Gemini HDCN-15 Turntable Headshell and Cartridge (Silver), Headshell and Cartridge, 20.00 x 20.00 x 20.00

This cartridge and headshell package is a Fantastic Deal! And it sounds GREAT! And, according to the package, this has an ELLIPTICAL stylus! ( the product page does not specify) I felt thel need to share a very positive review to advise anyone seeking to restore an old turntable, that they need not spend an inordinate amount on a cartridge. This especially after reading several negative reviews. It really makes me wonder what some people are thinking or are they reviewing some other product? Anybody reviewing anything must have the proper perspective (relative cost) and context (usage). I initially purchased an Audio Technica AT95E based on customer reviews for my Technics SL-Q2. I purchased this combination out of curiosity and the cost ($9.50!). Upon arrival I mounted the AT95E and gave it a spin (on one of my most recent records, though purchased several years ago, it was only played once to digitize it with my now unusable Shure V15 II). The AT95E sounded great. Then I tried the Gemini HDCN-15 and I was surprised to find that it sounded essentially the same as the AT95E! I have played several other records, some old and some newer, country, pop, rock and classical, comparing the two cartridges, facilitated by the 2nd headshell and found I really could not discern much of a difference if any at all. At 63, my hearing is very good and have been enjoying records since I was a teenager when I sold stereo equipment (Marantz, Sony, Pioneer, Technics, AR, KLH, Advent etc) in a retail store before the big chain stores became prevalent. I am not sure what an audiophile is so I would not claim that pedigree to convince anyone of my credibility. Regarding perspective, the Gemini CN-15 cost 1/4 what the AT95E cost. The headshell is aluminum (another reviewer claimed it was plastic? and another called it pot metal?) and well made, maybe not finished as well as the original Technics headshell which was the pattern for the Gemini headshell, except for one extra lightening hole. This headshell threaded to the tonearm very easily. I did have to reverse the wiring to match my original, so I would not know how it would have sounded if I had not. Regarding context, I have no plans to purchase any new record, not at $25.00 and up, so I am really going tp play my 400 + record collection of 50 years, which, though in good to very good condition, I would not consider pristine and therefore not warranting an expensive cartridge. Which, by the way, is not going to make an old record sound any better. I have also found that records purchased at a Goodwill store, if they appear to be in good condition will play and sound quite good, despite not knowing what they were played on previously. Again perspective and context. I hope this helps, in fact I am going to purchase another!

Before ordering this headshell cartridge I tried ordering a replacement stylus, as that was all that actually needed replacing. Unfortunately, in attaching the new stylus, I inadvertently moved the cartridge out of alignment. This sent me down the rabbit hole of just how involved it is to correctly align a turntable cartridge. After multiple attempts to align, with the sound only worse than before, I returned the stylus and put my old cartridge back on. Surprisingly it sounded better than before, but only for a little while; it still needed replacing. That was when I remembered that when DJing we used to swap out headshell cartridges all the time, with no issues. I didn't want to spend $100 again, when the turntable itself is only about $150, so was intrigued that this headshell cartridge, at this price, had so many positive reviews. I decided to take a chance and am really glad I did. I just threaded it onto the tonearm and resumed playing records, and it sounds great. I immediately ordered another one as a backup for next time. Many have mentioned that it is wired backwards, i.e., what is coming out of the left speaker should be coming out of the right and vice versa. This was not initially an issue but it became obvious when listening to Iggy Pop's The Idiot, so I looked up how to rewire the cartridge correctly. It was easy to do but you have to be careful. I'm no audiophile but I am particular about good sound quality and have hundreds of records in a range of condition. For my purposes this cartridge is great, once the wiring was corrected.

I both a pair as a backup. I had to knock off one star as one of the units was wired incorrectly from the factory. I rewired it and works fine. Sonically it's good for a conical tip cartridge and certain dollar/performance is high. If you need a bargain cartridge with a head shell, buy it. Stylus replacement is the AT3600L variety.

My son purchased a vintage turntable from good will (crazy cheap - $3.50). An Akai AP 207 that needed a little love. Mechanically it worked great, but needed fine tuned. The cartridge and stylus worked OK, but sound was lacking. Since I did not want to put a ton of money into it, I decided to try the gemini headshell and cartridge. Great price with a retro look (and fast shipping!) WOW! what a difference. Clear, crisp and great range of sound. Restore is complete with about $50 invested. No need to spend a bunch of money to get quality. This is an amazing value and an item I will return to purchase in the future!

Lets just say I own a 'few" turntables. Everything from NAD to 2 Beograms. I came across a 3$ Sanyo TP-1010 at a local thrift store, without cart. I tested it with a higher end cart and all worked properly. Found this gem while searching for an affordable replacement headshell and cartridge. Hesitant, but after reading many positive reviews, pulled the trigger. WOW! The sound out of this inexpensive version is wonderful. Virtually no different than my more expensive cartridges. Easy to install and for me, without any wiring faults that I read in the reviews. This is an excellent entry level cartridge that 90 percent of vinyl collectors would be happy with. No complaints here.

This cartridge came in a plastic bubble pack with few spec's so using it is a bit "try and see". With my arm and turntable it seems to need a tracking weight of at least 3 grams to reduce the distortion. There's no indication whether it has a sapphire or diamond stylus, but at the low price I'd guess sapphire, and although it says elliptical on the back it might be a spherical or elliptical stylus depending where you attempt to find some information. I think it is intended as a DJ cartridge, so it's probably robustly designed to withstand 'scratching' back and forth.

You get what you pay for , really good better than the cheaper replacements

Using on a Technics SL-D202 where I messed up the original needle. Decided to buy a whole new basic cartridge. Guess what? You won't notice a sound difference from higher priced cartridge/needle combos unless you have an audio system that brings out the nuances in the sound. Playing regular classic vinyl and don't want to be gouged by price explosion from this current trends of everyone buying vinyl? Then just get this cartridge and need.e

¡Buen precio y buen sonido!, normalmente uso agujas Ortofon para mezclar y quería una aguja para escuchar mis vinilos y esta fue una muy buna opción.

Le queda a cualquier tornamesa, cumple con sus funciones y es de muy buena calidad.