Age old discussion I know but MM or MC? Benefits?

Dear @ the_treble_with_tribbles: In a " mainstream " set up?, if you are mainly an analog/LP person then top LOMC is second to none, it's perfect? nothing is in audio trade-offs always exist as almost anything in the life.

Distinction between MM and LOMC stages in a phonolinepreamp are mainly that the LOMC cartridges needs at the same time: very high gain ( some times over 80dbs of gain. ), .very low generated noise level and with low distortion level.

Units for MM/MI has around 40-45db on gain. Only for you can imagine what means that very high gain for the LOMC cartridges: doubling the power gain gives you only 3db of additional gain.

More gain means higher noise and level distortion and needs deep knowledge level and skills to design that phonolinepreamp to mantain that high gain with noise/distortions at minimum. That's why is really dificult to find out  good phonolinepreamps that can handle with " no compromises " LOMC cartridges using active devices and when you find out comes with very high price tags.

Drawbacks ?, all cartridge designs it does not matters if LOMC/MM/MI comes with its own trade-offs.

If you have the rigth audio system,  money and know-how levels to make the whole room/system set up and music/sound knowledge and enough " software "/LPs the best choice is LOMC cartridge alternative. Period.

If not then stay away from analog and go to the best alternative that's today digital that comes with very high quality performance levels even over the best analog alternative you can achieve.


Regards and enjoyb the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

I just bought nearly all top MM cartridges from our "best of the month" list over the years, and i also bought several top quality vintage MC cartridges that our "opinion makers" considered the best only a few years ago. I did the same with the vintage tonearms and turntables. I also have had some brand new 21st century top quality LOMC. I even got reference tonearms like Reed 3P just to make sure that those vintage japanese arms are not bad at all. I’m 41 now, hope my hearing ability is ok, i could live forever with MM cartridges from my own edition of the "best of the month" list. I ask myself why do i need all those cartridges, including MC cartridges, 8 different tonearms, 9 different turntables, different phono stages, SUTs etc ??? It’s an interesting process to compare things, but i always return to what i really liked before - those vintage MM cartridges. I’m not the guy who will invest multy thousands on a single brand new cart anymore, enough for me, the vintage MM is the better choise for many reasons. I do have an MC alternative just to prove it for myself. Life is so much easier with vintage top quality MM carts. The rest for the records, no digital! And yes, i like tubes! 

Dear @chakster :  """   i could live forever with MM cartridges from my own edition of the "best of the month" list """

Well, me too but I'm not talking to live with but to live with the best that's a " little " different subject.

Btw, """  And yes, i like tubes! """.  This is your today limitation, that's why too "" no digital !  """

You are " young " and with many years to come with learning experiences  that will beats your today overall audio level and priorities.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

chakster
The lowest output (0.6 mv) MM cartridge is Stanton 980LSZ 

I have to agree the low output top MM's of the day are special and getting harder to come by.

A family relative of your Stanton 980LSZ is the Pickering XLZ-7500 and one I recently purchased with a very low output of .33 mv
and 3 ohm rating.
Another interesting Pickering is the XSV-5000 although not a super
low output at 3.8 mv a very nice sounding cartridge with 
a similar stylus.