Are you trying to find turntable cartridges among various brands on the market but aren’t sure where to begin? To assist you in finding the right one, we’ve put together a list of the 7 best to help you pick the perfect one!
We investigated and evaluated a number of the top-selling turntable cartridges on the market in order to create our list of the best. Making a decision among the many options available is never simple. There are an infinite number of models available, each with a distinct price. And as you’ll find out, the best options aren’t usually the ones you imagine! This comparison is rich and relevant because of the numerous factors that were employed. You will find products featured in this ranking not only based on their pricing but also on their features and other customers reviews. To write this review, we completed 21 hours of research and did 17 turntable cartridges tests. You won’t need to pick products at random any more. If you’re unsure of what to look for, browse our list and consult the buying guide!
An overview of our top picks
Table of contents
The best turntable cartridges you can buy today
- VM95 Series dual Magnet cartridge with 0.3 x 0.7 mil Elliptical stylus
- Aluminum cantilever
- Specially wound coils increase output voltage
- Durable low-resonance polymer Housing
- Threaded inserts in cartridge body enable cartridge to be mounted to headshell with just two screws - no nuts required
- Universal fit for most turntables
- Upgrade from stock cartridges
- The Ortofon 2M Red is an all-purpose cartridge that delivers open, dynamic sound with a slight touch of warmth
- The Ortofon 2M Red features an Elliptical diamond
- Can be upgraded with an Ortofon Stylus 2M Blue
- Universal fit for most turntables
- Upgrade to the Ortofon 2M Red
- The Ortofon 2M Blue adds more dynamics and resolution, sounds more open and reproduces more details
- The 2M Blue features a Nude Elliptical diamond
- Stylus is replaceable
- 0. 3 x 0. 7 mil elliptical cartridge designed specifically to fit linear format P-mount turntables
- Features Audio-Technica’s unique dual moving magnet construction
- Para-toroidal coil construction assures an excellent sonic clarity and wide channel separation
- Compatible with linear tracking turntables with T4P plug-in connectors, no matter the brand
- All-Inclusive Kit: Each kit comes with a turntable stylus digital scale and Premium PE Case. With our alignment protractor, digital scale VTF gauge block, and protective EVA case, you have all the record player accessories you need to align your cartridge.
- Designed for Cartridge Optimization: Ensure better tracking and stereo separation with this DJ turntable stylus alignment tool. Use the VTA Azimuth ruler for more accurate sound reproduction that eliminates skipping and tracking errors.
- Maximize Turntable Performance: The tonearm cartridge protractor ensures effortless horizontal alignment. Our cartridge alignment kit can be used with a S-Shaped arm and works with any 1/2 inch mounted cartridge.
- Sturdy, Durable & Compact: The kit’s turntable cartridge alignment block is designed to last for the years to come. Both the VTA Azimuth ruler and a Premium PE Case protractor tool won't break or crack easily. Their print also stays for a long time and won't fade despite frequent use. The VTA Azimuth ruler also comes with a protective PE case for secure safekeeping.
- Simple Steps, Accurate Results: Fine-tuning your turntable players shouldn't be challenging. Help your turntable stylus dig into the grooves properly, so you can enjoy your music without interruptions. With Hudson Hi-Fi's VTA cartridge alignment ruler, VTF Force Gauge, and Stylus Alignment Protractor, good geometry is your ally.
- VM95 Series dual Magnet cartridge with 0.6 mil Conical stylus
- Aluminum cantilever
- Specially wound coils increase output voltage
- Durable low-resonance polymer Housing
- Threaded inserts in cartridge body enable cartridge to be mounted to headshell with just two screws - no nuts required
- sturdy silver body w/ tracking arm
- / Rubber washer for snug fit to tone arm /
- Elliptical stylus for strong tracking / Stylus cover for extended life span
- Country of Origin: China
- Ready for Anything - Professional, highly-versatile cartridge suitable for every DJ style
- Consistent Quality, Enhanced Fidelity - High-output and enhanced tracking ideal for spinning and scratch enthusiasts alike
- Style-Driven Design - Sleek, slim-line design that's robust and easy-to-handle
- Hear Every Detail - Full range frequency response from 20-20,000 Hz
- Robust, Reliable - Precision-engineered circular diamond stylus tip
- M Series dual Magnet cartridge with 2.2 x 0.12 mil micro-linear stylus
- Aluminum cantilever
- Durable low-resonance polymer housing
- Threaded inserts in cartridge body enable cartridge to be mounted to head shell with just two screws - no nuts required
- Compatible with any at-vmn95 Replacement stylus
- M dual Magnet cartridge with Micro line stylus
- Aluminum cantilever
- Par toroidal coils improve generating efficiency
- Center Shield plate between the left and right channels reduces crosstalk
- Durable low-resonance polymer cartridge Housing
- VM95 Series dual Magnet cartridge with 0.3 x 0.7 mil Elliptical stylus
- Aluminum cantilever
- Specially wound coils increase output voltage
- Threaded inserts in cartridge body enable cartridge to be mounted to head shell with just two screws - no nuts required
- Universal 1/2"-mount head shell for 4-pin Turntable cartridges
- Wide Compatibility:Replacement phonograph cartridge could apply to most record players,such as Victrola, Boytone, Capehart, CROWN, EANOS, Fisher, GPO, GRACE DIGITAL AUDIO, ION, Innovative-Technology, Jensen, Leetac, MAGNAVOX, Numark, Pfanstiehl.
- Easy to use:The turntable Cartridge is designed for 33 1/3, 45, 78PRM records.Use with Gramophone and record player,work on Vinyl record Small accessory but with exquisite workmanship.
- Economic and durable: convenient installation,Wear-resisting.Easy to install. Compatible with all turntables accepting standard cartridge-mounted cartridges.
- Stronger and Better: Compared to the other piezoelectric cartridges, The track force of our Stylus is stronger, the separation and balance are better. Output: (at 1K Hz=3.54cm/sec) 200-300MV Channel distortion:≤ 3 dB Seperation: ≥ 15 dB Frequency response: 80-10000 Hz (±7dB).
- Premium Material:The output of the pickup is higher, frequency characteristics and sound quality are better ,and the stylus can be replaced at any time.Made of all environment-friendly materials, the metal coating is anti-scratch and not easy to oxidative stain and more durable.
- The new generation of Ortofon Concorde MK2 DJ cartridges are tailored uniquely to the demands of modern turntable DJs
- Will fit all DJ turntables with a removable headshell
- A groovy all-rounder
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- This is a single cartridge with pre-mounted stylus
- 【Super Quality Replacement Needles 】Our turntable cartridge and stylus needles have high output and excellent durability.Diamond stylus with 4-6 grams needle forces which give a clearer, smoother stereo sound to the music and will not harm your cherished albums.
- 【Wide Compatibility 】Compatible with most record player in the markets now. Compatible with E.g. Crosley, ION(NOT all models fit for) , Pyle, Jensen, Victola, 1byone , Teac and more. （Please read the product details of the applicable model, if you are not sure, please consult us first）
- 【Easy Installation 】 No need tools, you can install and replace the record needle easily by yourself without a booster.
- 【Replacement Time 】100% brand new recording needle, according to recording and frequency of use, it can usually be used for about 200-300 hours to replace the record player.
- 【Package Included】 1 x turntable cartridge, 4 x premium record player needles replacement.Each record player needle comes with a white plastic box to avoid damaging the needle. At the time of purchase, compare your current needle with the image and measure it to ensure that it is suitable for your pen.
- The CN-15 Turntable Cartridge Is Designed To Easily Mount to Any Standard Head shell
- Built with a Special Elliptical Diamond Polished Needle
- The Diamond Polish Cartridge Needle Provides Strong Tracking a Long Playing Life
- A Perfect Choice of Cartridge and Ideal for All Styles of Music Playback
- At Gemini, our goal is to design products that offer value and innovation in the DJ, Pro Audio and Consumer Electronics markets
- Audio-Technica AT81CP 0.6 mil Conical Cartridge - Audio-Technica 1 Year Limited Warranty
- Fits: P-Mount Turntables
- Frequency Response: 20-20,000 Hz
- Channel Separation: 18 (dB at 1 kHz)
- Vertical Tracking Force: 1.0-1.5 g (1.25 g standard)
- M dual Magnet cartridge with 0 3 x 0 7 mil Elliptical stylus
- Aluminum cantilever
- Par toroidal coils improve generating efficiency
- Center Shield plate between the left and right channels reduces crosstalk
- Durable low-resonance polymer Housing
- Package Content: You will receive 2 pieces of universal record player cartridges with the size of 3.1x0.9cm/1.23x0.36 inch. Each cartridge has a clear cover stuffed with sponge to prevent damage to the needle.
- Product Material: Made of reliable ABS plastic, equipped with ruby ceramic styli (4-6g needle pressure), lightweight and exquisite, and will not easily damage your record player and allows you to enjoy clearer and better music.
- Easy to Install: No other tools required. You can install and replace the record player cartridge easily by yourself.
- Wide Application: The turntable cartridges for vinyl records are specially designed for 33 1/3, 45 and 78PRM records, and suitable for various types of vinyl record players. Please refer to the product introduction for specific models.
- Warm Tips: Please confirm the size and model of our turntable cartridge replacement before purchasing. Please note that our product is not sponsored or endorsed by, or affiliated with the brands it fits, including LP, ION, Crosley.
- Produces crystal clear clarity over every sound frequency
- Fluidity across the frequency spectrum
- Up-to-date modern construction materials
- Full dynamic range
How to choose a good turntable cartridges
Does the idea of finding a fantastic turntable cartridges make you anxious? When it comes to purchasing this product, specifically when deciding which model to select, has your head been spinning between options? You are not alone if that is the case. We are aware of the pressure involved in the purchasing process!
Your presence here indicates that you are interested in turntable cartridges. Before choosing which product would be the best for your needs after being inundated with information, locate a reliable source with genuine selections. You can get that information from a variety of sources, including buying guides and rating websites, word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family, online discussion forums where users can share their own experiences, product reviews that can be found all over the internet, and YouTube channels. You can only get the right product through exhaustive analysis. But you realize that’s not always simple. In order to ease your concerns, we have taken the time to develop a list of the top turntable cartridges products available right now. You might be wondering how we came up with the list. How was this buying guide developed?
First, we used our algorithms to gather as much reliable data as we could about these products. To verify all the data gathered, we used both artificial intelligence and a lot of algorithms.
Then, our experts used criteria that are recognized in the business to evaluate them according to their quality to price ratio, allowing us to choose the top turntable cartridges on the market right now!
The selection of the goods is not arbitrary. Before creating a list, we take into account a number of factors. Below are some of the criteria discussed:
Brand Value: What happens if you choose a dubious brand just because it appears to be a good deal? So the likelihood of receiving a product with a short shelf life increases. That is due to the fact that well-known brands have a reputation to uphold, while others do not. Top turntable cartridges brands strive to provide some distinctive traits that set them apart from the competition. So, hopefully one or more of the items on our list will be perfect for you.
Features: Useful features are all you need, not tons of them. We consider the important aspects and select the top turntable cartridges based on those.
Specifications: Numbers always help you measure the quality of a product in a quantitative way. We try to find products with higher specifications, but with the right balance.
Quality: A product’s quality may always be quantified with the aid of numbers. We look for goods with better standards that strike the proper balance. The best quality product that gets highly appreciated and recommended by experienced users.
Customer ratings: Would it be accurate to suggest that the turntable cartridges were used by hundreds of customers before you? Superior ratings indicate that many customers had better service.
Customer Reviews: Like ratings, provide you with accurate and reliable information about the product from genuine customers. Customer ratings are very important to all of us because they contain accurate and reliable information about the customer service we received from several hundred customers.
Seller Rank: This is very intriguing! Not only do you need a good turntable cartridges, you also need a product with rising sales that is trendy. It accomplishes two goals. First, the expanding user base proves the quality of the product. Second, given that number, producers must be able to offer greater quality and after-sales support.
Value: You get what you pay for, they say, so consider the value. Cheap isn’t always good and expensive isn’t always bad. However, that does not imply that spending a lot of money on a product that is flashy but underwhelming is a good idea. Before adding them to the list, we make an effort to evaluate how much value you can get for your money from your turntable cartridges.
Durability: Durability and reliability are closely related concepts. You will benefit from a strong and long-lasting turntable cartridges for months and years to come.
Product availability: Products come and go, and new ones replace the old ones. Most likely, a few new features and required changes were made. What use is it to use a supposedly good product if the maker no longer supports it? We make an effort to highlight products that are current and offered by one or more trustworthy sellers, if not more.
Negative Reviews: Yes, we do take that into account as well! The goods with the majority of bad reviews are filtered out and disregarded when we choose the best-rated one on the market.
These are the standards by which we selected our turntable cartridges. Do we end our process there? Hell no. The most crucial fact about us that you should be aware of is that we regularly update our website with current and pertinent information. We have one more layer of filtration since we place the greatest importance on reader satisfaction. Please let us know if any product included here is incorrect, irrelevant, subpar, or simply out of date. We always value your opinions, and we’ll work hard to make any necessary corrections to our list in response to them.
Why should you believe us?
There are now thousands of possibilities for these products on Amazon, but choosing the best one can be difficult and time-consuming. And what turntable cartridges should you purchase in 2022?
This guide is the result of more than 10 years of experience in researching, testing and writing about many topics. Each member of our team is an authority in their area. We read every article we could find online and every consumer review on every retail website for seven hours. Additionally, we discovered a ton of websites that offered helpful resources, including buying tips and thorough information on turntable cartridges.
