10 Best Phono Cartridges Under 200 Dollars [January 2021]

Many people love to listen to audio vinyl records in their free time, and they know how Phono cartridge is crucial for them. Sometimes it isn’t easy to choose the best phono cartridge, which fulfils your requirements, so our expert team has listed some best phono cartridge under 200 dollars, and they have excellent quality. These high-quality Phono cartridges will satisfy your audio quality needs, and you can easily buy these Phono cartridges in your 200 dollars budget.

Best Phono Cartridge Under $200

By using these Phono cartridges, you can enjoy your record collection sound through your Hi-Fi. These listed budget Phono cartridges and DJ cartridges can reproduce accurately sound for you and are friendly with most turntables, and can efficiently work in many types of turntables.

It is crucial to choose a good-sounding Phono cartridge for your audio vinyl records and smooth bass response. Check the list of best Phono cartridges under $200.

Ortofon 2M Red Moving Magnet Cartridge

First is Ortofon 2M Red review, and the thing which is full of surprises is that it comes within the budget range of maximum hundred dollars. Inside the box, you get Stylus Brush and a little screwdriver tool in a small plastic packet, an instruction manual, and a 2M Red Phono cartridge. It is a moving magnet cartridge and all-purpose cartridge which can easily fit with most turntables.

By using this Phono cartridge, you will get a fantastic dynamic sound. The cartridge comes in Elliptical diamond style, and the output voltage of this Phono cartridge is 5.5 mV. It has colour-coded pin terminals, and the phono cartridge maximum frequency is 20 Hz to 20000Hz.

It cares about your stylus and gives you the best performance without any lag up-to 1,000 hours, and sounds pretty good. The 2M red has a 1.8 g load resistance and can easily replace with 2M Blue Ortofon Stylus.

The 2m red cartridge sounded warmer, and this phono cartridge is very durable and seems a hi-fi cartridge which performance is perfect. Without screws, this modern-sounding cartridge weight is 7.2 g, and load capacitance is 150-300pF.

It is a very budget-friendly cartridge, and many of them can easily buy this budget cartridge. The cartridge can easily use on atlp 1240 tracking at recommended 1.8 grams. Overall this Ortofon 2M Red phono cartridge provides outstanding sound and is best phono cartridge under $200.

Specifications

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Ortofon 2M Blue Moving Magnet Cartridge

The next cartridge is Ortofon 2M Blue, which comes in Nude Elliptical style and has a stylus replaceable feature. The cartridge is easy to use, and its weight is the same as a 2M red cartridge, which is 7.2g. You will get the brush in a small packet in the box, which will use for proper Cleaning of the stylus.

The stylus features split pole pins, and Hopelex manufactures the Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge’s body. The 2m blue cartridge tracking force is the same as the 2m red cartridge, 18 mN, and can replaceable with a 2m red phono cartridge. The 2m red and 2m blue cartridge share the same cartridge body, and it takes only a few seconds to swap 2m red cartridge to 2m blue.

The 2m red and 2m blue cartridge has the same structure, and just the difference between them is the stylus, which is highly polished in Ortofon 2M Blue and gives you excellent tracking and significantly quieter reproduction. The Ortofon 2M Blue is the best phono cartridge under 200.

Specifications

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Ortofon 2M Bronze Moving Magnet Cartridge

Next is 2M Brozen, which is also a moving magnet cartridge and featuring Nude Fine Line diamond and can be easily replaced with a 2M Black stylus. Let’s compare 2M Brozen cartridges with 2M RED and blue cartridges. 2M Brozen cartridges will give you more details and resolutions compared to both Ortofon previous reviewed cartridges.

The 2m red provides you more warm sound, and on the other hand, the 2m blue cartridges will offer you neutral sound but, if you upgrade the phono cartridge to 2m Brozen, which is so much different in structure, performance, and sound from both 2m blue and 2m red cartridges.

The proper installation of this 2m Brozen cartridge is a little tricky, and unlike 2m red and 2m blue cartridges, you have to install the entire cartridge, and for this purpose, you need a needle nose plier. It is the best phono cartridge under 200.

Specifications

How to install Ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge

• Things you need are nose pliers and remember that your hand will remain very steady while installation.
• Carefully Remove four-colour leads form the back of your currently installed cartridge with a nose plier.
• Remove both two screws which are keeping your cartridge connected to the tonearm.
• In the 2m Brozen packages, you will find no screws, so you have to attach your screws while connecting the 2m Brozen cartridge to you tonearm
• Tight the screws, and that’s all.

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Ortofon 2M Black Moving Magnet Cartridge

Next is 2M black cartridge which is so much expensive cartridge in our list and we have just listed for providing you information only. The cartridge is very slim and comes in the nude Shibata diamond style, which gives you breathtaking sound quality and great bass.

The 2m black phono cartridge frequency is up to 20-31,000 Hz, and the output voltage is 5mV. The entire frequency spectrum of this cartridge is much precise in relation and is a high output moving coil cartridge.

If you have a Technics SL-1200G and use this 2m black phono cartridge with Technics SL-1200G turntable, you will get fantastic quality sound. The 2M black cartridge provides excellent quality but expensive in the budget, so if you have a high-budget, you can buy it from amazon.

Specifications

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Sumiko - Pearl MM Cartridge

Next is the Sumiko Pearl MM Cartridge review, and this Elliptical phono cartridge comes with a separation channel of 30 DB and 12Hz – 30KHz frequency response. The cartridge can easily fit and works well on any standard tonearm and digital stylus.

Throughout the entire spectrum, you will get a very balanced and detailed sound. The cartridge is beautifully designed by audiophiles and gives you a high level of performance.

The cartridge can perfectly fit with most of the turntables, and installation is relatively easy overall. The Pearl MM Cartridge has a 12Hz – 30KHz responsive frequency range, and you will get outstanding performance at rendering and good details from the distorted electric guitar.

The Sumiko Pearl MM style is an easily replaceable stylus and has a robust Elliptical shape. The Sumiko Pearl MM is the best phono cartridge under 200.

Specifications

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NAGAOKA MM (MP) Cartridge MP-110

Next is NAGAOKA MM cartridge, and this cartridge is only used with MM phono inputs of your amplifier. Nagaoka makes the head shall of this cartridge, and the cartridge output voltage is five megavolts.

The cartridge comes with the pre-installed headshell, which is made of excellent material and has an ergonomic finger-lift, which seems elegant for this head shall. For superior quality audio music, the NAGAOKA MM cartridge is a beast for you.

If we compare this NAGAOKA MM cartridge with Ortofon 2M Red, this one provides excellent quality audio and is better than that cartridge. The NAGAOKA MM cartridge is the best phono cartridge under 200 dollars.

Specifications

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Shure M97xE High-Performance Magnetic Phono Cartridge

Next is the Shure M97xE cartridge review, and it is an elliptical diamond designed cartridge with a finely polished tip. The cartridge will give you accurate musical passages in the high-frequency range.

The Shure M97xE phono cartridge will give attachment on the tonearm, which is full of free with any vibration and will provide you superb smooth sounding.

The cantilever of this M97xE cartridge is made of aluminum alloy, and the cartridge tip style is in Elliptical shape.

It gives low record wear and sounds very high accuracy and comes is a very low weighted cartridge overall. It is an expensive cartridge, and you cannot buy an M97xE cartridge with-in the range of $200.

Specificatons

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Ortofon Concorde MK2 Mix Twin Cartridge

The next is Ortofon CC MK2 Mix review, and the cartridge demands modern turntable like DJs and can easily fit in top DJ turntables. The cartridge is an all-rounder groove and gives you excellent performance in price.

For a better needle view and incredible angle view, the wide stylus is cut out. The Ortofon CC MK2 has the best quality spherical stylus and has a substantial and stable cantilever.

The Ortofon is also providing some other Elliptical and Spherical DJ cartridges like OrtofonCC MK2 DJ, CC MK2 Digital, CC MK2 Club Elliptical, CC MK2 Scratch, which comes in different prices and performance.

Specifcations

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Shure M44-7 Standard DJ Turntable Cartridge

Next is Shure M44-7 phono cartridge, which comes with type s cantilever and has low record wear, which is excellent and gives you resonant sound. The installation process of the Shure M44-7 cartridge is straightforward, and its needle can work with most of the turntables and is fully designed for DJ scratching.

The tracking force of M44-7 is 1.5 to 3 grams, and the resource frequency range is 20 to 20,000 Hz, which is less than 2m black styli. It is much expensive, and we have just listed this M44-7 phono cartridge for providing you best information; and if your budget is good, then the cartridge is best for you, and you can easily buy this Shure M44-7 phono cartridge for the best DJ Music nights and good quality audio. The M44-7 is the best phono cartridge under 500 dollars.

Specifications

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What is Phono cartridge?

It is the electro-mechanical small component set up on the tonearm of a turntable. The performance of the record is wholly dependent upon the capabilities of the Phono cartridge.

Cartridge Mount

The use of a cartridge mount is for correctly mounting cartridges on the turntable’s tonearm.

Types of Stylus

In the market, you will find two stylus types.

• Spherical
• Elliptical

We have listed some Pros and Cons of spherical and Ellipticl style phono cartridges.

Spherical

Elliptical

Buyers Guide – Best Phono Cartridge Under $200

In these listed cartridges you will find some budget phono cartridges and also expensive phono cartridges like 2m black cartridge etc. All phono cartridges are providing great performance on their price tag and if you have 200 dollars budget then you can easily buy listed Best Phono Cartridge Under $200.