Needles & Grooves

Following along because I'm also interested in this analysis

(also if there's already a write-up by someone on this topic in the hardware threads, I'd welcome a link, because I couldn't find one)

I do enjoy new toys. Get the blue.

IIRC, @Mather said awhile back the Blue was a significant upgrade so I went with that on my UTurn. It’s tracked everything very nicely for me so far.

I’ve had the red/blue cart and now the bronze/black (w bronze stylus). The blue is nice. Worth it? I don’t know. It’s not gonna knock your socks off difference but it sounds a bit better. Blacker background. That’s my non-tech impressions

The blue is a significant upgrade on the red in my opinion. I wouldn’t consider the red a viable option having heard both and looking at the difference in price. I will say that the grado gold I’ve got on now is better than both...

If you’re married to OOtB U-Turn custom, the blue is better sounding than the red. Other option might be no premounted cart and look at the Nagaoka MP110 (I believe) which is cheaper than the blue and a lot of people prefer over the blue.

I'm married to the wooden u-turn. Beyond that I just get overwhelmed with the stylus options out there and so I decided to pick one of u-turn's choices mostly to pare down options.

Also I should mention that I'm upgrading from a AT-LP120 with the AT95E cart that it came with, so while that's not a bad setup, pretty much any choice I make is gonna be an improvement

I went from the red to blue and the blue is now my standard. The depth/detail was immediately noticeable IMO. I waited for a deal, however and paid $125 for it I think (via Analogue Seduction).

also wtf does a nude stylus mean? I'm a modest fella

I don’t think you’ll be unhappy with a blue, in that case. Not sure what your preamp sitch looks like, but coming from the 95E you should notice some additional details and dynamics right away.

Nude has to do with how the diamond is mounted. A “whole” diamond vs. “tipped” which is one mounted to a metal base.

@Corycm I've got a Vincent PHO 8...the preamp was the first (and so far, only) upgrade I made after my initial TT purchase

I love my u-Turn w/ built in pre and tone lever. I have a Grado Black. Sounds great to me.

I think you’ll like the blue/PHO combo. Lots of folks running or have run that combo around here. Er. The old here anyway, in the old hardware thread.

Just upgrade from the Red. I may be unfairly biased because I adore the Grado warmth, but I don’t like the Red at all. I’ve been torn between selling my lightly used Red, and just giving it away.

The Blue is so good. I can't even recommend the Red anymore after using a Blue

I upgraded from a AT lp120 and have been loving the U-turn preamp not built in with the red but am dying to try the blue, the comments here certainly point to me upgrading to the blue