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

If you do not mind sourcing, you can find some great deals. I bought my brand new Lyra Delos for $300 less than what I paid for my brand new Soundsmith Zephyr MKII. 

I've heard of but have never heard Nottingham and Shelter gear but I hope it's exactly what you are looking for! Good luck. 

Dear @lewm : No, you are not ignorant on that B&O regards, maybe a misunderstood by @lohanimal  because as you point out the B&O are Moving Iron cartridge design.

Btw, very good permormers those " diminute " cartridges., especially the one you own and the MMC1.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

I had a very lengthy conversation with Tim Jarman of HiFi News who set up the following website:
https://beocentral.com

In the conversation I had with him at the High End Show in Windsor he said that the B and O cartridges were a brilliant design as they were conceived with a view to be put into the parallel arms found on the 4000 range of decks. As such they have a very small stylus. B and O apparently considered all parameters when designing the decks - arm/drive/cartridge as opposed to each part in isolation.
Now I am somewhat expanding this thread, but pivoted tonearms are inherently flawed as they follow an arc - so there is always a tracking error - most cartridges are designed with conventional pivoted arms in mind. Hence cartridge architecture originates from this. Parallel is the way records are cut and should be they way to go, but compliance matching appears to be an inherent problem (I am sure many will disagree). Anyway it was with this in mind that the B&O arms and cartridges were designed all of piece so to speak. 
So returning to the issue my intrigue has drawn me to getting a B&O 4002 which I am getting serviced along with the mmc20en cartridge - lets see if the theory is true...

I'm firmly in the moving iron court. The SoundSmith Carts are setup dependent because he uses the CL stylus, specially cut. It is sensitive, but so is a Shibata tip. If it's not elliptical or conical it will need very precise azimuth, SRA and skate control.

I have had exclusively MM carts for the past 40 years until I got the SoundSmith Voice. It's a high output MI, but if you want low output he has them too. I believe as you get fast you must sacrifice output. Those high end, low output carts at SoundSmith are very fast and great for classical and opera, hence the names of the carts. For rock and jazz the Sussaro would be quite adequate

You really have to listen to them to make a determination.

MI all the way ! People named Leonard are almost always right !