Am I the only one troubled by the prices for new records? Is it really sustainable long-term or will consumers just be more selective with their purchases and buy less? Those of us who have been listening and collecting vinyl for almost 40 years or longer already have a sizeable investment in records and our acquisitions now are focused on audiophile reissues or vinyl releases from our favourite bands that have been out-of-print for decades.
On the hardware end, high-end turntable prices are skyrocketing and what we found at CAF 2023 was somewhat discouraging. There are no shortage of quality entry-level decks, but the mid-tier feels somewhat abandoned by manufacturers and that’s not good news for people building their first systems or looking to upgrade from the $400 table they purchased a few years ago.
The entry-level cartridge category is in much better shape and that’s really important if we want first-time listeners or those getting back into vinyl to have a realistic upgrade path.
Goldring doesn’t get enough respect from North American audiophiles and that baffles me somewhat. They are extremely affordable cartridges that track very well and don’t attempt to impart too much of their own sonic signature on the music. The Goldring E4 is the new flagship in the entry-level range and whilst not inexpensive at $300 USD, it certainly won’t break the bank if your turntable is in the $750 to $1,500 range.
You can read our detailed review here.
The E4 is also $120 more than the E3, which raised my expectations rather significantly.
It also faces some stiff competition from Nagaoka, Ortofon, Grado, and Sumiko which is a good thing; there are so many quality MM phono cartridges right now below $400 USD that vinyl listeners really can’t complain that better sound quality is out of reach.
The Goldring E4 is designed to be compatible with all medium-to-high-mass tonearms of the type found on the majority of budget to midrange turntables. And because it’s constructed using the same high-quality core as the other E Series cartridges in the range, E4 is ideal both for those who wish to upgrade an obsolete cartridge in its entirety or those who want to boost the performance of their existing E Series cartridge by replacing the stylus.
The E4 offers 3.5mV of output which is on the lower side for MM cartridges but it proved to be sufficient with my NAD C 316BEE V2, Pro-Ject Phono Tube Box D2, Cambridge AXA35, and Cambridge Audio Evo 150 Integrated Amplifiers.
With so much competition below $300, the Goldring E4 had to eclipse the performance of the previous generation E3 to remain competitive but also deliver something that the competition does not.
There is no question that the E4 offers a higher level of resolution and refinement than that of its predecessor and superior top end detail retrieval that never becomes strident.
The tonal balance is similar but there is some additional presence in the upper midrange that makes this a more engaging listen.
The Goldring E4 delivers a more open and neutral sounding presentation with a wider soundstage. It is also easier to sculpt into a very specific type of sound which will appeal to those who use vintage receivers or amplifiers, or entry-level integrated amplifiers below $1,000 than often veer to the darker side.
Combine all of that with excellent speed, timing, and resolution and you have one of the best sounding entry-level phono cartridges available below $300.
Where to buy: $299 at Amazon | goldringusa.com
Continue reading more Editor’s Choice Awards for 2023.
