Cartridge for Pro-Ject Debut II
Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 1:14 pm
Re-entering the vinyl arena after a 30-year absence is causing me a few headaches as ancient history is consulted and deeply-buried experiences slowly resurface.
Just remembered that I should check the tracking-weight of my A&R P77Mg and found it to be way above the recommended 1.8g. Now corrected. Also gave the stylus a careful clean and this seems to have put a bit more sparkle into the sound.
The Project Debut 2 is a no-frills, belt-driven TT and is fine for current needs. The NVA Phono circuit is, I presume, relatively unchanged throughout the years and so I am wondering if the 35-year-old cartridge is due for renewal (styli are impossible to find). Seeing the ProJect turntables are optimised for Ortofon cartridges I am looking at their 2M series and then the Red, Blue and Bronze models. Other choices could be a Grado Prestige Silver or an Audio-Technica VM540ML.
What I want is a general-purpose MM unit that gives a clear, dynamic sound without being too bright - and that interacts well with the Debut and NVA system.
Any recommendations from the vinyl experts out there?