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

Some mighty long discussions on this already here but I need a refresher!
Having decided to upgrage my phono amp to a Dynavector p75 mk3 I am now wondering about my cartridge.
At present I have a Clearaudio Emotion 4 table with a Clearaudio Artist v2 cartridge.
What are main difference between mm and mc that I could expect to actually hear?
And lomc and homc? What is all that about?
Sorry if this has been thrashed to death already but just trying to get a laymans understanding if possible.
128x128uberwaltz
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz OP
13,381 posts
 
And these are exactly the real world thoughts I am looking for.
Yes it has my interest mainly because we all feel the need to upgrade and change to try and find that improvement in sq that gives us a feeling of great satisfaction and a job well done....lol.
But also I have "upgraded" many times only to feel I took 3 steps backwards!
Are my table,arm and phono amp up to the task of revealing and sq improvement from a mc cart to begin with.
And what sort of price range and type should I be looking at?
Mostly rock music,modern and classic rock.
Definitely no jazz or classical here
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
The mc type of cartridge is inherently faster and able to trace more accurately the vinyl grooves. Lower moving mass, lower inductance and lower noise compared to mm types. Read Mitchell Cotter's explanation in The Audio Critic circa 1977! And he made excellent SUT's and IC's (Verion Triaxial's) - both of which I've owned! For the money the venerable ,(1962!) Denon 103 mc cartridge can't be beat! I first heard it in '77 mounted in a Denon 307 arm on a TOTL Denon DD table. Step up device was a Levinson JC-1 clone. Sound quality was to-die-for! To this day I still prefer and use Denon 103's, 103R's, 103 Gold Anniversary, 301's and 304's.
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
I have yet to hear a mm type sound as good as a LOMC cartridge - and this after 40+ years!
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stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,381 posts
 

I have a ZU Denon DL103 mc cartridge and liked it very much however I wanted to try MM once again.  When I inadvertantly broke the cantelever on the Denon, I went back to a MM cartridge.  I asked some questions here regarding the type of music I played which is 90% Rock.  One of the more senior audiophiles sent me a PM regarding my dilemma.  He suggested I try a Gold Note Vasari MM cartridge as he had one mounted on his VPI and he said his records never sounded better.

I took a leap of faith and contacted the Canadian Distributor as they aren't very well known or represented in the US.  I purchased the cartridge direct from them for 430.00 shipped to my door.  The cartridge was very easy to mount and set up and I have been spinning vinyl almost every day since and that was 3 months ago.  I found the cartridge reproduced my records just the way I like and I am extremely satisfied.  Another member here stated the cartridge specs aren't that great and that it used old school tech.  All I know my records never sounded better and I am playing records again, and almost every day.  Needless to say I won't be going back to a MC cartridge but will get the ZU fixed and keep for a spare only.

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