Our Top Cartridge Picks 2025

Hana ML - £1050

Don't let the Hana ML's £1050 price tag fool you; this entry-level moving coil cartridge performs far beyond its cost. It boasts an advanced MicroLine stylus, a feature typically found on much pricier cartridges. This allows the ML to dig deeper into your record's grooves, unearthing details you'd expect from cartridges two to three times its price. Plus, it's built to last, featuring a robust design and a very effective stylus guard.

The Hana ML truly shines with its excellent dynamic range and impressive stage width, delivering a spacious and detailed sound. While it may not excel in stage depth, instrument separation, or perfect midrange, at £1050, the Hana ML is undeniably one of the best value cartridges available today.

Another great aspect of Hana cartridges, regardless of their price, is their signature "Hana sound" - a romantic, musical and easy-to-live-with sonic character that remains true across their entire range.

• Output Level: 0.4mv
• Channel Separation: 30dB/1kHz
• Channel balance: 1dB/1 KHz
• Frequency response: 12-45,000Hz
• Compliance: 10 mm/N
• Tracking force: 2g
• Impedance: 8Ω/1kHz
• Recommended load: >100Ω
• Cantilever: Aluminum
• Stylus: Microline
• Weight: 9.5g



Dynavector XX-2A - £1800

The Dynavector XX-2A stands out as one of the most honest cartridges in its price range. What does that mean for your listening experience? It means this cartridge will faithfully reproduce what's on your records without any embellishment or added drama.

If you're accustomed to a cartridge like the Hana ML, you might initially find the XX-2A's presentation a bit different. You might notice a less pronounced soundstage and a slightly more subdued top end. But this isn't a criticism of the XX-2A; instead, it highlights the Hana ML's tendency to add a touch of romance or drama to the sound.

At the heart of XX-2A's unvarnished truth lies its midrange performance, which is nothing short of stellar. This is crucial because the midrange is where the fundamental essence of the music resides, and the XX-2A reproduces it with exceptional clarity and precision.

However, give the XX-2A a few hours of your time, and you'll begin to appreciate its uncompromising honesty. We found it to be a superior option for revealing exactly what your entire audio system is capable of. So, the choice is yours: if you crave a bigger, more romantic sound, the Hana ML is an excellent choice. But if you desire brutal honesty without sacrificing musicality, the Dynavector XX-2A is the cartridge for you.

• Output Level: 0.28 mV
• Channel Separation: 30 dB/1KHz
• Channel balance: 1.0 dB/1KHz
• Frequency response: 20 - 20,000 Hz（±1dB）
• Compliance: 10 mm/N
• Tracking force: 1.8 - 2.2 g
• Impedance: 6Ω
• Recommended load: > 30Ω
• Cantilever: solid boron
• Stylus: Line contact
• Weight: 8.9 g
  

£2000 to £5000 Bracket

Hana Umami Red - £3400

The Hana Umami Red is a simply stunning cartridge and is possibly the best bang for buck moving coil cartridge on the market right now as it gives you a good slice of what ultra high-end cartridges do at half the price.

The Umami Red delivers in all areas with a lovely top end, beautifully rich midrange and tight, accurate bass. It also boasts a wide and deep stage that illuminates each instrument and vocalist.

This cartridge also boasts an extreme dynamic range capability and a very generous output of 0.4mV, which means you can pair it with lower-gain phono stages.

And while it's not at the level of the Analogue `Relax 1000 (the last cartridge we talk about in this article), at one-third of the price, you have to ask yourself if any other cartridge on the market is worth the extra spend.

• Output Level: 0.4 mV
• Channel Separation: 30 dB/1KHz
• Channel balance: <0.5/1kHz
• Frequency response: 10-50,000Hz（±1dB）
• Compliance: 9 mm/N
• Tracking force: 2g
• Impedance: 6Ω
• Recommended load: > 60Ω
• Cantilever: Boron
• Stylus: MicroLine
• Weight: 10.5g

SPU Royal N - £2400

The Ortofon SPU, the original moving coil cartridge, holds a legendary status, having been initially developed for broadcast. Its sound is truly unique: warm, richly colored, expansive, and incredibly engaging.

The SPU Royal is Ortofon's top-tier standard SPU, traditionally designed for tonearms with detachable headshells. However, for those with other tonearm setups, the SPU Royal N offers a solution. The "N" signifies its "Naked" design, meaning it comes without the conventional SPU body. This allows it to be mounted on virtually any headshell and tonearm.

The SPU Royal N delivers the signature "big, juicy" sound that SPUs are celebrated for. What sets it apart are its Electrum coils and the advanced Replicant 100 stylus profile. These modern enhancements bring the SPU into the realm of high-end moving coil cartridges by providing greater detail and accuracy, all while retaining the beloved warmth, punch, and excitement that define the SPU experience.

If you're seeking a cartridge that offers a big, immersive presentation without becoming overly analytical, the SPU Royal N is an absolute must-listen.

• Output Level: 0.2mV
• Channel Separation: 25dB/1kHz
• Channel balance: 1dB/1 KHz
• Frequency response: 20-20,000Hz
• Compliance: 8 mm/N
• Tracking force: 3g
• Impedance: 7Ω/1kHz
• Recommended load: >100Ω
• Cantilever: Aluminum
• Stylus: Nude Ortofon Replicant 100
• Weight: 9.5g
  

Dynavector DRT XV-1t - £6500

If you're considering a phono cartridge in the £5,000 to £10,000 price range, the Dynavector DRT XV-1t stands out as a definitive choice. This cartridge is truly exceptional, offering remarkable accuracy, Dynavector's signature honest reproduction, and the ability to extract an incredible amount of detail while maintaining supreme musicality. Its performance firmly places it among the very best cartridges available today.

The XV-1t's secret lies in its unique coil mechanism and Dynavector's proprietary "flux dampener." This, along with a cutting-edge line contact stylus, works together to deliver one of the most lifelike and believable sound reproductions we've ever experienced.

The XV-1t creates an expansive, deep, and layered soundstage, letting you effortlessly visualise every element of the music without any particular part demanding your focus. However, within minutes of listening, you'll stop analysing its performance, as you'll find yourself completely absorbed by the lush musical landscapes it paints. This cartridge is not about detail ability; it's about the music!

It's an incredibly easy cartridge to set up and live with, too, as you can see exactly where the stylus contacts the groove. However, the stylus guard is hard to use and incorrect fitting could damage the cantilever.

• Output Level: 0.35 mV
• Channel Separation: 30 dB/1KHz
• Channel balance: <1.0/1kHz
• Frequency response: 20 - 20,000 Hz（±1dB）
• Compliance: 10 mm/N
• Tracking force: 1.8g - 2.2g
• Impedance: 24Ω
• Recommended load: > 75Ω
• Cantilever: Boron
• Stylus: PF Line Contact
• Weight: 12g

London Decca Reference - £6200

London Decca is back, and its flagship cartridge is better than ever. While not a traditional moving coil design, its superb performance earns it a well-deserved spot in this article.

London Decca makes variable reluctance cartridges. Instead of a cantilever, they utilise a magnetically active armature that moves directly with the stylus. This innovative design allows the stylus to retrieve information quicker and more accurately than a conventional cantilever-based system. The absence of a cantilever also eliminates what's often referred to as "cantilever haze," resulting in a sound that's notably more immediate and faster.

The London Decca Reference is a truly exceptional cartridge, renowned for its unique ability to reproduce music with unparalleled vibrancy. Unlike moving coil cartridges, the Reference presents an incredibly forward, engaging, and lively sound. You'll be astonished by its uncanny ability to project the music into your room, often revealing details that seem to originate from behind you.

However, the Reference's exceptional detail retrieval means that pristine records are a must. Even the slightest groove noise, pops, or clicks will be more noticeable than with a moving coil cartridge. But if you can overlook this slight increase in surface noise, we're confident the Reference will be one of the most rewarding cartridges you'll ever own.

Setting up the London Decca Reference is a challenge. Accurately positioning the stylus is incredibly difficult without a headband magnifier, and achieving perfection takes hours and experience.

However, the effort is 100% worth it. Once dialled in, the realism of the playback is otherworldly. Vocals are so present it's scary, while cymbals and rim shots are so real they'll make you jump.

• Output Level: 4 mV
• Channel Separation: 25dB at 1KHz
• Channel balance: <1.0/1kHz
• Frequency response: 20 - 20,000 Hz（±1dB）
• Compliance: 10 mm/N
• Tracking force: 1.8g - 2.0g
• Impedance: 33Ω
• Recommended load: > 100Ω
• Stylus: Paratrace
  

£5000 to £10,000 Bracket

Analogue Relax EX1000 - £11,000

While we've had the pleasure of experiencing several renowned cartridges priced over £10,000, the Analog Relax EX1000 stands in a league of its own. It is, quite simply, the finest cartridge we have ever heard. Full stop.

The EX1000 is, without a doubt, the most musical cartridge we've ever heard. Everything about its performance is simply dreamy. It conjures a massive, spacious, deep, and layered soundstage, delivering gob-smacking quantities of well-articulated, fast, and tight bass. The treble is wonderfully floaty, seemingly hanging in the air and adding a unique gloss to the playback that other cartridges simply lack.

But where the EX1000 truly pulls ahead is in its sublime midrange. Both male and female vocals are rendered with such accuracy, realism and emotion that they can genuinely bring you to tears. Watch out if you're a Leonard Cohen fan - you'll need tissues.

Cartridges exceeding £10,000 are often dubbed "super-cartridges," but the EX1000 truly transcends that classification – it's a hyper-cartridge. It is, quite simply, awesome, and if we had the power to change a single thing about it, we wouldn't.

Yes, £11,000 for an audio cartridge does sound a bit obscene, and yes, more affordable cartridges can still bring a smile to your face. Plus, there's that expensive rebuild every 2,000 hours to consider. However, you cannot put a price on perfection, and the Analogue Relax EX1000 is indeed perfection.

• Output Level: 0.5 mV
• Channel balance: <1.0/1kHz
• Compliance: 15 mm/N
• Tracking force: 2.0g
• Impedance: 15Ω
• Recommended load: > 100Ω
• Cantilever: Ruby
• Stylus: Super Curve Line Contact
• Weight: 9g