New cartridge

AT33 I love mine if only I'd bought one years back I'd have saved a fortune.

 

Get an ortofon kontrapunkt b (£400 online?) and spend the savings on upgrading your phono stage.

 

Ummmm ............... nah.

 

you might get the best results with a transformer though.

 

The question is as stated. I'm not even slightly interested in messing around with other phono stages, nor anything else for that matter. I am the ultimate non-customer of yours, Murray. I like you, though.

 

LOL, I'm not selling Ortofons. It should work straight into the Whest well enough anyway.

 

Got the AT33PTG and it's really good. For the money it's a bargain but I have found out that if it goes faulty for whatever reason I have no guarantee in the UK. I remember having an OC9about 10 years ago... it's a bit like that, bright but musical, but bright. Giant killer.... yes upto £500 then it gets tricky.

Yes it's as good as anything I have heard in the £500 region. As a REAL upgrade on this I would not hesitate on purchasing an XX2MK2. I've now heard the XX2 into 2 different whest units and it's great. (PS... I've now ordered my Whest PS30R and will trade in my whestTWO...stuff the credit crunch!)

Devil.... you won't look back on an XX2. It's more even sounding than a Transfiguration and livelier (is that the right spelling) than a Lyra. Isn't the SPU an old design?

 

Very!

 

Is that legal giving zero guarantee? I would have thought would still need to comply with merchantable quality etc.
I assume they are usually pretty reliable anyway?

I would like to upgrade my cart at some point, but it is way down the list currently and as a newbie, I know very little so it will be at least a year of reading etc before I consider taking the plunge.

 

Well the cartridge comes in from japan. You can't buy the 33 from the UK at all so is not guaranteed over here. If I had purchased an OC9 from Japan that's another matter!

 

Hi Murray,

For some reason the pic of the SPU wasn't there when I replied, hence I though lame advice a la BBV.

Yes I've heard the SPU, yes it's quite nice, but not my scene.

I agree the XX2 is good, thoughts are now drifting toward Benz, or even a budget-busting Koetsu Red.

 

Having owned a Dynavector, currently own a Koetsu (Black, re-tipped by Expert Stylus) and having experience of the Benz range, I have to say that Benz is probably the best out of these. Whilst my Koestu makes all music a pleasure to listen to, I find the Benz carts have that little extra oopmh and balance/neutrality. Hmm...if I was buying new it would be a tough decision.

 

Give it a few days........

After that the tonal balance is bang on neutral.

 

This chap's selling 3 nice cartridges and a half decent TT!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SHELTER-PHONO...ryZ48648QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

The Koetsu Black is not a real Koetsu...it's an OEM cartridge. Reds are a fantastic price now (long body for £500ish) but think a bit on the slow side compared to modern day units. The Benz Glider L2 is a cracker. I'm still waiting for the AT33 to calm down a bit, I really hope it does because it sounds a bit 1995 OC9'ish. If the AT33 continues then I'll use it as a back up and get something more exotic.
I now truly believe you can't get real great quality on the cheap.

Please don't all reply and say 'the NAD 3020' is great quality.... because I think you all know what I mean.

 

How about keeping your current cartridge and upgrading the deck to a funk saffire?

 

S/H Technics EPC-100. It's an MM and quite simply the best cart I've ever heard.

 

Better than your previous prototype? Get me one, please.

 

ahem. OK.

 

Benz LP is really, really good. Can sometimes be had for almost reasonable money, i.e. within your budget.