I'm keen on exploring alternative cartridges with my Pro-Ject Carbon Xpression and interested on this communities suggestions regarding possible options.
I'm pretty happy with the existing package (the TT and Cart retails at around $1400 with the Orofon silver cart retailing at around $400)
Is it worth shelling circa $900 for say an Orofon Black? or is it overkill for this entry level TT? or best to upgrade the whole lot.
Running albums through a Graham Slee phono stage and class A integrated Amp and have pretty sweet power management, speakers and cables yet I'm finding the bass is a bit thin and treble somewhat bright. In contrast, when I run tunes through the DAC, the High, mid and low ends combine very well in terms of image seperation, soundstage and detail so thinking my weakest link could be the cartridge. In saying all that, some vinyl comes out superb and some other recordings -terrible. For example ) played 'Celia' by Simon and Garfunkle and it was awful. Bright high treble notes with the percussion receeding back into the distance. Yet playing MoFi version of B52's gives appropriate prominance to each high, medium and low frequencies, no bloom or clipping and reasonably authorative sound stage. In describing this, it could very well be the quality of the recordings that's important (and the problem) and I don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater if it just boils down to this issue.
Suggestions on how to maximise performance of the Carbon Xpression greatfully appreciated.
Cheers Terry