Editors’ Choice: Best Cartridges Under $2,000

The swansong design of Ortofon’s former chief engineer Per Windfeld, the entry-level 2M Red uses an elliptical, the 2M Black a Shibata stylus. The Black’s greatest attribute is the way it parses the complexities of orchestral depth and dimension. In comparison, the 2M Red clocks in with a little drier sound, as if it’s making more of an effort in the upper treble. Still, this is one sophisticated and musical cartridge. NG, 182

Grado’s entry-level offering in the new Timbre Series is a little like going home again to a pre-digital age. With its midrange tonal beauty and unvarnished musicality, its warmer overall signature and rich midrange, this is classic Grado. There are still notes of dark chocolate in its voicing—a complex bittersweetness that favors resonant wooden instruments like cello and acoustic bass and winds. The primary strength of the Opus3, however, is its resolution of timbral distinctions, its verdant naturalism, and its harmonic richness. Pure and simple, a celebration of LP playback. NG, 313

Judged according to the highest standards, PS found the VM540M acquitted itself astonishingly in every aspect of performance. Its only tonal anomaly is a smooth, mild rise beginning at 5kHz to a maximum of 4–5dB at 11kHz–12kHz, which in the listening is remarkably benign and might even pass unnoticed in many systems. PS, 284

In 2004 the Shure corporation retired the seventh and last iteration of its by now legendary Shure V15 series, introduced in 1964, a moving-magnet design that established new standards for overall tonal neutrality, flat frequency response, and tracking ability. Such is its popularity among enthusiasts that the Japanese firm Jico markets replacement styli that actually improve upon the already outstanding original. For reviewer Paul Seydor, no other phono pickup, mc or mm, offers quite the combination of completely non-fatiguing, beautiful, natural sound without seriously compromising the liveliness, engagement, transparency, and involvement of the best mc’s, while still, after all these decades, reigning supreme in tracking ability. It has long been and will long remain one of his reference pickups. PS, 334

Despite nomenclature and pricing, these are essentially different versions of the same pickup. The DL-103 is the base model, manufactured the same way since its introduction in 1962—by hand. It also enjoys a longer life without modification than any phono cartridge in the history of audio, while also being one of the most beloved products ever made. The DL-103R is a 103 with 6N copper wire for the coils, a finer wire made from purer copper, the sonic result is a slightly reduced extreme top end for a fractionally darker presentation that is very pleasing albeit not quite so accurate as the stock 103. Regardless of version, you will still get the virtues that account for its 60+ years of popularity. PS, 328

At $399 the Quintet Red (0.5mV) is inexpensive for a moving-coil cartridge but it doesn’t sound like a cheapskate. It’s quick on transients, sure-footed in tracking, and a slam-dunk candidate for any thoughtful starter system. It drops some resolution and tonal purity at the frequency extremes but retains a persuasive feel for the distinctive musicality of LP playback. NG, 244

The second-generation version of the Bluepoint Oyster—long considered a go-to choice among affordable, high-output moving-coil cartridges—the No. 2 offers improved resolution, superior three-dimensionality, richer and more potent bass, and smoother, less aggressive highs. A huge step up from entry-level cartridges. CM, 172

In a sea of $10,000-ish super cartridges, what’s a vinyl-playing audiophile with discriminating tastes to do? For that matter, what’s a sub-$999 budgeted audiophile to do? The $600 Hana SL is the gem of the Excel lineup and can easily fit any ’table/’arm combo that will accommodate a 0.5mV output. With the Hana SL, the user can also rest assured the cartridge will support the next ’table/’arm upgrade. It represents what any more costly cartridge should offer as a bare minimum—and plenty more. AJ, 270

This moving-magnet phono pickup is the flagship of Audio- Technica’s VM line. Outfitted with a line-contact stylus, the VM760 in PS’ judgment acquitted itself astonishingly in every aspect of performance, including frequency response, tracking ability, transparency, and dynamic range. Its only tonal anomaly is a mild rise beginning at 5kHz that proves in the listening to be remarkably benign, might even pass unnoticed, and is easily correctable with treble tone-control. Intrinsically, its performance is superb; factoring in price, it is a staggering cartridge. PS, 284

The Quintet Series comprises five low-to-mid-priced moving-coil cartridges that replaces the aging Rondo Series of mc’s. At the top rung is the 0.3mV Quintet Black, which is given the royal treatment with neodymium magnets, a nude Shibata stylus, and a boron cantilever. Sonically, the Quintet Black displays even neutrality across the tonal spectrum with glimmers of midrange warmth. It has both a light touch and control. Low-level information is reproduced with great precision. NG, 244

Hana cartridges get many things right, so we offer this as the likely starting point for people moving up from moving-magnet cartridges. The ML offers an open and smooth sound with plenty of detail. Yet it is not aggressive or bright sounding. This will appear sonically to buyers stepping up as an increase in resolution and clarity without ancillary pain. To get the Hana magic, you’ll need a good turntable and arm that allow careful setup. And you’ll need to do that setup (or have your dealer do it). But the rewards are real in systems that already have good electronics and high-resolution speakers. The next step up from here is real but includes a hefty price for better electronics, table, and arm. TAS YouTube

The successor to the Maestro Wood, the Maestro V2 Ebony is an improvement in every way. With a higher 4.2mV output and an ultra-low-mass Micro HD stylus on a solid boron cantilever, the Ebony brings symphonic recordings to life, unifying each orchestral section into the greater whole. Low-level detail is speedily resolved. As musical as they come, NG thought the Maestro V2 Ebony should be required listening for moving-magnet and moving-coil fans alike. Co-winner of TAS’ 2013 Phono Cartridge of the Year Award. NG, 234