Recommendation For Knowledgeable Cartridge Store

[James Edward]

Hi All,
I’m in the market for a new cartridge; the Ortofon 2M Red is not doing it for me. Unfortunately for me, I read an essay/article a number of years ago that posited that you really should match the cartridge cantilever compliance to the tonearm weight(?). I put the question mark there because I’m not 100 percent that was the correlation. I’m referring to the weight of the arm itself- not the counterweight to adjust tracking force.

FWIW, my favorite sounding cartridge in a past life was an Ortofon high output MC- it was stamped an Adcom, but manufactured by Ortofon. This was in the eighties and cost around 200 hundred dollars.

This is the turntable, and I’m willing to go to Pro-Ject with questions regarding the arm.
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-kDkvpTdWU8o/p_252DCESDGR/Pro-Ject-Debut-Carbon-Esprit-SB-DC-Gloss-Red.html

Obviously far from the stratosphere of tables, but I’d be willing to spend 3-4 hundred dollars on something that would better the Ortofon Red. I find it lifeless, for lack of a better term…

Any dealer advice or advice from a member here is appreciated.

Thanks, Jim

[James Edward]

If you feel the phrase ‘putting lipstick on a pig’ applies here, feel free to say so.
I’ve seen it suggested that I simply swap out the ‘Red’ stylus for the ‘Blue’, since it uses a better stylus. It’s tempting, since there’d be no mounting/protracting/etc., involved.

[S Clark]

Since you had a high output Ortofon before and liked it, you might look at the Ortofon Quintet series.  The Red can be harsh, but the Blue is a very nice cartridge... and Bronze and Black simply improve as you add cash.
I love my Dynavectors, but they've gotten stupid expensive over the past couple of years. 
Music Direct will have deals occasionally. 
As far as lipstick on a pig, I don't think so.  Even most inexpensive tables and arms improve dramatically with a better cartridge. 

[rollo]

  Jim Grado is right up your alley. Rich dynamic and easy to listen to. Or just get a Myajima or Kouetsu Black. Done. Not a dealer but can help if wanted.
Talk to Robin Wyatt.



charles