After about two weeks with this cart all I can say is very very good for the money. The cart is fully broken in if it takes about 50-100 hours. I did read alot of negative things about the Red before I purchased as well as positive reviews, but I really look for reviews by hobbyist who seemed to be more mature in evaluating rather than those who seemed like they had no real idea about sound. I love the way you screw the cart in....no nuts to put on to a screw. As I type now, I am listening to the "Pat Metheny Group"s 1987 release "Still life talking... I have had this on CD as well but for now its all about vinyl. IF any one knows anything about The Metheny group, there is a lot of different sounds coming at you at once. The Reds tracking is out standing. No grove or inner grove distortion at all.no wobble, no hum, nothing but pure analogue sound, so as always, the set up of the cart is very important. The Reds sound is clear and very transparent. The highs are very well noticeable with no roll off and no sibilance. I suspect there is coloration from the Red, but its not all that noticeable at all like some carts. The cart seems to give it to you just as it was laid down on the vinyl. It has a nice bottom end, with the mids a little recessed but not to where you are thinking something is missing, its hardly noticeable at all. But what I did notice when compared to my Goldring Elan or "Music Tracker" On artist like Paul Desmond who is normally smooth himself , is this cart is not as smooth as the cheaper Elan. With the Elan there was a nice bottom end and a certain lush, velvet like cohesiveness to the vinyl sound, you get some of that velvet like smoothness with the Red but not as much with the Elan....the 2M Red while more "pronounced" and more intensified in each musical note played is more "forward" and more "in your face". One reviewer of the Red said the Red "made the vinyl sound better that what it really is." And because it makes music sound better than what it really is, he said its not accurate. I dont know about that...it would seem the Red just does a very good job of amplifying the sound on the vinyl or it could be the coloration that you really dont notice that makes it sound beter than what it really is. But all in all, this is a very good cart for your money. Not as smooth as teh Goldring and a tad forward or in your face, being a bit of a forward Cart. I think its an improvement and a step up from the OMB carts. So if you are in need of a good cart without spending a lot of money you may be able to nab one. The going price is $99, but I've seen them as low as $69 on clearance in a few places. Out of the box it may seem like a very bright cart with sibilance and distortion, but after break in the cart settles down nicely. A very good tracker worth the money. I am wanting to try the 2M Blue...a Goldring 2300 or better, and I have to try a "humming" Grado cart.



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