From: Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [ARSCLIST] Good industrial-strength LP cartridge for
spoken-word material
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sunday, April 19, 2009, 3:07 PM
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