The question about cartridges appeared here every week from different people, i wish someone could use "search" first, because so many information already on audiogon and we can only repeat it again and again, especially about MM/MI carts.
First MONO Moving Coil was invented by Ortofon in 1948.
BUT Joseph Grado later invented FIRST STEREO Moving Coil cartridge, however his brand is making Moving Iron cartridges. Here is a nice documentary about GRADO. Joseph Grado, like Mr.Pickering and Mr.Stanton, believed that MC cartridge can’t be good, those people designed and improved MI and MM cartridges all their life. Both brands made low output MM/MI as alternative to LOMC. Stanton/Pickering made extremely low output (low impedance) MM for use with headamp or high gain MC phono stages, but the cartridge was a Moving Magnet. Very interesting!
Since i changed my amp from tube push-pull to a solid state current mode single ended First Watt F2J the resolution of my system became so much better, not only resolution, everything is better, but the amp designed for crossover less speakers (full range drives). In this setup my Joseph Grado Signature XTZ (MI) quickly became one of my favorite cartridge! This is the best model designed by Joseph himself in the 80’s, so it is vintage MI, but the styli are still available from Grado. I remember that with my ex tube amp the Grado wasn’t so good in my system (even with the best vintage telefunken tubes). I am happy that i found superior technology and i don’t need tube gear anymore. Mr. Nelson Pass is genius and his solid state amps are the best, very impressive indeed (even for tube lovers).
Apart from Grado XTZ there are many more absolutely killer vintage MM cartridges and nearly all of them advised by me and others here on audiogon. I like top of the line Pickering and Stanton models so much. Apart from the American manufacturers there are so many amazing cartridges from Japanese designers! You can just search or simply ask in direct.
First MONO Moving Coil was invented by Ortofon in 1948.
BUT Joseph Grado later invented FIRST STEREO Moving Coil cartridge, however his brand is making Moving Iron cartridges. Here is a nice documentary about GRADO. Joseph Grado, like Mr.Pickering and Mr.Stanton, believed that MC cartridge can’t be good, those people designed and improved MI and MM cartridges all their life. Both brands made low output MM/MI as alternative to LOMC. Stanton/Pickering made extremely low output (low impedance) MM for use with headamp or high gain MC phono stages, but the cartridge was a Moving Magnet. Very interesting!
Since i changed my amp from tube push-pull to a solid state current mode single ended First Watt F2J the resolution of my system became so much better, not only resolution, everything is better, but the amp designed for crossover less speakers (full range drives). In this setup my Joseph Grado Signature XTZ (MI) quickly became one of my favorite cartridge! This is the best model designed by Joseph himself in the 80’s, so it is vintage MI, but the styli are still available from Grado. I remember that with my ex tube amp the Grado wasn’t so good in my system (even with the best vintage telefunken tubes). I am happy that i found superior technology and i don’t need tube gear anymore. Mr. Nelson Pass is genius and his solid state amps are the best, very impressive indeed (even for tube lovers).
Apart from Grado XTZ there are many more absolutely killer vintage MM cartridges and nearly all of them advised by me and others here on audiogon. I like top of the line Pickering and Stanton models so much. Apart from the American manufacturers there are so many amazing cartridges from Japanese designers! You can just search or simply ask in direct.
