What is overkill for my tonearm?

[Gidorra]

I want to upgrade the cartridge on a rarely used secondary turntable. Linn Basik, with Basik Plus tonearm. It still has the original cartridge from ca 40 years ago, which was a Linn-rebranded piece ratailing for 50 bucks, or double that with the Linn branding.
I was thinking Ortofon red or blue, i.e. something from the 100-200 bucks range, but I have no idea at what price point it turns silly with view to the quality of the tonearm. Any shopping advice?

 

[Apesbrain]

Ortofon 2M Blue would be a fine choice, but I think I see discussion on the internet of that cartridge body not fitting the Basik Plus headshell. Do your own research and confirm before purchasing.

Grado Prestige Green is another option, but it's tough to pick a cartridge for someone else. As with speakers, very subjective.

Audio-Technica VM95EN or VM95ML are good performers. Your tonearm can work well with any of these or even better.

Or, get a new stylus for your existing cartridge; pretty sure they can still be found. Probably an ATN95 type, but post a photo to confirm.

 

[Gidorra]

Cheers, here are some pics. I already have a Grado on another turntable, so would not mind that.

 

[Apesbrain]

Apparently, the Audio-Technica VMN95 series styli will fit that cartridge so you have lots of options from conical to Shibata stylus profile.

 

[DSJR]

The K5 was apparently a CONICAL tip, which I now feel was a bit naughty at the price Linn sold it for. (I think I have that right). Modern equivalent and ugly but perfect stylus replacement the VMN95C,

Thanks to @lini, I stand corrected!

The direct equivalent of the K5 would be the VMN95E, as I gather the body itself is the same or very similar internally.

The Basik Plus, has a lean and lively tone*. I wonder if the clear but razor-sharp VMN95ML stylus would be a touch too much for it? The more subtle VM95SH stylus would be good.

*I sold and set up hundreds (literally) Basik LVV, LVX and Basik Plus arms and have a good working 'Plus here in my 'stash.' This arm currently has a K9 body with 95E stylus in it



If you feel like a total pickup change and without breaking the bank (I'd suggest a K5 would be £200 or more today and a K9 £300...), I wonder if the Basik deck and 'PLus' arm would (subjectively) favour a Sumiko Rainier? I'd personally be cautious on the Ortofon 2M models (the Blue can be fussy although I love the 2M Bronze in a Rega arm). The Hierarchy model still applies to vinyl sources, so don't go too mad here! If in the UK, the Rega ND3 may actually also work nicely at £175.

A stylus change to a 95ML or SH is the easiest if not the prettiest option, but if a cartridge change is considered, PLEASE take care and don't over-tighten fixing bolts! (being an ex-Linn dealer, I've seen how easily damaged these slightly frail arms can be if manhandled too much or abused by over-tightening)

 

[lini]

The K5 was apparently a CONICAL tip, which I now feel was a bit naughty at the price Linn sold it for. (I think I have that right). (...)

Uhm, no, not really. The K5 needle is an elliptical. The one with the spherical tip is the Basik (basically an AT93 with Linn logo).

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[Ben Jenssen]

Restoring my vinyl gear and record collection after not using it for 2-3 decades last year, I spent ~$100 on a Rega Planar, ~$300 on a Ortofon MC X10, and ~$300 on a Rega Fono RIAA stage, and I'm super happy. The turntable and tonearm feels like plastic toys, but the moving coil cartridge makes it sound simply fantastic, just like when I got my first mc in the eighties. I've now digitized over 100 of my most cherished albums. Example - Tom Jobim Stan Getz (1964) 48kHz wav:

Tom Jobim & Stan Getz - Getz:Gilberto (1964) Side 1.wav

drive.google.com

 

[DSJR]

Uhm, no, not really. The K5 needle is an elliptical. The one with the spherical tip is the Basik (basically an AT93 with Linn logo).

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

Thanks for that. It's so long now and I'm sure I read it was a conical (I must have looked at the stylus under a proper microscope as I did the others, so apologies for getting it wrong). Got to say we usually sold the AT95E to upgrade an AT-made Basik and most customers were happy to go to the K9, which in its heyday, wasn't judged expensive. Last K9's came to us with the K5 plastic mount body and I felt sounded a little sweeter (Linn laughed at me earlier on I remember).