Great cartridges around $100?

[Enochrome]

Just got a new table and wanted to get a decent MM cartridge for around $100.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Mostly, I will be listening to classical, folk, and some rock. Don't have much knowledge in this area, and would love to be educated by personal tastes.

Cheers!

[02audionoob]

Important question...What model turntable?

http://www.needledoctor.com/Ortofon-2M-Red-Phono-Cartridge?sc=2&category=378

http://www.needledoctor.com/Nagaoka-MP-110-Phono-Cartridge?sc=2&category=15775

http://www.needledoctor.com/Shure-M97XE?sc=2&category=380

http://www.needledoctor.com/Grado-Green1-Prestige-Series-Phono-Cartridges?sc=2&category=374

http://www.needledoctor.com/Audio-Technica-120E-Cartridge?sc=2&category=363

[Enochrome]

It's a Luxman PD-272. Direct Drive. About 30 years old.

[02audionoob]

Considering how light that tonearm looks and your budget, I'd probably be interested in this one or the Shure...

http://www.needledoctor.com/s.nl/it.A/id.274/.f?sc=2&category=378

[poppachubby]

I have an OMB-10 and it's a fantastic budget cart. Overall, it really delivers a very forward sound. I don't listen to classical but I can imagine it would be a really fun cart for that genre. When the orchestra suddenly break into a huge, thunderous piece, this Ortofon will help deliver.

[02audionoob]

And then when you need a new stylus for the Ortofon, you could move up to the 20, 30 or 40.

[Enochrome]

those two companies sound reproduction and build quality. This is a very low budget system, but I think it is fun to put together, I am learning much, and most of all my music is sounding more and more fantastic. Already the new Paradigm speakers I purchased recently are revealing sooo much in my music collection.

Cheers!!!!

[Enochrome]

I have a stupid question:

The price of the Ortofon 2m, Audio -Technica and the Nagaoka cartridges,is that for just the cartridge or the cartridge and stylus combined?

Thanks

[02audionoob]

All of the links are for a cartridge with a stylus. However, I should explain that my preference for the OM was specifically for its high compliance...a term that sort of describes its resilience...which makes it likely to be a better match for your turntable's low-mass arm than the others...except perhaps for the Shure. But there's not a huge difference among them. It's just the thing that motivated me to ask what turntable.

[Enochrome]

Thanks that takes a load off my mind and my wallet :)

The Ortofon 2m Red looks good, as does that OM 10 ( I like the interchanging of stylus's for that series as well). Your help has been much appreciated and needed. I think I'll go to some shops tomorrow and check them out. I need to get my table serviced first before buying.

[Enochrome]

Is the Nagaoka cart a high compliance one? Will that be suitable for the Luxman? I am intrigued by its popular warm sounding reputation. That reputation might balance out my Audio Technica budget preamp and bright sounding Paradigm Mini Monitors.

Is their any logic to this?

[poppachubby]

Is the Nagaoka cart a high compliance one? Will that be suitable for the Luxman? I am intrigued by its popular warm sounding reputation. That reputation might balance out my Audio Technica budget preamp and bright sounding Paradigm Mini Monitors.

Is their any logic to this?

Yes, some. However don't expect such a dramatic warmth as to change the output from your speakers. You will likely need something else in the chain to warm things up. I would suggest a Bellari VP130. You can change its stock tube with quite impressive results. A warm sounding cart combined with this tube stage would help things alot.