Cartridge Advice for amateur........ using an an Audiomods Series6 arm and a Garrard 301.

earthmonkey

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Hello, 

looking for advice on Cartridges for an Audiomods Series6 arm and a Garrard 301. I am using a bespoke Amp/PhonoStage built by Graham / Blackcat Audio. It has a valve phono and valve pre-amp before one of his chip amps and driving b&W 801 series 80.

I used to play a Denon 103R on and SME 309 arm on 301, this is the fist install of the Audiomods arm. But i am a clumsy bugger and broke the tip of the 103R. Once it had settled in i did love the sound of the 103r compared to entry range cartridges i had used before, like Ortofon Red

My question is within the 103R  price range-ish (maybe i can push to one grade up) what other cartridges would you recommend and maybe would prefer the easier MM route and not even use my step up for a bit and most importantly i can get replacement tips relatively easily. i seem to break tips more regularly then i can afford. \

thanks in advance 

DL

 

PeteT59

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Hello, 
looking for advice on Cartridges for an Audiomods Series6 arm and a Garrard 301. I am using a bespoke Amp/PhonoStage built by Graham / Blackcat Audio. It has a valve phono and valve pre-amp before one of his chip amps and driving b&W 801 series 80.
I used to play a Denon 103R on and SME 309 arm on 301, this is the fist install of the Audiomods arm. But i am a clumsy bugger and broke the tip of the 103R. Once it had settled in i did love the sound of the 103r compared to entry range cartridges i had used before, like Ortofon Red
My question is within the 103R  price range-ish (maybe i can push to one grade up) what other cartridges would you recommend and maybe would prefer the easier MM route and not even use my step up for a bit and most importantly i can get replacement tips relatively easily. i seem to break tips more regularly then i can afford. \
thanks in advance 
DL
Why not get the 103 retipped..?

I had my 304 done with a new cantilever at Expert Stylus Co, (there are other places that would do this, but I've no experience of them) and it came back better than before.

It sounds great on my audiomods v6...

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

 
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Rockchild

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Hello, 

looking for advice on Cartridges for an Audiomods Series6 arm and a Garrard 301. I am using a bespoke Amp/PhonoStage built by Graham / Blackcat Audio. It has a valve phono and valve pre-amp before one of his chip amps and driving b&W 801 series 80.

I used to play a Denon 103R on and SME 309 arm on 301, this is the fist install of the Audiomods arm. But i am a clumsy bugger and broke the tip of the 103R. Once it had settled in i did love the sound of the 103r compared to entry range cartridges i had used before, like Ortofon Red

My question is within the 103R  price range-ish (maybe i can push to one grade up) what other cartridges would you recommend and maybe would prefer the easier MM route and not even use my step up for a bit and most importantly i can get replacement tips relatively easily. i seem to break tips more regularly then i can afford. \

thanks in advance 

DL
MM This AT VM750sh. Brilliant with the Audiomods. Speaking from personal experience 
 

F3F43475-5A7E-4B83-BB6F-781178A61114.jpeg

 
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MVJ

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I've used expert stylus a couple of times for retips & such they do a good job apart from being a bit slow but they are a bit old school I think. I would say if you like the sound of the 103r get it fixed better the devil you know as they say.👍

 

MVJ

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MM This AT VM750sh. Brilliant with the Audiomods. Speaking from personal experience 
 

naim black logo.jpg
I have one of these bought recently and it's getting a good running in atm and sounding really good now.

 

earthmonkey

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Mar 13, 2013
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Why not get the 103 retipped..?

I had my 304 done with a new cantilever at Expert Stylus Co, (there are other places that would do this, but I've no experience of them) and it came back better than before.

It sounds great on my audiomods v6...

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk
 
Thanks, I have been looking at re-tipping but I am based in Tel Aviv and the secure postage both ways may cost more with the repairs than a new one posted one way to me, will look into postage in more detail and will check out Expert Stylus Co,

 

Rockchild

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Thanks, I have been looking at re-tipping but I am based in Tel Aviv and the secure postage both ways may cost more with the repairs than a new one posted one way to me, will look into postage in more detail and will check out Expert Stylus Co,
TBH, the cost of re tipping would out cost the replacement cost for a new 103r

 

Rockchild

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The Audiomods arm is designed to take pretty much any cartridge with its various alterations that can be made. An AT MM is one safe bet especially with the Shibata profile. 

 

earthmonkey

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i just found a BNOS in my storage of a Stanton 881 Mk II S  -  anyone have any reviews / views about this Cart?

 

Rockchild

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i just found a BNOS in my storage of a Stanton 881 Mk II S  -  anyone have any reviews / views about this Cart?
I think Stanton are all about nostalgia. They are easily bettered by the likes of AT. 
How much do you actually want to spend to get the best out of the Audiomods arm?

 

uzzy

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I've used expert stylus a couple of times for retips & such they do a good job apart from being a bit slow but they are a bit old school I think. I would say if you like the sound of the 103r get it fixed better the devil you know as they say.👍
They sound old school but are right up there - they will do a saphire cantilever upgrade with a paratrace or extended fine line stylus .. workmanship second to none and from my experience their reworking of a Decca Gold with fine line knocked spots off the Garrot one I had .. 
They are slow - they rung the retip business but they also do diamond cutting tools and all sorts of other stuff .. I have used them since 1980 .. loved the old Mr Hodgson who was the man - and his son (who sounds just like his dad on the phone) is a great guy too.  

In reality you have two choices - get the Denon retipped (because you love the sound) OR get your arse in gear and get round the dealers (and local wammers) to get to hear as many as you can to form an opinion.   If you look at the thread on Cartridge journey you will see the number of cartridges some have had to reach their destination (until the next one). 

I personally love the 103 .. I can just sit back and enjoy the music - and that is my goal to sit back and enjoy the music.  I was going to get one until we had a Decca set up in a Mayware Formula IV in the shop and it just knocked my socks off and for the last 43 years it has been the main cartridge in my system (not with unipivot that would be a bridge too far for the missus). 

The only other cartridges to almost tempt me in recent years were Transfiguration . but then the brain kicked in and asked me "do you really love the sound you have now and do you enjoy the music every time" and with heavy heart I had to agree that I did and so - the Decca is still in situ,, but it could just as easily been a 103 with a saphire cantilever and paratrace stylus

 
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PeteT59

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They sound old school but are right up there - they will do a saphire cantilever upgrade with a paratrace or extended fine line stylus .. workmanship second to none and from my experience their reworking of a Decca Gold with fine line knocked spots off the Garrot one I had .. 
They are slow - they rung the retip business but they also do diamond cutting tools and all sorts of other stuff .. I have used them since 1980 .. loved the old Mr Hodgson who was the man - and his son (who sounds just like his dad on the phone) is a great guy too.  

In reality you have two choices - get the Denon retipped (because you love the sound) OR get your arse in gear and get round the dealers (and local wammers) to get to hear as many as you can to form an opinion.   If you look at the thread on Cartridge journey you will see the number of cartridges some have had to reach their destination (until the next one). 

I personally love the 103 .. I can just sit back and enjoy the music - and that is my goal to sit back and enjoy the music.  I was going to get one until we had a Decca set up in a Mayware Formula IV in the shop and it just knocked my socks off and for the last 43 years it has been the main cartridge in my system (not with unipivot that would be a bridge too far for the missus). 

The only other cartridges to almost tempt me in recent years were Transfiguration . but then the brain kicked in and asked me "do you really love the sound you have now and do you enjoy the music every time" and with heavy heart I had to agree that I did and so - the Decca is still in situ,, but it could just as easily been a 103 with a saphire cantilever and paratrace stylus
My ESC retipped DL304 had the sapphire cantilever and ultra low mass paratrace fitted, and it's only slightly shy of the Transfiguration Pheonix..!
It was money very well spent..!

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Temaad

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Hi, Yes the 103 is easy to get re=tipped. I have used VAS in the USA & they do a great job. Most people take the opportunity to have the cantilever & stylus upgraded from the conical which is standard on the 103. A conical stylus is the lowest level for musical retrieval so anything above this is an upgrade. Costs will be between $200 to maybe $450 depending on what cantilever &  stylus you go for. 

In saying that have you had your level 6 arm changed to accommodate the low compliance Denon cart. This normally requires a Head-shell spacer & heavier arm counter weight. 

Cheers

 

PeteT59

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In saying that have you had your level 6 arm changed to accommodate the low compliance Denon cart. This normally requires a Head-shell spacer & heavier arm counter weight. 
Cheers
The Audiomods V6 arm comes with accessories including a heavy cartridge carrier and extra counterweight sections...

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