The Dynavector Karat DV17DX moving coil cartridge @totallywirednz

Choosing Your Cartridge

The stylus and cartridge are very much the business end of any record playing system, being in direct contact with the LP and converting the physical movement of the stylus into the electrical signal which flows through your hifi system. So your choice of phono cartridge will have an immediate and direct bearing on the sound you hear. There are a myriad of optiopns from entry level Nagoaka to state of the art – we’ve got the perfect choice for almost every turntable and level of expectation. 

The stylus and cartridge are very much the business end of any record playing system, being in direct contact with the LP and converting the physical movement of the stylus into the electrical signal which flows through your hifi system. So your choice of phono cartridge will have an immediate and direct bearing on the sound you hear.

And your choice is broad – from the entry and mid level Nagoaka models at around $200, through the specialist Well Tempered items, to the state of the art Dynavector Moving Coils, we’ve got the perfect choice for almost every turntable and level of expectation. 

Until you have owned a Dynavector Moving coil cartridge it can be a little difficult to explain just how good they sound. Having worked my way through many different cartridges at home and installing even more on clients turntables, it’s the Dynavector that always makes analogue magic. The sound is unfailingly rich and  engaging. Read our just-updated page covering the Dynavector range here.

The Dynavector Te Kaitora Rua MC cartridge @totallywirednz

The Well Tempered TLC is based on the Nagaoka MP150 which is a recommendation in itself (and in both directions). This is your best MM option. Well Tempered also make a very special MC cartridge with a a New Zealand connection. – The Kauri. 

The Nagaoka MP series are easily the most popular choice for the budget minded – although in similar price territory to the Ortofon range they offer much more – it’s a richer, fuller, more upfront sound yet with less surface noise. It should also be noted the replacement cost of Nagaoka styli is much less than the Ortofons.

Nagaoka cartridges @totallywired.nz
Perfect for the budget conscious audiophile – the Nagaoka MP110

With all cartridges and styli there is a working life of between 1000 to 1500 hours – you might be able to squeeze out a bit more but chances are you’ll be doing no favours to your records and the sound will be less than involving – if you haven’t been using your turntable much lately this will be the reason why. While just replacing the stylus is the default option, the best this can do is take you back to where you started. Why not take the opportunity to upgrade by slotting in a more modern and better sounding design?

Nagaoka cartridges, styli & accessories

We still love records and anything that helps them sound better has got to be a good thing. There are very few cartridges that we haven’t listened to or set up, yet the Nagaoka models stand out as not just great value, but something special that offers a real generosity of sound and performance in all the aspects we see as being intrinsically analogue. Read all about the wonderful little Nagaoka moving magnet phono cartridges. 

Dynavector DV 17DX, Well Tempered Versalex, P75mk4 phono stage, KLEI cables at Totall Wired

The Dynavector range of Moving Coil Cartridges

Vinyl records can still sound fantastic. We’ll show you through the best value models in the Dynavector range and take the mystery out of buying a new cartridge for your turntable. If you enjoy playing records, a new Dynavector Moving Coil Cartridge may be the greatest improvement you ever make to your system. The trick is to work out which model best suits you. With over 30 years of specialist analogue experience and turntable setup we’re uniquely placed to help.

TLC cartridge by Well Tempered Labs @totallywirednz

Well Tempered Labs TLC cartridge

‘The TLC is certainly the best moving magnet cartridge I’ve had the pleasure of listening to.’ Here we discuss the advantages of MM cartridges, the design of the TLC (which includes input from Nagaoka and Dynavector), how it compares to the other cartridges in our range, and why it is worth you looking at it for your turntable. It is a value for money proposition and we know the TLC is going to fit and work well on a great variety of turntables.

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