Nicest sounding carts

[catamorphism]

So I'm looking to get a pair of nice sounding carts for home use. I don't scratch but I do backcue so I don't think just going for HiFi ones is going to work. My first thought was the Shure m97x but conveniently enough the FAQ on the Shure site says they will not last at all when used like that. I currently use a pair of Ortofon PRO S but I'd like to retire them to backup carts when playing out.

So I'm curious. What are the nicest sounding DJ carts? Should I just get a pair of M44G and call it a day? What do clubs that care about sound quality have set up(Fabric, Plastic People etc)?

[thugsucker]

My favorites as the best sounding DJ carts:
ellipticals: Stanton 680el, Ortofon Arkiv
sphericals: Shure WLB, Shure M35X, Ortofon Elektro

IMO M44G isn't nice at all for DJ'ing. I hate how light handed you must be when lifting from the headshell. Recommended max weight is only 1.5grams for the stylus. But this is totally personal preference and I know some people swear by these.

I'd recommend you to either buy new set of Ortofon styluses or try Shures, either WLB's or M35X's. They're both better sounding than M44G's.

[mostapha]

I disagree with thugsucker in that I like m-44gs...I think they sound fine and aren't especially touchy. But whitelabels are better.

[catamorphism]

Thanks! Are there any downsides to using elliptical styluses?

[SlvrDragon50]

They're more likely to skip compared to a spherical I believe, but if your cart is set up right, it shouldn't be an issue.

[the_bastet]

The sound quality of the cart is irrelevant if your tonearm and connectors are total garbage. What turntable are you using. If using a turntable with built in phono preamp, you want something with a slight cut on the lows as the natural rumble from a quartz motor actually distorts the sound in the amp (Hanpin tt's are a prime example. SHure whitelabels in this instance.
Tech 12XX's - M44G's
Numark anything - m44-7's (For some reason the highs tend to get chopped slighty. the high boost of the 7 helps)

[catamorphism]

I'm using a pair of Technics 1210MK2s and they're plugged into a Rane Empath. Not an audiophile setup but decent I think?

[thugsucker]

^Definitely a decent setup. I'm not a fan of the 44G's, I think they only sound a slightly better than 447's. Well anyway, Whitelabels and M35X's both sound better than M44G's.

[Hippie]

An elliptical tip will be more V shaped whereas the spherical tip will be more O shaped.
So an elliptical tip will sit deeper into the groove which may pick up a more detailed signal and cause more record wear.

[olisharp]

Big, brash, upfront sound and cheap – Shure 447
Smooth, detailed refined sound and expensive – Ortofon Nightclub E Mk 2


Please beat in mind that there's no right or wrong answer here, it's all subjective and depends on your taste. My experience / opinion is based on Drum & Bass.

Totally agree with Thugsucker on this - good suggestions!

As for what the London clubs use / used
Fabric - Shure 447
Matter - Shure 447
MOS - Stanton 890e
The End - Ortofon Nightclub E mk2
Cable - Ortofon S

NOTE - clubs don't always choose the cartridges based on sound alone. Good performance across a variety of genres, excellent record hold, durability, and cheap replacement cost are important factors too.

An elliptical stylus reaches further into the groove where the high frequencies sit and so will offer a more accurate reproduction of the source material. The record wear is also more evenly spread across the groove. The disadvantage is that the shape makes them more fragile and therefore not really suitable for heavy scratching.

It's worth noting that the stylus performance will also depend on what type of records you play. The Ortofon S is quite old now and the mixdowns and mastering of dance records has changed significantly since its introduction. The Ortofon Nightclub E mk2 represents a significant update over the earlier Ortofon models and is better suited to modern records, likewise the Elektro.

The best thing is to try as many as you can, which is not easy as shops! I read all the hype and good reviews about the Shure 44G and was very disappointed when I bought them. I didn't like the sound and 1.5g tracking force is a joke. I then bought the Concorde Elektro (couldn't afford the Nightclub E) and love them - exactly the sound I was looking for, and a broad range of tracking force from 3g to 5g. Several of my DJ friends have Shure 447s, which I also really like.

I'd suggest you won't be disappointed with the Shure 447s if you like a big, brash, upfront sound, and they stick to the records like glue! They're cheap too. However, if you want a more refined sound I'd suggest trying some others. I find the Ortofon Elektros offer a good compromise of refined sound, back cue / scratchability, and price.