W4S mAmp's / Synology DS 216+ll-4TB / Polkaudio LSiM703
  • I forgot about my very forgettable experience with a Revox linear track that wasted a perfectly good Ortofon.
  • mpitogo wrote: »
    @The_Polkster I picked it back up sometime around 2011 and have been enjoying it since. I actually "listen" to more music now than I did when it was a digital download. I now have 3 TT and each has its own character. So far I have three integrated amps and they have a standard MM phono section, Rotel, McIntosh and Sansui. I have not yet looked into the rabbit hole that is MC and dedicated phono-pre.

    Check out https://www.needledoctor.com and https://www.musicdirect.com. Those sites are pretty cool to show you what is out there but sometimes Amazon has them cheaper.

    I used to bring that very same Revox to Jerry Raskin (needle Doctor) many years ago. When I finally gave up on that TT I gave up on analog entirely. His place was a funny little hole in the wall back then. I should drop in and see what it's like now.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    There is a nice denon in the FS area. Denon makes some good carts..
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    That Denon is sold, however, I researched for several months before I settled on a table and cartridge (lot of good that did :) ) and the Denon cartridges kept coming up as a universally agreed upon good choice. Many said it was just so easy to listen to.
  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,288
    Agreed. Im still running a denon dl160 on my old 1200. It bested a goldring costing 3x as much.
    Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300, Audioquest Thunderbird Zero Speaker Cable, Tyler Highland H2, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    Cartridges, as with every audio component, tend to have a house sound by brand, so many times it comes down to personal taste.

    IMO, Grado and Shure are warmer;
    Audio Technica is brighter;
    Ortofon (at least MM) are analytical.

    Denon is neutral and smooth, but you can't replace the stylus without shipping it off somewhere. Also, depending on which model, an MC preamp may be needed.

    So, type of music, and the characteristics of other components in the system may dictate what makes the most sense, or what matches your taste.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited February 2018
    I concur with the post above (FWIW).
    It does seem worth mentioning that, to me at least, it seems that there is a wider variety of cartridges ("brands", if you will -- some very botique) available today than ever before (even in the heyday of stereo hifi in the late 1950s into the late 1970s).

    http://store.acousticsounds.com/c/35/Cartridges

    https://www.musicdirect.com/equipment/phono-cartridges/?category=Phono%20Cartridges&sort=popularity|DESC&page=1&pagesize=24&c1=tab-products&c2=grid

    ... and don't forget :)


    https://www.sound-smith.com/

    As an aside (although perhaps not entirely irrelevant), the Denon DL-103 and Ortofon SPU cartridge line have been in continuous production since at least the early 1960s (the SPU perhaps a little earlier). The Shure M44 has been around since ca. 1964 (see http://www.shure.com/americas/support/find-an-answer/vintage-shure-catalogs-1933-1984). The basic Grado line is fundamentally unchanged since at least the mid-1970s.

    I would submit that these survivors have survived for a reason. ;)

  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,560
    I don't have the blue, I basically have the equivalent of this on my Technics 1200: https://www.musicdirect.com/phono-cartridges/ortofon-2m-pnp-red-mm-phono-cartridge
    mpitogo wrote: »
    @Clipdat I was looking at Ortofon Blue for a medium mass tonearm on a Denon DP-2500. I think the specs show its a medium compliance cart. What TT do you have it attached to? I also have a Sansui FR-1080 and I tried an Ortofon Super OM-10 and it was a terrible combo. So much noise and and it lacked low and mid definition. I tried to make sure the cart was well aligned but it was just not meant to be. I went the super entry level and got an AT3600 and what a 360 in sound. The sound was much better balanced. The stylus picked up less noise and more body but was lacking top end compared to higher priced AT440MLb.

  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    I love ClearAudio, but have only had the Titanium V2 and the Stradivari V2 on my table...
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • mpitogo
    mpitogo Posts: 475
    • Living Room Music-2.0 Polk Legend L800 | McIntosh C70 | McIntosh MA5200 (Treble) | McIntosh MC452 (Bass) | Sublimeacoustic K231 Active xover | Denon DP-2500A | Denafrips Ares II | Belkin Soundform Connect | iPad Air USB to DAC
    • Media Room Ht-7.2.6/13.1 (Atmos/Auro-3D) Polk LSiM707, LSiM706c, LSiM702 F/X [x4], height LSiM703 [x6], HSU VTF-15H MK2 Dual | Marantz AV8805A | Rotel RB-1590 (L/R) | Appollon NC500 11ch | Sony UBP-X800 | AppleTV 4K | JVC RS2100
    • Game Room-5.1 Polk LSi25, LSiC, LSiF/X | Marantz SR7009 | AppleTV 4K | Xbox One S | Sony PS2, PS3 | Nintendo Wii | Gaming PC | Sony 75" LCD
    • Master Bedroom Music-2.0 Totem Hawk | Marantz PM-10 | Marantz SA-10 | SONY PS-HX500
    • Office-2.0 Ascend Acoustics Sierra LX, DSW microPRO3000 | Rotel RA-1570 | Marantz HD-CD1
    • Daughter's Bedroom 1-2.0 TBD Martin Logan Forte
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    • Guest Room 4-2.0 QAcoustics 3030i | Sansui AU-6900 | Topping DX7s | Sansui FR-1080 | TV
    • Maintenance: Pro-Ject VC-S Record Cleaning Machine
  • mpitogo
    mpitogo Posts: 475
    kharp1 wrote: »
    That Denon is sold, however, I researched for several months before I settled on a table and cartridge (lot of good that did :) ) and the Denon cartridges kept coming up as a universally agreed upon good choice. Many said it was just so easy to listen to.

    haha I offered to buy your TT but was too late. I have the DL-110 in my Amazon cart. I decided against the Ortofon Blue.

    My problem, I can't figure out this compliance calculation. Need a compliance for dummy guide. I understand generally high mass tonearms should have low compliance carts, medium mass tonearms should have medium compliance carts and low mass high compliance carts.


    Static compliance eg 35 x 10-6 cm/dyne
    vs
    Dynamic compliance eg 18 x 10-6 cm/dyne (100Hz) or (vs 10Hz)
    vs
    Compliance eg 10 μm/mN

    • Living Room Music-2.0 Polk Legend L800 | McIntosh C70 | McIntosh MA5200 (Treble) | McIntosh MC452 (Bass) | Sublimeacoustic K231 Active xover | Denon DP-2500A | Denafrips Ares II | Belkin Soundform Connect | iPad Air USB to DAC
    • Media Room Ht-7.2.6/13.1 (Atmos/Auro-3D) Polk LSiM707, LSiM706c, LSiM702 F/X [x4], height LSiM703 [x6], HSU VTF-15H MK2 Dual | Marantz AV8805A | Rotel RB-1590 (L/R) | Appollon NC500 11ch | Sony UBP-X800 | AppleTV 4K | JVC RS2100
    • Game Room-5.1 Polk LSi25, LSiC, LSiF/X | Marantz SR7009 | AppleTV 4K | Xbox One S | Sony PS2, PS3 | Nintendo Wii | Gaming PC | Sony 75" LCD
    • Master Bedroom Music-2.0 Totem Hawk | Marantz PM-10 | Marantz SA-10 | SONY PS-HX500
    • Office-2.0 Ascend Acoustics Sierra LX, DSW microPRO3000 | Rotel RA-1570 | Marantz HD-CD1
    • Daughter's Bedroom 1-2.0 TBD Martin Logan Forte
    • Guest Room 2-2.0 Klipsch RP-600M | Martin Logan Forte
    • Guest Room 3-3.0 Martin Logan Motion 40, 50XT | Onkyo TX-SR705 | Apple TV | Samsung 55" TV
    • Guest Room 4-2.0 QAcoustics 3030i | Sansui AU-6900 | Topping DX7s | Sansui FR-1080 | TV
    • Maintenance: Pro-Ject VC-S Record Cleaning Machine
  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    That's why I went with the Project, it was already mounted and had plug and play set up...mostly. After research I realized I didn't have an engineering degree and trying to figure out everything with installing a new cartridge was more than I wanted to deal with.
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    edited February 2018
    His place was a funny little hole in the wall back then. I should drop in and see what it's like now.

    I'll bet they can make you an offer you can't refuse. :)
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • mpitogo wrote: »
    kharp1 wrote: »
    That Denon is sold, however, I researched for several months before I settled on a table and cartridge (lot of good that did :) ) and the Denon cartridges kept coming up as a universally agreed upon good choice. Many said it was just so easy to listen to.

    haha I offered to buy your TT but was too late. I have the DL-110 in my Amazon cart. I decided against the Ortofon Blue.

    My problem, I can't figure out this compliance calculation. Need a compliance for dummy guide. I understand generally high mass tonearms should have low compliance carts, medium mass tonearms should have medium compliance carts and low mass high compliance carts.


    Static compliance eg 35 x 10-6 cm/dyne
    vs
    Dynamic compliance eg 18 x 10-6 cm/dyne (100Hz) or (vs 10Hz)
    vs
    Compliance eg 10 μm/mN

    Go to VinylEngine.com - Tools - Cartridge Resonance Evaluator.
  • wolfie62
    wolfie62 Posts: 24
    I think vintage carts are the way to go. There has been zero improvement over the last 35 years, just changes in appearance. Why I say that: There are few objective test labs that put these carts through the paces that was once common in the 70s/80s/90s. Now, any cart mfr can make and sell anything, and no one is the wiser. Sure, you can flowery objective praise and descriptions, but not REAL LAB TESTS. The vintage carts lived and died by objective lab tests. When I buy vintage, I know what I am getting!

    Having said all that, I love the ADC XLM/ZLM carts. Styli are abundant and varied, with the choice of boutique diamond cuts, or elliptical. Also, you don't need beryllium cantilevers to get the designed response such as for the Shure V15 IV/V series than no one makes anymore. I bought and sold the Ortofon 2M Bronze and Black. Just not enough detail and air. The ADC carts are inexpensive, and have the flat frequency response, air, imaging, detail, tracking ability that are missing from modern carts that cost FAR MORE MONEY. It's a very neutral cart, yet is extremely revealing, and so "MC" like, you won't ever wish you had gone the MC route.

    sykbidc00p77.jpg
    Invention is the mother of necessity.

    "The Vintage Square":

    Polk RTA 8T (1988, new to me 2018), Peerless+MB Quart DIY (1992), Velodyne DLS 3500R (2005)

    Dynaudio DIY tower 1994: Dual 28 mm soft dome tweeters, dual 9" woofers, custom equal-compromise 2nd order CO, 1.35 cu ft enclosure

    Denon DP45-F (1981), JVC QL Y5F (1980), ADC XLM MKIII (1982), Shure V15V (1982)

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    Custom DIY dual monoblock 235 w/ch IGBT output power amplifiers

  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    edited March 2018
    wolfie62 wrote: »
    I think vintage carts are the way to go. There has been zero improvement over the last 35 years, just changes in appearance. Why I say that: There are few objective test labs that put these carts through the paces that was once common in the 70s/80s/90s. Now, any cart mfr can make and sell anything, and no one is the wiser. Sure, you can flowery objective praise and descriptions, but not REAL LAB TESTS. The vintage carts lived and died by objective lab tests. When I buy vintage, I know what I am getting!

    Having said all that, I love the ADC XLM/ZLM carts. Styli are abundant and varied, with the choice of boutique diamond cuts, or elliptical. Also, you don't need beryllium cantilevers to get the designed response such as for the Shure V15 IV/V series than no one makes anymore. I bought and sold the Ortofon 2M Bronze and Black. Just not enough detail and air. The ADC carts are inexpensive, and have the flat frequency response, air, imaging, detail, tracking ability that are missing from modern carts that cost FAR MORE MONEY. It's a very neutral cart, yet is extremely revealing, and so "MC" like, you won't ever wish you had gone the MC route.

    I guess that all depends on how the cart will work with your tonearm/table.

    I have an ADC "Tech Series" cart which, according to the experts over at vinyl engine, accepts a wide variety of ADC styli. I currently have an ADC Series III stylus on it but I did try the LP Gear replacement for ADC RSZ stylus. Unfortunately, it didn't fare well with my medium mass tonearm on my Technics SL-Q3. I got the ADC cart when it came attached to a Pioneer PL-7 table I bought and that cart/stylus is an ideal match to the low mass tonearm on the Pioneer. Sadly, I no longer have the Pioneer so, I don't know how well the RSZ may have sounded with the low mass tonearm but it definitely didn't work out with the Technics.

    That said, I have several carts including a Shure M95ED that came with the SL-Q2 when I bought it. That cart is a very good match and sounds really nice. Unfortunately, the Shure isn't the best tracking cart and doesn't do well with older, well-loved, LPs. The AT carts that I own (AT96E & AT120Eb) are the best trackers on that SL-Q2 but the sound quality isn't the best overall. Personally, I find the Grado Red1 does the best in regards to sound quality among all the carts that I own. Thus far, in my experience, there are trade-offs depending on which cart, or carts, you go with. YMMV.

    I had a Nagaoka MP110 but foolishly parted with it & I may be looking to get another one in the future. I would also like to try a Denon DL110 as I don't have a SUT.
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    edited March 2018
    wolfie62 wrote: »
    There has been zero improvement over the last 35 years, just changes in appearance. ....

    Your absolute is absolutely untrue......

    Just one example...2018-1997 = 21 years. ;)

    1966 V15 Type II: first analog-computer-designed superior tracking cartridge, the model that introduced 'Trackability', Shure's term for 'the ability to maintain contact between stylus and record groove at minimum tracking force throughout audio spectrum.' It also introduced the flip-action, built-in stylus guard

    1970 V15 Type II Improved: upgraded stylus; flatter frequency response

    1973 V15 Type III: new laminated pole piece; 'uniformly flat, unaccented, uncoloured frequency response'; 25% reduction of effective stylus mass

    1978 V15 Type IV: hyperelliptical nude stylus tip resulting in optimised tip-groove contact area; 'viscous-damped Dynamic Stabilizer overcomes record warp and electrostatically neutralises record surface'

    1982 V15 Type V: ultra-thin-wall beryllium (Microwall/Be) stylus shank; MASAR-polished tip to reduce friction; packaged with Duo-Point Alignment gauge to minimise lateral tracking angle error

    1983 V15 Type V-MR: 'Micro-Ridge stylus tip emulates shape of cutting stylus for unsurpassed trackability, particularly in high frequency range'

    1997 V15VxMR: pole piece position changed; 'warmer and more musical than ever'



    'MC like' is settling for less than MC actual.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    SCompRacer wrote: »
    ...
    'MC like' is settling for less than MC actual.

    Yes -- like tube-like.

    :)

    There are certainly cartridges today that are different than those of 40, 50, or 60 years ago. Whether they're better may be more a matter of taste, although I'll grant you that there are quantifiable ways of assessing goodness (tracking test records), so it is entirely possible that there are quantitatively better cartridges now, too.

    There are certainly quantitatively more expensive cartridges now than 30, 40, 50, or 60 years ago (even allowing for inflation).

    ... and I already "spoke" my piece about the Ortofon SPU family and the Denon DL-103 family.


    All in all, though, I would say we are living in a golden age for phono cartridge options -- especially if one has deep pockets. That's where I hit the rocks, unfortunately.

  • cortico
    cortico Posts: 587
    edited March 2018
    How about the Shure M97xE is a great cartridge? It costs less the $100... sounds super smooth to me.

    https://www.shure.com/americas/products/phono/m97xe-audiophile-phono-cartridge

    wxej3x9zldmd.jpeg
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2018
    cortico wrote: »
    How about the Shure M97xE is a great cartridge? It costs less the $100... sounds super smooth to me.

    https://www.shure.com/americas/products/phono/m97xe-audiophile-phono-cartridge

    wxej3x9zldmd.jpeg

    I like the M97xe just fine (FWIW).
    Some folks think it's too mellow, round, rolled-off, etc.
    Those same folks tend to like the lively sound of certain A-T and Ortofon cartridges which remind me of ice picks being inserted into my ears.

    Those people are way too wound up IMO :)

  • Msabot1
    Msabot1 Posts: 2,098
    Gold Ring has a very good lineup for every budget...
  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    Nagaoka carts have been very well reviewed time and time again. Do a search on the interweb.
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
  • Dawgfish
    Dawgfish Posts: 2,554
    ^^Yes the Nagaoka MP-500 is easily one of my favorite carts even compared to low output moving coils from Benz, Dynavector, Shelter, and Koetsu. A fantastic cart that sounds great with everything.^^
  • Everyone has different ears, different rooms, different equipment, different mentors, and different wallet. Find a cartridge that works, but above all... enjoy your music. ;)
  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 2,987
    SCompRacer wrote: »
    wolfie62 wrote: »
    There has been zero improvement over the last 35 years, just changes in appearance. ....

    Your absolute is absolutely untrue......

    Just one example...2018-1997 = 21 years. ;)

    1966 V15 Type II: first analog-computer-designed superior tracking cartridge, the model that introduced 'Trackability', Shure's term for 'the ability to maintain contact between stylus and record groove at minimum tracking force throughout audio spectrum.' It also introduced the flip-action, built-in stylus guard

    1970 V15 Type II Improved: upgraded stylus; flatter frequency response

    1973 V15 Type III: new laminated pole piece; 'uniformly flat, unaccented, uncoloured frequency response'; 25% reduction of effective stylus mass

    1978 V15 Type IV: hyperelliptical nude stylus tip resulting in optimised tip-groove contact area; 'viscous-damped Dynamic Stabilizer overcomes record warp and electrostatically neutralises record surface'

    1982 V15 Type V: ultra-thin-wall beryllium (Microwall/Be) stylus shank; MASAR-polished tip to reduce friction; packaged with Duo-Point Alignment gauge to minimise lateral tracking angle error

    1983 V15 Type V-MR: 'Micro-Ridge stylus tip emulates shape of cutting stylus for unsurpassed trackability, particularly in high frequency range'

    1997 V15VxMR: pole piece position changed; 'warmer and more musical than ever'
    Do you really want to count that 1997 change? :# Leave that out, and we're back to 35 yrs. :p Anyway, I would call those improvements in stylus design, not moving magnet cartridge design. But IMO, stylus design/construction is more important, and makes a bigger difference, than the cartridge in most cases. That's why OEM replacement styli cost over half (usually two-thirds) the amount of a total cart/stylus combo replacement.

    MHardy mentioned several models that have been in production for a looong time, basically unchanged.

    I was on the M97xE bashing bandwagon awhile, but I found that with better supporting electronics, it sounded better. I think for folks just starting (or getting back into) vinyl with entry-level equipment, the M97xE is pretty boring. The Audio Technicas and Ortofons are more impactful and make a bigger difference in sound using basic gear IME. Now, whether said impact is for the better - mhardy called it 'lively' - is up to the listener.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon