Phono Cartridge (Page 2): I am a classical and opera lover to the exclusion of most other forms of so called music. I have also been chasing the "holy grail" of excellence in stereo...

Hereford Loc: Palm Coast, FL

I am a classical and opera lover to the exclusion of most other forms of so called music. I have also been chasing the "holy grail" of excellence in stereo for some 60 years. I went out of the vinyl business about 10 years ago.

I have used Pickering, Stanton, Grado, Shure, and other pickup cartridges over time. I always considered the Shure V-15 to be the ultimate cartridge. Have you never used one of these ???

lbrande

V15 IV a while ago. It was destroyed in a move. The moving company president was an audiophile and told their insurance company to pay for ALL my damaged equipment. It cost them over $10,000 in 1986. The Sure V15 IV was replaced with a Grace Ruby F9, which was (maybe still is) a very good cartridge basing price and performance.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

lbrande wrote:

I have a Philips N4504 that need new rubber inside, and I have a AKAI GX635dB, so I'm pretty well set up in the Analog department.
Who sells new reel-to-reel?
Try pricing new turntables. Technics starts at about $1,100, and there are some in the $19,500 range. Cartridges can go for over $10,000 each.

There are some NOS (new, old stock) reel-to-reels out there, but they trickle into the market at ridiculous prices. There was at least one made until Covid hit.

I worked at a station with Technics broadcast turntables back in the 1970s. They were great, but on FM, the old QRKs (broadcast market) were "good enough." Most folks copied music to ATC 1/4" broadcast cartridges for airplay, anyway. Broadcasters compress their audio so much it was going to sound like crap anyway.

lbrande

burkphoto wrote:

There are some NOS (new, old stock) reel-to-reels out there, but they trickle into the market at ridiculous prices. There was at least one made until Covid hit.

I worked at a station with Technics broadcast turntables back in the 1970s. They were great, but on FM, the old QRKs (broadcast market) were "good enough." Most folks copied music to ATC 1/4" broadcast cartridges for airplay, anyway. Broadcasters compress their audio so much it was going to sound like crap anyway.

Hence the reason I purchased the Sansui 9090dB way back when with my reel to reel. My Akai also has the dB sound reduction. I am having my 9090 updated, and the company always removes the dB circuitry.

pocotoo

FredCM wrote:

Hmm. I enjoyed my Shure Type III Improved, high hat cymbals were noticeably more crisp sounding. I have to wonder about $1000-$4000 cartridges. All the better to hear surface noise? And the chain is as strong as the weakest link, which might be the loudspeakers and/or their placement.

edrobinsonjr Loc: Boise, Idaho

For that kind of change I can download a lot of high quality audio.

I can also download a lot for nothing.

lbrande

FredCM wrote:

Hmm. I enjoyed my Shure Type III Improved, high hat cymbals were noticeably more crisp sounding. I have to wonder about $1000-$4000 cartridges. All the better to hear surface noise? And the chain is as strong as the weakest link, which might be the loudspeakers and/or their placement.

Considering I use Perreaux amps @360 wpc driving Magnapan MGIIIa's the cymbals are exceptionally crisp sounding. The bass, not as good.

BBurns Loc: South Bay, California

burkphoto wrote:

If you think that's bad, try finding a reasonably priced reel-to-reel tape deck! Analog audio is great, but the equipment marketing has become a scam.

Agreed. This may date me a little. I worked in the engineering lab for Roberts!.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

BBurns wrote:

Agreed. This may date me a little. I worked in the engineering lab for Roberts!.

TreborLow

I used a $1.95 cartridge from Radio Shack in the 1960s as a vibration detector in a research project. I think it was called a 'crystal cartridge' and produced its own voltage. Replaced the needle (and it was a needle held in place with a little thumbscrew) with some paperclip wire attached to the apparatus. Worked like a charm! There were thousands of dollars of other equipment in that setup. The cartridge never failed, but some high priced stuff did!

RainierView Loc: Eatonville, WA

lbrande wrote:

Sort of like adding a Ferrari V12 into a Chevy Monza. My turntable isn't quite that good to require these types.

That might work. I have a friend that built a frame up drag car with a 650 HP small block with a custom painted fiberglass Chevy Vega top. It turned in the high 9s. Hottest Vega around.