My first post here so be gentle...
I am in the process of matching a phono pre with my B&O Beogram RX... which supports a MMC2 cart. Yup, nice match, no? The story is that I bought the RX on ebay; more or less a local sale. The unit had a broken lid hing and came w/a MMC5 cart. $80. After getting a new belt at the local shop (Needledoctors) I was ready to play my first side. It sounded like I was dragging a nail across sandpaper.
The internet being the marvel that it is soon enlightened me to what had and was happening. 'My fault in not inspecting the stylus closely as it was obviously nonexistent, even to the naked eye. I felt so stupid.
It seems that without regular/annual use, the MMC5 stylus simply oxidizes away to nothing, which is what had happened in the seller's closet over ten years. Normal and somewhat regular play of a MMC5 "dusts off" the micro sized oxidized particles of the titanium-bonded elliptical diamond. You eventually have to replace it but you won't be surprised when it comes to that.
I got him to give me the table for $20 and found a dealer selling off old stock MMC1 & 2 carts so I jumped at a MMC2 for I think $189 or some silly number like that. It has a nude multi-radial Contact Line diamond stylus and apparently is not subject to the ravages of air and time.
So if the story is based on a MMC5's tendency to oxidize and disappear, then yes, I'd say a B&O setup is capable of damaging a nice vinyl side.
As others have said, it's not the best system around any longer, but it ain't the worst, and matched with the appropriate cart should do fine by you till your ears start controlling your spending money.
Now I need to find a not too expensive phono pre to make a decent match for the MMC2 and my HK AVR 135. Anyone have any thoughts?
