[ARSCLIST] Good industrial-strength LP cartridge for spoken-word material

[Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A friend of mine has a really nice collection of spoken-word LPs he wants to get into his iPod for 
easier access. He's got a decent transfer setup, certainly of higher fidelity than most of these 
recordings. I got him set up with Technics SL1200 MK2 turntable. Now we're wondering about the best 
cartridge for the job. I was thinking something like a Shure M44 decendent, mainly because it's 
low-cost but effective and again will have better fidelity than most of these records. We were also 
thinking maybe a Stanton 500 or 720. Given that some of these records were really bad pressings 
(think limit-release stuff, very interesting content but very low-grade production and pressing), 
trackability would be a plus. Most of the LPs are in decent, good or excellent condition so the 
cartridge won't confront a tracking minefield in almost all cases. The tough cases, I told him we'd 
sort them out at my studio.

So, the goal here is a low-cost but good quality cartridge that tracks loyally and isn't finicky and 
is durable enough to give him a good run for the money. Recommendations appreciated.

-- Tom Fine