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Recommend a new cart

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Paul H View Drop Down
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    Posted: 22 Mar 2016 at 10:14am
I'm musing on taking advantage of my wife's present goodwill towards me spending money on my system and upgrading my cartridge. You can see my system in my signature below.

Basically, I'm finding my 2M Blue to be a touch too splashy and shrill in the top end, and I'm looking for something a little smoother. I like the detail though.

Basically, I wonder what your thoughts are about putting, say, a £500 cart on a £500 table. The tonearm is carbon fibre and, from what I can gather, is actually a pretty good 'un that can fight above its weight. I know a few reviewers have put some pretty high end carts on it and been impressed but I can't help wonder whether a good cart would a) reveal the flaws in the table and/or, b) not perform to it's value (if you know what I mean).

Carts I'm looking at include

Ortofon 2M Bronze
Ortofon 2M Black
Ortofon Quintet Bronze
Dynavector 10x5

Thoughts? Advice?
ProJect 1Xpression Carbon UKX w/ Ortofon 2M Black; Arcam Alpha 7 CD player; Graham Slee Revelation M pre; Denon PMA 355UK amp; Epos K1 speakers; Blue Jeans LC-1 interconnects. Room: 2.9m x 3.1m.
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Richardl60 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Richardl60 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2016 at 11:53am
A lot of the wisdom from the late 70s and early 80s was to focus on deck and arm rather than cartridge a view more recently echoed by M baker at origin live.

I have not followed this rule for various reasons so no personally I cannot see a particular issue in spending more on the cartridge if desired - yes they do wear out eventually and are delicate and likely to be limited by arm and deck & phono stage of course but perhaps proper match between devices is key. Matching of course will cover matching sound parameters plus mechanical aspects re effective mass and resonances which others can explain far better than I.

I am not sure where you live but listening to cartridges can be tricky unless you have a good dealer. I used h fi sound in Stockton to audition 3 or 5 phono stages which is where my Graham slee adventure started. The progressed to 5 cartridges and then two arms. Bought GSP and cartridge.

Richard
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Paul H View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Paul H Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2016 at 12:56pm
I'm in Nottingham. Richer Sounds has been fabulous in allowing me as much time as I want to listen in their room but I've found that it didn't really help me determine how things would sound in my own room.

Their store is more dedicated to AV than dedicated hi-fi (that's not to say that they don't know anything or won't help) but I don't think they'd have the range of cartridges in store to be able to set two or three up for a listening session. Of course, I could just ask them :)
ProJect 1Xpression Carbon UKX w/ Ortofon 2M Black; Arcam Alpha 7 CD player; Graham Slee Revelation M pre; Denon PMA 355UK amp; Epos K1 speakers; Blue Jeans LC-1 interconnects. Room: 2.9m x 3.1m.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Graham Slee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2016 at 2:00pm
Has Jon responded to your loan request yet?
That none should be able to buy or sell without a smartphone and the knowledge in how to use apps
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DaveG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2016 at 2:03pm
The Quintet Bronze is a low output MC cart, so would require a dedicated MC phono stage, or a step up device.

I agree with Richard - My experience is you can put a better cart on a TT & reap benefits. OL make tonearms & TT's so it's perhaps understandable why they have the opinion they do. I like Ortofon's personally and the Black has a good rep. I've not heard it myself but I know others here have. The 9cc carbon is a pretty good low mass tonearm (probably best with a cart that has a bit of mass itself). I have the old version on my other deck and had no problems mating it with an Ortofon Kontrapunkt Blue which was quite a high end cart or a Quintet Black that's on it now. Your arm is a step up from that I'd guess. 

Main thing is to get your phono stage sorted 1st I reckon... you never know it may knock off some of the perceived harshness off the Blue.
Dave

Michell Gorbe + HR PSU -> Cadenza Bronze -> SME V -> Elevator -> Accession -> Proprius -> B&W CM6 s2 | Cusat 50 & Spatia cables ->
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Paul H View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Paul H Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2016 at 2:40pm
Originally posted by Graham Slee Graham Slee wrote:

Has Jon responded to your loan request yet?
No, afraid not. He's obviously got other things to take care of.


Edited by Paul H - 22 Mar 2016 at 2:41pm
ProJect 1Xpression Carbon UKX w/ Ortofon 2M Black; Arcam Alpha 7 CD player; Graham Slee Revelation M pre; Denon PMA 355UK amp; Epos K1 speakers; Blue Jeans LC-1 interconnects. Room: 2.9m x 3.1m.
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Paul H View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Paul H Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Mar 2016 at 2:43pm
Originally posted by DaveG DaveG wrote:

The Quintet Bronze is a low output MC cart, so would require a dedicated MC phono stage, or a step up device.

I agree with Richard - My experience is you can put a better cart on a TT & reap benefits. OL make tonearms & TT's so it's perhaps understandable why they have the opinion they do. I like Ortofon's personally and the Black has a good rep. I've not heard it myself but I know others here have. The 9cc carbon is a pretty good low mass tonearm (probably best with a cart that has a bit of mass itself). I have the old version on my other deck and had no problems mating it with an Ortofon Kontrapunkt Blue which was quite a high end cart or a Quintet Black that's on it now. Your arm is a step up from that I'd guess. 

Main thing is to get your phono stage sorted 1st I reckon... you never know it may knock off some of the perceived harshness off the Blue.
Thanks for the input, much appreciated. And yes, I want to sort the phono stage first. If that can cure the harshness it may negate the need for a cart upgrade. I'm trying not to get carried away with upgraditis :)
ProJect 1Xpression Carbon UKX w/ Ortofon 2M Black; Arcam Alpha 7 CD player; Graham Slee Revelation M pre; Denon PMA 355UK amp; Epos K1 speakers; Blue Jeans LC-1 interconnects. Room: 2.9m x 3.1m.
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