I’ve been using Shure White Label carts since they were first introduced.

When I think of the hardly used styli that I have binned in the past, it makes me sick.

When I ran my all-nighters, I changed them every second event. They were only £20 apiece back then.

Why oh why did I not think of keeping them?

Now that Shure have stopped making cartridges altogether, I’m in need of a new stylus.

I was recommended to buy the Tonar replacement. It’s crap 💩

The Jaco look good, but at £120 plus import charges!!!

So can anyone recommend a cart that is of similar quality and performance to the original White Label, and has replacement styli that doesn’t cost an arm or a leg.

Quality of sound is very important, and good tracking, and low wear characteristics.

I like the blue Ortofon but they"re not cheap !

Red Ortofons are cheaper but then the quality is not as good. But still reasonable.

I like the Orofon VNL.

I think Tonar are just rebranded Jico.

Those used Shures sell for a pretty penny and if deadstock, even more!

Red ortophon is a very GOOD cartrige stylus £50 these days , You need a good deck not the crap most people have need a light arm well balanced ,recommend Linn sondeck, rega,and Logic DM 104, other wise you will ruin the records and im looking at my Bush discatron still works ..... never used these days

Another here for blue ortophon🥰

nice ,blue ortophon upgrade on a red body never saw the need however playing old 60 year old records in mono nice for lp's though , like the colour blue

5 hours ago, Modularman said:

I like the Orofon VNL.

I think Tonar are just rebranded Jico.

Those used Shures sell for a pretty penny and if deadstock, even more!

No, the Tonar aren’t Jico.

I’ve actually ordered a Jico, but at £120, I’m hoping it will be as good as the original White Label was,

The Tonar is just horrible.

The Ortofon 2M Red has got horrid inner groove distortion which makes it a particularly bad choice for 7" records.

The 2M Blue is great though, and the 2M Bronze is spectacular.

I haven't tried it myself yet, but have heard a lot of good stuff about the Nagaoka MP-110 from people that earlier used WhiteLabel and/or M44G. It's very close to the WhiteLabel in terms of output, recommended tracking weight, low record wear etc.

Edited October 6Oct 6 by Sebastian