Electret transducer cartridges vs MM and MC. What are your experiences?


Hi all,

Through the years of following the MM thread here I collected a small selection of good ones, many of them NOS: Signet TK-7LCa, Empire 4000D/III, Astatic MF-100 (sold), Sonus Gold Blue, Shure V15 Type III with VN35MR stylus, ADC XLM Mk II Improved, and Stanton 681-EEE-S.

I also discovered the Micro-Acoustics Electret line. First the 2002e, then the 530mp, and later the 3002. All have beryllium cantilevers, with thinner and lower-mass "Micro-Fine" beryllium cantilevers as you move up the line. The 2002e has an elliptical stylus, the 530mp a "Micro-point", and the 3002 a "Micro-point II" stylus. According to MA, the electret transducer design is completely immune to capacitance and resistance of associated cabling/phono stage loads, making it very unique in the cartridge world.

My MA exemplars deliver ultra-fast, open, dynamic, and tonally balanced sound. While I recognize and appreciate the strengths of each cartridge in my small MM stable, I prefer the MA 3002 to all of them for listening excitement and satisfaction. I must confess that I find my Transfiguration Orpheus L to be in another league in refinement, yet I still enjoy the MA electrets on various tables/arms in my vintage system.

I would like to hear from anyone that has experience with electret transducer cartridges of any type, is just curious, or has technical expertise (J. Carr?) on this special type of sound-making device.

There are some errors in this link re: stylus specs for some models, etc. but I think it is a good introduction:
http://roger-russell.com/sonopg/micropg.htm

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Best to you all,
Dave
128x128dlcockrum
Dave, no not those -it's called the Strain Gauge. I think it may be the same idea but possibly better executed. I heard it on a VPI deck at SS room in NYC. Very good but I am not convinced fully on the price per sound quality scale. 
Dear @noromance : Strain Gauge is diferent design than electrect even needs a dedicated phono stage, you can use it in your phono stage and that dedicated phono stage does not works with normal catridges.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
I continue to learn...

noromance, what makes the MA electrets unique to all others that I am aware of is they have a "common to MM" 3.5mV output and seem completely insensitive to cap/res loading. No special accommodations required to get their best performance.

Raul, thanks for the assist.

Best to you both,
Dave

Dear Dave, The case is that information for free has paradoxical

consequences. You started this thread so we are free to ask

questions for free. Which kinds are available , where and for what

prices (grin).

Kind regards,

Nikola