Can I get some cartridge recommendations under $150

[Pfenning]

I picked up a Phillips GA-212 today, and I need a cartridge for it. It's for my hobby room, so no critical listening will be taking place, just background music. I'll be feeding the analog signal to my vintage Marantz 2215 (built in phono stage). What cartridges will give me good full sound? The cheaper the better, I just don't want to damage my records.

Also, it has a goofy DIN connector on it, not RCA's. Will it be painfully obvious how to convert it to RCA?

Thanks,
Pfenning 

[denti alligator]

Nagaoka MP110 is very nice.

Ortofon 2M Red is well liked.

I'd go for one of these.

[Pfenning]

Thanks Denti, I was looking at the Red. Has anyone tried the AT 95E? It gets good reviews on Needledoctor. I didn't realize there were so many choices at or under $100. That price range makes more sense for the application.

Pfenning

[Wanderer]

Phillips GA 212 has a relatively low mass arm. I'd consider the Shure M97Xe OR the older, higher compliance, Ortofon OM 20 might be a better match then the newer Ortofon Red.

OM20 cartridges are still around as NOS if you dig a bit on the internet         

[Wanderer]

..Oh.....and do keep in mind that the GA 212 has a ferrous steel platter. Cartridges that have a strong magnetic field, like High Output Moving Coils, can be impossible to set up correctly.   

[Pfenning]

Ok, thanks. Good info on the platter material. I was wandering about the mass of the arm. Thanks for the info. Hopefully I got a good deal on it. My luck varies when it comes to eBay. 

Pfenning

[Wanderer]

Try a refrigerator magnet on the platter to be sure. I think the later Phillips tables had a non-ferrous platter. The GA-212 I had many moons ago definitely had a platter that would attract a magnet.   

I used a Shure V15 III on it way back when both were new.       

[caffeinator]

I'd second the M97XE - pretty good bang for the buck and easy to come by pretty inexpensively.

[Pfenning]

I think I'll order a M97XE and give it a try. If i order one today, it should arrive about the same time as my Phillips 212. Thanks for the advice.


Onebean

[Mike V.]

I think I'll order a M97XE and give it a try. If i order one today, it should arrive about the same time as my Phillips 212. Thanks for the advice.


Onebean

I had a lot of grounding issues with the Shure!!!! I would not recomend the m97xe, I vote for the Ortofon OM-20 instead, I owned one and I have very possitive thought on it, also you can upgrade later the stylus.

Hope you give a second thougt on it1

Cheers,

[Pfenning]

I'm returning it. I got a deal on the Pro-ject Carbon with the Ortofon red. I'm loving it.

Pfenning