The Best Turntable Cartridge Under 100$

[@markanquoe2612]

Of all the cartridge comparisons I have seen on KZbin, this is by far the most effective. Going step by step up, and then comparing the #1 to the one we started with, was really eye opening. Thank you for all your work. I'd love to see something similar with under $200 cartridges.

[@RUfromthe40s]

in youtube you can´t compare sound it´s digitally impossible no matter what your gear is, in the past you could buy a very good cartridge and stylus from audio-technica under what today is 100€, this when in average people earn 500€ a month ,today to get this quality you need 2.500€ and still not that compatible as new stylus 1/5 of the size and cartridges have nothing compared to old ones when they refer to a certain type of specification as saying it is very good it´s only one of the several specifications a 100€ cartridge had before

[@kroilito]

"Rega Carbon" that cartridge will always make me laugh. It is nothing but a AT3600 which you can get by far less money. Don't get ripped off by audiofools!

[@zimone89]

@@OKuusava that "dress" is the best expensive piece of wood i've ever seen XD

[@socksumi]

Yeah. They tack on the name Linn, Rega, Shelter or Sumiko and double to triple the price.

[@idontsmile666]

I had a rega carbon on my p1 when I brought it, it was decent enough but when It wore out I swapped it with a at95e which improved the sound and it is still on there.

[@p.m.2312]

I mean, in the video we hear that the bass is more blurry is the Audio technica. I know Rega asks for a modification in the ST before rebranding it. And I think it makes up for a clearer bass and low mid sound. It is very obvious in the video and a decent pair of headphone. But, most other choices are still a better bang for the buck.

[@cjmillsnun]

@@p.m.2312 The carts and styli are identical apart from the branding. The only modification Rega asks for is their name printing on it.

[@socksumi]

The Shure M97xe, if you can even find one, now sells for $325 at LP Gear (plus tax and shipping). Nagaoka cartridges have almost tripled in price where I'm from in Canada. Listen to how far we've come!

[@socksumi]

It's now been jacked to $550 at LP Gear. Those guys are bandits.

[@giancarlogiaccone9021]

My cartridge of choice is Shure M92E also for the sound definition at 1,25 g of tracking weight. A good way to preserve aged and rare records.

[@dhanukadesilva9112]

I like the way how you have arrange the entire story on how you recommend each of this. Great!

[@ddotcdot6892]

Excellent video and channel. I got out of restoring and flipping vintage tables (mostly Denons and Technics) right around the time your channel must have shown up. The only other guy doing decent cartridge comparisons was Joe Collins (Bad Edit Pro) and he was a huge source of reference for what carts to buy, although I ended up just ponying up the cash and trying everything from $19-129 myself at the time. Your rank is dead on, although there’s a couple on your list that I never tried or weren’t available during my time with this 2011-2016...but given I did get to hear a random T4P Sumiko Blue Point that I got by accident, and regrettably sold (as it sounded amazing), I would imagine your rank is still spot on. I personally never liked Grado sound, at all. (The only one really worth a damn was the John Grado Gold - for easier listening and warmer albums). It’s fitting that you placed all of the grados in the beginning and even mentioned the amazing little CN5625AL, which for the money, was a giveaway and sounded amazing. The stereo-separation was beyond almost every other cart I’d ever heard well into over $100...unfortunately, the lack of high end is what places it at its price point - but that’s ok - it has its place! The AT95E, to me, was a thin, almost unnatural or artificial sounding mid-range performer. Although I agree with where you placed it, I personally hated it. Where it filled in high end the CN5625AL didn’t have, it artificially colored everything else in a way that lacked the warmth of its lesser-priced sibling. I would argue the AT92ECD was a better option than the AT95E for about the same money. The Ortofon 2MRED looked cool, and seemed cool, but once I heard it against the Audio-Technica AT-120E and AT-440MLa/b I was over it. It served it’s purpose. It pushed into spending over $100 on other carts and I don’t regret having tried it, but ultimately let it go. The OM/OMP series has a much better sound in my opinion and I’m back to having an OMP for my P-mount, another type I should have never gotten rid of the first time. Totally love the Shures. Hands down, totally agree with where you placed them. The M92E (of which I have an original version with silver, not black, body) and the M97xE were always underpriced for what they gave. Will miss Shure for sure! Although I have graduated to the +$100-$300 range since, I still have both Shures and wish I had kept the CN5625AL for occasional simpler needs. Since I got the AT-120E and AT-440MLa and MLbs and was so happy with their sound for the price, I stopped there. I had tried some moving coils - Denon DL-110, 160, 80MC, and the Sumiko Blue Point which I liked a lot, but both of those MM ATs outperformed the MCs I tried and I decided there was no point in spending more money on the 2MBLUE and other more expensive moving coils or moving magnets I was eyeing, when I was not super impressed by moving coils in general and so displeased with the 2MRED and turned off by the crazy prices of its bigger siblings. I use the 440MLa or MLb for digitizing LPs, mostly, or for tracking pieces with really difficult passages. I use the AT-120E for typical listening on the big machine, and I use the Ortofon OMP for my little T4P player. I also switch back and forth to my Shure M92E on the T4P for a different sound and the M97xE for another sound in place of the AT-120E and have actually used it to digitize a few albums that it really shined with in a way the other just didn’t. It has a warmth that cannot be matched with certain albums. It doesn’t suffer from the artificial thinness or overly bright high end that others can sometimes over-pronounce. At the end of the day picking one favorite is impossible, but the ones I have now I have for a reason - and they are all my favorite. I don’t need any others. The AT-120E is probably the all around go-to stylus, but that M97xE has a special place in my ear’s heart too. Again, they each have a purpose and that’s why I have the ones I mentioned. Keep up the great channel and thanks for keeping the hobby alive! I miss being more active in it.

[@paulwalker6297]

The Ortofon AT31e cartridge in its day was excellent, and very often overlooked. It tracked superbly well, created minimum surface noise, didn't exaggerate vinyl damage (clicks & pops etc), and provided many years of pleasure in my Technics SL1200 fitted with a Linn Basik Plus tone-arm and a custom arm base plinth. Although few people regard the Technics as being anywhere near an "audiophile" product, it offered great service and listening pleasure, with absolutely nothing going wrong. No belts to stretch and change, very good shock resistance, instant start up, no "noise" transmitted via the arm and cartridge, in fact, a great all round turntable. In closing, I would note that some time ago, a good friend purchased an 'upgraded' Technics SL1200 unit modified by TIMESLIP, a company based in Devon. The numerous changes they made most certainly did make subtle listening changes and differences to mine. I'm not 100% sure about the arm they use, but it was certainly much more 'engineered' and substantial than the Linn. However, having said that, the total package did cost alot more than mine ! In conclusion, I'm still more than happy to 'live' with my set up as it suits me fine. I would however note that although the TIMESLIP set-up did undoubtedly offer more insight & depth to some recordings, overall I wasn't left with the feeling that I must rush out and spend more money - well not just yet anyway !

[@vcp93]

It's difficult to do good audio review or comparison videos on KZbin, but you did a very good job. I also agree with the majority of your rankings. Excellent work. 👍

[@nickcoklan3491]

I'd recommend the mp 110. It replaced an AT91 and was a significant upgrade. I've also tried a Grado Blue which had a nice tone, but had an annoying hum at high volumes and the mp 110 tracks a bit better. The Shure is nice though and can take Jico styli.

[@eyeh8u1]

Obviously what sounds best is subjective. We all hear the same sound but perceive it differently, the result of which is influenced by way to many things to list here. Having said that, for me personally, I found the Audio Technica AT95E to be the best "all round" bang for the buck cartridge in the $50-$300 range. The most expensive cartridge I've tried being the the Ortofon 2m Blue. I didn't care for the blue. It sounded way too "bright" for my tastes. The only cartridge I thought was slightly better than the AT95E was the Nagaoka 110. But it costs twice as much the AT95E. I also own the Ortofon 2m Red and honestly I can't hear any real difference between it and the AT95E. As mentioned before, YMMV. But for me, the AT95E is the sweet spot in terms of price vs. performance.

[@fredjohnson9856]

I have only lived with the Shure M97 and the Ortofon 2M Red. I found the M97 to be analytical, detailed but cold. The 2M was warmer, more musical. Both sound good and it would be a matter of taste and equipment. I'm using an old David Hafler phono preamp with the 2M Red and I am constantly thrilled by the music. Thanks for the videos.

[@tobinmummert8374]

I AGREE with the #1 pick!! The Shure M97xE is by far and wide the best cartridge in this video! I've been using one for years. In fact when I first purchased mine, it had a hefty price tag of $140!!! The M97xE just sounds so damn good that many caught onto it and bought them so they can sell them for slightly less than $100. Damn fine cartridge!! Warm, smooth and if aligned properly, will take care of any of that nasty inner groove distortion we all hate!!!!!

[@endangeredspecies1272]

Tobin, you've got my VOTE on that one, I'm in agreement but, of late, the prices of those cartridges now range from about $99-$199, depending on who you buy from. Someone gave me one with a broken stylus, I bought a replacement (not the oem) and it STILL sounds GREAT with everything from Teena Marie to Tchaikovsky! 😍👍

[@petersammon8771]

I fully agree as you just can't beat and m97xe and I've purchased a good handful of them to share with family friends and Neighbors at each time they just never fail to impress in the right way! There is just not a more natural sounding phono cartridge in the face of the planet let's face it as it's just too goddamn doggone bad that sure stop production of them a sad moment for analog but the good news is if you have a spare stylus you're good to go for a long long time because that elliptical stylus last at least 2,000 hours! It seems to get better with time like a fine wine

[@bryede]

Also, there are a lot of upgrade styli available for the cheap AT carts from places like LP Gear.

[@davepoplin]

Thank you so much for your cartridge comparisons. They have helped me decide to go with a Rega/AT and eventually a Nagaoka. I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge!

[@electricwally]

Thank you very much. Nice to hear an unbiased opinion. Doesn't each cartridge produce a different sound on other different systems? We would all have to have the same turntable, preamp, poweramp, speakers, ears and same brain ad yourself to possibly agree? However, what I learned from your video is that higher price does not necessarily mean better sound on a particular system (at least in cartridges under $100). I trust your opinion and appreciate learning about the top contenders in that price range. That is the best lesson learned! Thanks again!

[@Dhlamedia]

I bought a Nagaoka MP-110 for $98 thanks to the eBay flash sale. Thanks to this loophole, it outclasses every cartridge in this video.

[@leon9021]

DeL Keyes same here

[@needley]

The Nagaoka is not a good tracker from sibilant records

[@leon9021]

Father Damien Karras Depends on what you mean good. Its better than probably 70% of all other cartridges if we count each one, but its not flawless. Any 0.7x0.4 stylus cant be.

[@needley]

Leon thepro indeed.

[@HiViNywschannel]

Father Damien Karras Hi and long time no see fellow vinyl friend 😊👋

[@dexta32084]

I love my M97xE. Just a bummer they don't make them anymore.

[@chris-8092]

This is a very good video comparison. I have a late Shure M97XE (elliptical stylus) this cartridge is a little heavier than normal and it proved difficult to balance the tonearm so I had to attach an auxiliary weight to the end of the main balance weight on my vintage Technics DD turntable. After I attached that the tonearm balanced well. The tracking was incredibly good, the sound had good clear detail, no humming, delivered flawless playback (no sound distortion through my large floor speakers with double 12 inch woofers) and even greater accuracy to tracking with even the most stubborn spots on those dreadful very thin late 1970s-1980s LPs which had a tendency to skip even without any scratches. Skipping was eliminated completely with the Technics auxiliary weight. I wanted to compare the tracking of these cartridges myself, so I've played the same troublesome LP on other turntables with other brands of new cartridges eg. Audio Technica with elliptical stylus but the Shure M97XE was the clear winner because the AT cartridge just wasn't as highly accurate in tracking (it skipped track on the same spot) where as the Shure M97XE continued to track more accurately without any skipping of tracks. I was very disappointed to read that Shure had ceased manufacturing all of it's phono cartridges and stylus replacements. I could cry.

[@GeneSavage]

I loved the way you did this video!!! Especially the "instead of this, I would recommend..." You have a new subscriber.

[@owenlaprath4135]

Most cartridge bodies, especially Shure and Audio Technica can be upgraded with styli that are available now. Shure originals are no longer made, but SAS and Vivid Line replacements are devine sounding! Ok, so SAS is no longer cheap (used to be 139 a pop, now 300 - scream!!!), but Vivid Line is still there for 80 to 110 dollars at LP-Tunes and LP-Gear

[@vynleshmynle7372]

I had the Sure M97xE on my P3/2000 and thought it sounded wonderful..... Until I took Ian’s advise on the Nag MP110, wow, what an ear opener I was hearing sounds that just weren’t there before and I’m not trying to be dramatic here, I can only compare it to “finally getting that water out of your ear “ experience.

[@TheAgeOfAnalog]

I have an MP-110 arriving today to replace my M97XE. Anxious to give it a go.

[@allankvist6741]

So how did it go?

[@TheAgeOfAnalog]

@@allankvist6741 Same experience as Vynle Schmynle, it's like someone took the blanket off my speakers. Loving the Nagaoka MP-110 so far.4

[@vcp93]

So funny you say that because I was thinking the same thing. I didn't even know there was an MP-100, but the few dollars more for the MP-110 is well worth it. It's an excellent entry level cartridge and something you can enjoy for a long time. I've moved up to the MP-200 and love this cartridge as well. Overall, I think this guy's video was reasonably accurate. There will be some differences in taste, but overall a good entry level guide.

[@bpabustan]

the p-mount Shure M92E is an excellent value for money. I highly recommend that for those on a tight budget.

[@petrileskinen4299]

I use to have Shure m97xE in my Rega P2 and tracking was bad and also it was dull sounding. After that i went to Audio Technica 440Mlb and it was in my Rega p5 turntable. Tracking was great but the sound was too clinical. And now i have Nagaoka MP-150 and that is all i want for sound. Musical and tracking is also great.

[@RumbleFish69]

Great video! I recently purchased a Nagaoka MP200 and as I am sure you know, this is a top-drawer cartridge. Still, I have another turntable and I need a good cartridge that is affordable and this video helped! Thanks again!

[@jamesallen5591]

I'm happy with my Ortofon 2M Red.

[@thinkzinc100]

Best needle I have purchased @$100.

[@DJDickieH]

I have the same styles. I use it for digitising. I'm not totally happy with it though. For the simple fact I don't feel the stereo seperation is that great. I've compared songs from KZbin and it seems like left and right channels on KZbin are for more separate, than the M2's recording which seems central. Although it could be the mixer I'm using to record with, so I'm trouble shooting.

[@therealchickentender]

Can't stand mine. Has to be the most aggressive cart I've ever ran. I get why people like it but mine is a back-up cart and nothing more at this point.

[@dannym7901]

Great work on this video. Wish I had watched it before buying. Was surprised at how well the Rega Carbon sounded, was competitive with some others at a higher price.

[@endangeredspecies1272]

I DO agree, the Shure M97eX is one HELLUVA cartridge for less than $100, it's HARD to beat!

[@pablov1973]

I only use the Shure M97xe for mint or near mint pressing, it have a very detailed sound and very analitic click finder, so for more used worn record I prefeer the Ortofon Arkiv E or Shure M44E.

[@thinkzinc100]

The only problem with the Shure recommendations: Shure is no longer making these stylus/cartridges which is devastating. BUT - I will be 100% recommend the Ortofon RED. It's EXCELLENT. Very detailed and warm. Basically the best needle you are going to get under $100. My 2 cents. If you are on a budget the Audio-Technica AT95E is great, followed by the even cheaper (and almost as good as the AT95) Audio-Technica ATN3600L which fits on the Audio-Technica AT-LP60. It's $19 and a great buy IMO.

[@joelane7146]

I had the ANT3600, sounded good, I replaced with the AT95E, I couldn't tell much difference, with player older records. I just order the AT95C to change out the AT95E Cartridge. I mostly played used records, but in decent shape.

[@juddery]

Fantastic video. The best I've found for directly comparing how different cartridges sound, with no unnecessary twaddle. Just the facts and the sound, (or as much as possible on youtube). Keep up the good work.

[@high_fidelity_stuff]

Wow, Great video! The Grado Green sounds so boomy compared to the Shure M97xE but that's only when compared together. I also think the Nagaoka MP110 also sounds a bit harsh next to the Ortofon 2m Red which is probably where my ears differ to yours. I do however think all of the cartridges in this video sound good.

[@manuelperez-mg1rb]

I have the sumiko Oyster and the Grado Black and was very surprised to see the Sumiko placed so high and the Grado Black so low . I do understand the complexities and viariabilities possible because of setup , cartidge and tonearm compatability plus to turntable per sea . All that being said I just can't imagine a system where the Oyster sound better then a Grado. The Oyster sounds smooth at the expense of detail and dynamics The Grado is a very dynamic cartridge with a lot of detail not thrown in your face and for the price great soundstage . Just my 2 cents worth

[@hoobsgroove]

it is more than that set up rig and more your experience will differ to somebody else's

[@yorkemar]

I may try m2 blue..as I have red. One improvement is I used a swab coated with contact cleaner..on headshell contacts. Incredible difference.

[@thecatgyp6850]

I have to admit when i decided to purchase my Pioneer PL 117D turntable, after i restored it mechanically, replaced the timber veneer, i spent some time investigating cartridges. I started out slow though and i came across the Audio Technica AT95E and have loved it ever since. But its like anything else, like why I prefer S Shaped Tone Arms or why I use the Art DJ phono preamp instead of the onboard inbuilt output on my amp - it all makes sense to my ear - I like using the Behringer EQ Ultragraph Pro and the DBX 3BX enhancer - but i also like experimenting with cartridges and the convenience of just swapping out headshells...

[@mikeformato8655]

I am VERY surprised that Grado didn't make it higher on the list. After many cartridges I have come to the conclusion that Grado is my choice. Currently I have a Grado black @ $75 or so on an old Arriston transcription table and it sounds great!

[@pioferro]

Great video! I own several carts, the Shure m97xe w/ the Jico stylus is up there w/ the best I own from Dynavector, Soundsmith and Nagaoka. I absolutely love this cart / stylus combo.

[@alobosk]

M97xE?? I bought that PoS. Sounds DULL! Hated it. I bought it because dumb me, I thought I wouldn't find a replacement stylus for a AT12XE cartridge from 1978 I have. Went back to it and put that crappy Shure cartridge back into its box. The heavily worn AT12XE stylus sounds way better still. I found the replacement stylus and ordered it.

[@TheHSIHP]

I hated it too.

[@Mark-ej3oi]

I have an M97xE, dull? Yes if you have the wrong capacitance. Measure your cables' capacitance and then solder a small ceramic capacitor into your RCA connector until the total capacitance reach 250 pF, then your M97xE won't be dull any more, at the contrary will show a lot of life

[@TheHSIHP]

@@Mark-ej3oi or just buy a better cart.

[@joet_swbo101]

How long did you have it, because it takes many hours before a cartridge starts to open up. I have it, after about 20 hours or so it opens up and gets better. I like it because it is neutral and doesn't color the sound. Leaves it to me to EQ which I prefer.

[@1mctous]

@@Mark-ej3oi Extra capacitance seldom improves the sound, both dulling and smearing the treble (capacitors store and release treble energy, not to the music's benefit). Adding a parallel input resistor filters the high treble without smearing it. Robert Morin (dba Lounge Audio) built me a set of parallel input capacitors and resistors in several combinations and I could clearly hear what each one did. I ended up using a 50K input resistor which made the input 25K (50K + 50K in parallel).

[@goldenboy5500]

pickering AT15 P-AC yes its vintage but there are plenty of then out there

[@WackyT08]

I use the Grado Green2 on my Technics SL-QL1 turntable set to 1.5g tracking force, and it is an amazing sounding cartridge.

[@PurpleDreki]

Nice review! I would put the top three as equal! I really have enjoyed your hard work and great effort to get good comparisons of the styli/cartridiges.

[@justsumguy2u]

I always buy Grado---made in Brooklyn by a family-run business. My latest was a Grado Black2

[@PhuckHue2]

I bought a Grado and it hummed like crazy. They need better quality control

[@matereo]

@@PhuckHue2 ususally it is the TT that is poorly constructed

[@gurdyman1]

@@PhuckHue2 The hum has nothing to do with Grado's quality control. It comes from having a turntable with an unshielded motor. Grado's don't shield their cartridges because of their patented design which is degraded if shielding is added. One needs to be careful of what turntable is used with them.

[@davedrew9328]

I liked the Audio Technica AT95E I found the voice stage much clearer and dynamic.

[@danieldaniels7571]

Dave Drew I’ve found for the money it’s really hard to beat the cheap AT carts. Does a $100 dollar sound better? Perhaps. Does it sound 4x better than a $25 AT? No way in hell.

[@dmtdgptlqm]

Hi, congratulations, very good video. I bougth a reloop 200MK2 turntable and it comes with a ortofon cartidge I suposed is the OM5E. Very happy with it. Best regards.

[@bluesman608]

Thanks for a very interesting video and comparison. I have the 2M Red and a Black Grado. Is there meant to be an audible sound change in the music played during the video, as the cartridges change? I didn’t hear it ... but that’s probably KZbin compression and my ears.

[@Danthehorse]

I would go along with a lot fo your findings that for sure, bit shocked the Oyster placed so high, and Grado so low, Also, im no fan of budget Ortofons, never any upper bass power imho, but.... Very useful video comparison indeed buddy, thanks.

[@frozerekmeyata4091]

The Shure m97XE is on Amazon but it cost $171 no $99. I listened to your samplings with 2 headphones, a Sennheiser HD 414's and Betron YSM1000's (the Sennheiser is more accurate and better sounding, but the Betron is portable) The one I seemed to prefer over all of them, and of course this is personal opinion, but the Sumiko Oyster seemed to have a tad more depth and separation to it with close to same tonal quality with better low end response than the Shure M97XE for almost half the price.

[@HeretixAevum]

Am I the only one that thinks the 2M Red kinda sucks? It sounds thin to me. Good definition, but not worth the trade-off imo. I ended up grabbing a AT95 because they're available cheap here ($49AU or ~$34US, which is a bit over a third of the 2M Red) and I think it has a pleasant, forgiving, full sound. For the price I think it's basically impossible to complain, but I will eventually get another headshell and a more revealing, 'hi-fi' cart to compliment it.

[@svenschwingel8632]

The 2M Red is basically a new release of the OM10 at twice the pricetag. It's not bad (especially as a factory mount), but totally overpriced. If you want serious Ortofon performance, you get the 2M Blue which is only a tad more expensive. Plus, the Blue stylus can be swapped into the existing 2M Red's cartridge. But for 200€, you can already get an Audio Technica AT95 with a sweet Shibata stylus 🤷🏼‍♂️ And for less money around 140--150€, there is the Goldring 3 or an MP110 which both beat the 2M Red hands down.

[@peersupportcounselor1904]

I’m trying to get my wife to agree to let me get a turntable again… I was directed to this channel by final TV because you seem to take cost and value vintage turntables. Thank you so much for your channel and I appreciate you and I’ll be consuming a lot of your content! Best wishes 😊

[@JoeOrber]

How did it go? Were you able to get a turntable?🛒

[@vinnievinceQC]

Conical better than elliptical?!? No way. A conical stylus will not read all the details in the grooves of your records and will wear the grooves more faster. The elliptical stylus are far superior, read the informations from the grooves much better and will preserve your records for a much longer time. I'm not a big fan of Ortofon, but the ortofon 2m red is by far the best sounding one in this video (even with KZbin compression of sound).

[@1mctous]

A cartridge is a mechanical system, not the stylus alone. Having heard the Nagaoka MP-100, MP-110, MP-150s and the Ortofon 2M Red and 2M Blue in person, I can attest to the MP-100's excellent tracking and yes, excellent sound. The 2M Red's hot, harsh treble and poor inner groove tracking quickly made me not want to hear it. The 2M Blue tracks and sounds much cleaner and competes very well with the MP-150.

[@nilswegner2881]

@@1mctous it's not only about styli/cartridges but also what tonearm shape you have, and of course what preamp you use. I have the om5e and the om10 and I love the sound of those two, one of them on an S shaped arm, the other one on a normal tonearm.

[@chrisantoniou4366]

All things being equal, an elliptical beats a conical stylus, but rarely if ever are things equal. Still, it doesn't take long to discover through listening that where a particular cartridge offers a choice between the two, the elliptical stylus will be more open, more detailed, track better and will also be kinder to your records.

[@ATthemusician]

I feel like you're talking out of your ass

[@ILikeStyx]

Sadly, Shure left the market.. the Sure M97xE is still sold, but at insane prices now.

[@Arcturian1111]

I'd recommend the Ortofon Omega at $38. And The AT3600L at $12 its a Rega Carbon, I'm very serious. You can go on Amazon and Get an AT3600 with the headshell, and stylus, for $10. I just bought one yesterday. I may get another one just to have. Again I'm serious, go check it out.

[@danieldaniels7571]

WhiteFeather I just bought one of those cheap ATs in the headshell. It was wired incorrectly, which I expected and checked for thanks to reviews that mentioned it. Once that was fixed, I aligned and balanced it on a vintage Technics and played the crap out of it for two weeks. Love the sound and am blown away as comparable headshells without a cartridge we’re selling for more.

[@keithwiebe1787]

@@danieldaniels7571 How is inner groove distortion with the AT3600? I'm fighting my old Pickering XV15 625E on some records but it has the original stylus from the late 70s but maybe not that many hrs on it.

[@seb250cr]

Very good video ! What would you recommend for a vintage Pioneer PL-750 needle replacement ? Best regards.

[@joaomargarido9121]

Very satisfied with my Rega Carbon on the Planar 3 turntable. Better than the most expensive other Rega budget cartridges. Like also the Ortofhon OM 10.

[@MarioCavolo]

thats so surprising but good for you. the rega carbon is basically the same as an inexpensive at3600

[@1312_PV]

You can buy an AT-3600L, it is the very same, for 13$ (yes, not kidding) off ebay, great value if you ever want to replace it by a new one.

[@rafacq]

I just found your video and immediately subscribed. I have an original M95ED in a Technics SL-3300 turntable. It had been sitting in my closet for over 30 years! I recently pulled it out and gave it a nice cleaning (lots of dust accumulated over the years). I ordered a new record brush and needle cleaning kit. I pulled my old albums and found my original "Best of Bread" Vinyl. Gave it a light cleaning and was surprised how clean the sound was. Barely any clicks nor static sounds. Just the sweet warm sound of vinyl. Anxious to go over my small collection and see if the others are as clean as the Bread album. I think my stylus on the M95ED is still in great condition, as I don't recall using it much, once I bought a CD player (Marantz CD-63 MkII). I am saddened Shure no longer makes a replacement stylus. I would like to ask your for your comments regarding purchasing a replacement stylus like JICL ($83 basic or $195 for SAS). Am I ok buying one of these or should I jump and purchase an Ortofon 2M Red ($99), or Blue ($240)? Are they similar to the Shure 95ED in sound? Or is there another cartridge out there I could consider? Thanks for the great videos and looking forward to future reviews.

[@simonbeasley989]

Brilliant comparison. Not huge differences via KZbin and on a song I don't know. Biggest difference i heard was $30 AT then AT95E. I like the design of the OM5E, the way the stylus itself isn't obscured by a bit block of plastic, and the super low tracking weight.

[@socksumi]

Up your budget a bit to the Nagaoka MP110 at about $125 retail. A clear winner and better than the cartridges listed.

[@socksumi]

It now retails for about $225 online or a lot more in a retail store in Canada. No longer a bargain as at that price it has stiff competition.

[@armanddimeo6575]

I would agree that all of these cartridges are in the running but would disagree as to ranking. The sound is also highly dependent on the system one uses the cartridge in. I find the Grado Green to be worth the 15 dollars over the Black. Grados may not have the detail of some other cartridges but their ability to render voices is unparalleled at this price range. I love Rega products but cannot understand why they chose a repackaged AT with a conical stylus. They probably did not want anything that would show up their own British made cartridges. As you pointed out, it is equivalent to an AT of about half the price. I am not a fan of AT cartidges generally because they tend to sound bright and thin (the opposite of Grados). For me, it would come down to the Ortofon Red or the Grado Green, depending on the table or system. The Ortofon is more accurate but the Grado is more musical. Thanks for your interesting review even though we may have some differences of opinion.

[@jowblow2171]

Yes absolutely I agree, system dependent . So many factors like arm, preamp, amp, speakers, room acoustics,ones own ears, and yes even cables. I wonder how many people did align their cartridge properly? Incorrect VTA can make a cartridge sound bright or dull. Incorrect Bias can cause distortion and so on...

[@ScottGrammer]

Great video, although the Rega is a rebadged $25 AT. I was fortunate enough to find a sealed, NOS M97xe, with original, unused stylus, but it cost me a bit more than $100! I had the Grado Green as well, but sold it due to hum issues.

[@PlateletRichGel]

Did you match output levels? It would be more accurate to compare them with matched levels and their output might be different slightly from cartridge to cartridge, but anyway thanks.

[@Audiorpheus_Vinyl]

Oh yeah for sure.

[@allankvist6741]

So it was matched?

[@SunnyAustria]

A bit more and you will get the Nagaoka MP 110 -> a sensationell Cartridge , you will love it !!

[@rojtaggbert8444]

Definitely a lot lot better than the AT95E

[@KenV62]

I really like the M97xe. Bought one on-line back in 2009, and was only $69 new, on sale. Then prices went ridiculous shortly after the company stopped making all cartridges. This summer, Guitar Center ran a very short special on some remaining stock for $99, I believe. It was over by time I heard of it. Finding a good but cheaper replacement stylus is more challenging these days.

[@DamajaCJ]

Perfect review vid! Short and to the point, with clear recommendation and reasons. If only all reviews did the same (instead of waffling on and on and then concluding with the ubiquitous "...it depends... You decide" 🙄😤

[@hwccheng]

I am surprised Grado wasn’t placed higher. To me they sounded very balance vs Ortofon (too soft sounding) or Shure (too bright and bass too strong). Audio Technica cartridge sounds too generic.

[@MrAlvarochahin]

Thank you for doing this, great work

[@TheEasternShoreMoyes]

Shopping for a new cartridge after resurrecting my turntable from storage. It has a Shure M97HE that was purchased in the early 80's. After listening to this comparison, I'm going to buy a replacement stylus for the M97HE. It costs just over $100 for the JICO and it should sound better than the xE.

[@ProfessorPuffyPants]

That shure at the end sounds like a bunch of the midrange is missing and it’s shrill up top whatever was right before the 2m red was probably the best sound

[@rik7373]

Please use classical music next time or a track with a lot of stereo effect and a lot of instruments because with this track its a little hard to compare the cartridges. But still I appreciate your work.

[@jluis5188]

We all know our system's strengths and weaknesses when adjusting our bass treble and separation that it has. That said the trick is to pick the cartridge that better enhances your audios weaknesses. For this reason, running an all early to the mid-70s system I feel the O-RED is the one for me. Trust your ears and adjust to your liking.

[@petersammon8771]

The m97xe wins hands down again and again and again and again! I've owned over 100 cartridges in my lifetime including many Shores and some of the high-end stuff but the m97xe gives the greatest Price performance of all very Dynamic and true to the vinyl microgroove. It's the champ!

[@gglendinningok]

well , having an orfoton OM10 & looking for aN afordable jump up in quality, i was excited at the many cheap coices i could go for, but as it rolled on it seems what ur terming as the upper scale of your recommendations (Nagaoka MP-100)is said to be of similar quality to my OM10, The MP 110 actually, which is stated to be more mellow sounding(some say DULL) than my OM10, & i'm actualy wanting MORE detail:) so my expectations took a dive as the vid went on, can't imagine the earlier cheaper suggestions are going to better the OM10, which i'm wanting a VERY noticable improvement on, so back to the drawing board for me, if i KNEW something was going to give me more detailed quality sound i'd go for it, but i'm now thinking, stylus are a bit like Guitar valves of which there are many, but little differance can be noticed, there are harsh/brittle & dull ones, then there are OK ones, but there Ain't no Fantastic ones. I did ponder this upon only very recently using my turntable again, What differance could a stylus make to the sound, really, even read on a forum a guy had the extortionate OM30, yet preffered the sound from the OM10:)

[@progrockabuse]

Glad I stumbled on this video. Currently running a project debut carbon with a 2M red and debating whether to stick with the red or change it for something better. I can stick a 2M blue on my same cartridge but could something listed here be better than that?

[@oceanaxim]

Upgrade to the 2M Blue? costs over twice as much, but twice as good? Another video by Audiorpheus compares the two, check it out. 2M Red is perfect for me. This video is to help us from chasing too many unicorns.

[@progrockabuse]

@@oceanaximI ended up getting the Rega carbon, which to my ears sounds better than my 2M red with my system. It's rounded out the sound and the issues I had with inner groove distortion on the Red are pretty much gone with the Carbon. I've ordered an elliptical replacement stylus to try on the carbon when its ready for replacing

[@planpirat]

Now I'm confused, but: Thank you very much for confusing me, great comparison and very helpfull!

[@trashyaudiophile7301]

The AT91, REGA carbon, AT3600L and a few others that use the 3600 rebranded all sound the same. I found it funny at the end when you said look how far we've come. The change in sound is drastic. But my ears did play the trick on me. The swap back I didn't hear a difference the first time.

[@andrewspoon2179]

Red MM was my pick honestly, but the one with the little brushes punches above its price point

[@ChristopherYork1978]

The Red, the Shure and the Oyster were my favs.

[@scottferguson1932]

Man, this is going to sound ignorant, but I'll risk it. It seems that the more "detailed" a cartridge is, the more harsh it sounds. Yes, your number 1,2 and 3 picks had an open, airy quality, but they also began to hurt my ears. The Sumiko and the Ortofon seemed to be good compromises, revealing the details while still feeling easy to listen to. Thanks very much for this, it was eye opening!

[@passqualecaiazza7728]

I have several Grado's in use and 3 shure m91ed . Shure is under use to be under $100.00 but sound great. I have Grado F+1, G-1, and silvers. Yes the Silvers Are a little higher at $150.00 but sound fantastic. Now though my favorite is that F+1from 1971

[@gurdyman1]

I have a Grado XF1 and a G+ (both vintage Silver equivalents). I use an 8MZ stylus. They both sound fantastic! Also have a Shure V15 RS with a JICO HE stylus. It does not sound as real as the Grados, even though it does highs a bit better than the Grados do.

[@passqualecaiazza7728]

@@gurdyman1 You have great taste in cartridges. The reason I like the Grado F1 a lot ii the stylus is a bit stronger. It was on my dads system in 1971. By 1976 a friend thought stylus was off and took needle nose pliers to it. We'll it snapped. At the time my dad found out how expensive the Grado was, so he got the Shure M91ED. We'll about 5 years ago I found a new old stock stylus for that Grado. Boy did it sound good, plus something else. I have a Foreigner album that is cleaned but real warped. I have a lot of Dual tables with the newer Grado's and Shure's. Not no matter the tracking bounces all over. The F1 Grado tracking at 1.5, on the Dual 1215S, does not know the record is warped. It plays flawless.

[@gurdyman1]

@@passqualecaiazza7728 I am using a 1966 Garrard Lab 80 turntable with my Grados. Sounds a bit better and tracks better than my early 70's Thorens TD145 and a 1984 Denon DP-75 with VOM Pro arm. Those two are both newer and more expensive than my Garrard, but the Garrard just makes a more harmonious match. I have no problem at all with tracking. Sometime you should consider an 8MZ replacement stylus for your Grado. It's $150 at LPGEAR and makes a very nice improvement to the sound. Dave

[@passqualecaiazza7728]

@@gurdyman1 I might consider it in the future. Right now I still have two spare Grado silver cartridges with stylus, plus the others. These all track and sound fantastic. The thing though on the f1 the stylus is stronger and is not effected by real badly warped records. My Duals all track great. Most records I have owned and played since the 70's still sound pretty clean. This might sound weird but I own and use 2 1215S, 2 1216, 2 506, a 1229, 1225, 1226, and a 1218. All Duals and track depending on cartridge 3/4- 1 1/2 grams. Thank you for the advice and will think about the other stylus I know it is crazy to have so man, each is set up for all the different kinds of music I like. Like Classical, Opera, Big Band, musicals, Classic Rock, and rock of the 70's-80's. All tables were professionally serviced.

[@gurdyman1]

@@passqualecaiazza7728 My Garrard Lab 80 was pro serviced as well and works like new. I have owned Dual 1219, 1229, 1009 and 1019. Wish I could stumble onto a decent 1219 or 1229 at a garage sale. I miss mine. I still have a 1019, but it needs a bit of work. Dave

[@robertdrinkall8947]

2M Red, you can later up grade to the Blue just by fitting a Blue stylus.

[@Audiorpheus_Vinyl]

But you can also upgrade the mp100 to the mp110

[@andrea4809]

Thank you for this video!! great job! i made my choice, the oyster.

[@garnetnewton-wade6254]

Same to me but at home I use a 2m red and love it.

[@cubdukat]

I'm surprised the Grados didn't chart higher. I know they have some issues, but with 30dB of channel separation, I could forgive a lot. I have a Black1 on my mmf-2.2, and apart from the fact that it doesn't like my platter (steel), I like it a lot. It's the first cart that was playable right from the start, and it only got better with time. However, I'm hesitant to transfer it to my next turntable, which is probably going to be the Pioneer PLX-500. I haven't heard anything about whether it has hum issues with that table, and I'd hate to give it up because it does. But the stock cartridge will definitely be going out - unless LPGear has that ATN91-compatible stylus with the carbon fiber cantilever...

[@HiViNywschannel]

Larry Wilson Enjoy your Grado Black Buddy👋😄...great to see you. All of you guys have fun!

[@gurdyman1]

Updating the Grado Black stylus to an 8MZ stylus from LPGear will make it sound even better.

[@QoraxAudio]

Did you switch the input capacitance of your phono preamp to the appropriate levels for each cartridge? It might explain why the Nagaoka and AT cartridges end quite low on the list. Most preamps with static input capacitance have 220pF, which is ideal for Ortofon cartridges, but less optimal for Nagaoka (too low) and AT (too high) cartridges. Don’t buy Shure if you’re planning to use it for a long time. Shure has shut down production, so replacement styli will become scarse.

[@pastamatt]

Haha! Interesting! I watched this video because I was thinking maybe there is some better value out there to replace my 8-year-old m97xE... wondering if I'm missing out. I laughed out loud when we got to the end and saw my current cartridge as the top recommendation under $100. I guess I'll have to look at spending more if I am considering an upgrade.

[@wonderbars36]

Still got my 2M Red. Kinda want something new still and leaning towards that Sure at the end.

[@ssnoc]

The AT3600 is all you need for about $30 - Great balanced clean sound that is hard to beat. BTW, the Rega Carbon is actually just a repackaged AT3600 in a fancy box.

[@CliffForster]

I tend to prefer the Grado at the front end of the video, just sounds warmer, richer, more honest. I think there is this perception of a frequency boost around the 2K or so slot as being more "open" sounding but to me it sounds kind of phony. Her voice gets forward in a way that robs the balance, the only carts that don't seem to do this are the two Grado carts at the beginning of the video.

[@gurdyman1]

Agree. That's why I use Grado. Have a vintage Grado XF1 (vintage Silver equivalent) with 8MZ stylus. You'd have to spend a lot to sound better. Very natural sounding without having that boost that so many carts have.

[@dontmesswiththeman]

I’ve been using the OM-5e with a red stylus for about ten years. I’ve been happy with it, but in a few ways I preferred the Audio Technica that the previous owner had installed. I think for the price I’ll give the CN5625al a try and see how it stacks up.

[@DanubioRodriguez]

My favorite is AT3600L please compare vs rega

[@jcw.7774]

Danubio Rodriguez Technically the same body and just a stylus/suspension that can take, and requires, the higher tracking forces of non (weight aka tracking force) adjustable tone arms... Besides that it's identical.... (Correct me if I'm wrong, please). The CN5625 has an aluminium cantilever with a .7mil conical on it compared to the .6mil of the rest I believe. Soundwise the differences are within production tolerances. I guess some just might sound that smidgen better...

[@MarioCavolo]

there's a test comparison showing them identical just youtube search for it

[@barrelroll_poopoopeepee]

You can still get m97xe's and their replacement stylus's for retail price from online musician shops

[@danab7472]

Hi there, I currently have a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon with an Audio Technical AT100E cartridge. I'd like to upgrade the cartridge as I feel it is a bit rough around the edges, and the bass is really sloppy for my taste. I'd like tighter bass, better detail retrieval and an overall more balanced and musical presentation. Can you recommend some no-fuss carts I can install on my Debut Carbon? Debut Carbon is feeding a Sansui AU-555A which is powering a pair of Celestion Ditton 551. I'm looking to spend around $600 AUD.

[@stevenclarke5606]

I have to agree the rega carbon is an over priced AT-3600 , and that sounds good to me at about £15 brilliant sounds for the price. I have now installed a AT-VM 95e and it sounds really good. I do have difficulty hearing differences between these cartridges, obviously age and too many rock concerts have taken there toll. Music is all about enjoying it.

[@labnine3362]

I really wish it was possible to buy a Shure m97xe in 2023 without spending $400+ on ebay. Does anyone know why Shure stopped making cartridges/styluses? Seems like they stopped right as the wrong time (as vinyl started a resurgence).

[@TheCaro2]

Most likely I would have chosen AT-VM95E. Eg. Sumiko Oyster was totally blocked - really dark sound. Ortofon red sounded a bit harsh. But anyway - which preamp was used with this?

[@la196]

Thanks for the review and thanks for the music! I just went and purchased the digital CD. Already working on the bass line for Paper Airplane. Good band good bass guitar too. I'm thinking I may try the Shure M97xE.

[@Audiorpheus_Vinyl]

Haha! Thanks for the support! Sadly, Shure is stopping production of their cartridges. But you should be able to get a really good deal on one as suppliers try and off-load their stock.

[@la196]

Thanks for that info, Didn't know that? Just looking to upgrade the cartridge for a friends daughter's Teac 300 before she goes off to college this fall. Currently it had (yes had) a Audio-Technica MM type phonograph cartridge AT95SE. Anytime I listened, it was a bit underwhelming for my ear. This will be a birthday gift:) . Just not sure which will make a significant improvement across the board. Thanks again.

[@la196]

Just checked eBay...well that rules out the Shure, they're of course taking advantage and inflating the price:)

[@crosspollination6626]

I haven't had the luxury of trying all these carts. I have the Shure M97xE, which is not a bad cart.(It's on my very old antiquated Dual CS-5000. My other Dual- 707 has a Shure V15 Type 5, I like that one better. So- yeah your list looks good. BTW- like the song Paper Airplane from Mrs Audiorpheus. Anyway to get that album?

[@ricardoparadella5375]

O tried finding it too. No success...

[@giannatroi2537]

Best information, greatly appreciated!

[@ontherun8]

pity that ADCs are no more here... QLM, XLM etc I miss them all !

[@TheBudgie29]

My 2MRed In It's box best place for It. I'll get It out when I get some Boot Sale Records to play. I have the MP110H and the 150H these are best through the Schitt-Mani, they will make Your Vinyl sing like You have never heard It before. If You can afford It, the MP200. I have a AT95E with a 78 stylus for playing back My 78 number ones. And It sounds Awesome Thanks for sharing.

[@lovelorn88nick]

I've been thinking about getting the Ortofon red

[@utub1473]

Get the MP110 instead.

[@bkkersey93]

You're both wrong. Get the VM740ML.

[@utub1473]

Bkkersey93 That costs a lot more but you’re right it would be much better.

[@cyclometre]

bit of an Ortofon fan from way back. dependable good quality reliable sound...mmmm.

[@jogon206]

Robert bray-ferguson Ortofon all the way, and if the turntable doesn't like Ortofon (like many old Dual) then slap an AT95E on it which doesn't sound quite as good as an OM5, but still very good. Just the needles don't hold up quite as long.