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MM Cartridge or MC Cartridge

I'm embarrassed to say that after owning a ClearAudio Maestro cart for only a month, I had a mishap and damaged the stylus. It's gonna cost $600 to get it replaced. Does anyone have any better suggestions as far as a better cart for the $$, or is this the best for this price range? Also, what are the advantages to a MC cart? I'm just getting back into LP's and have not done the research. Besides, I trust your opinions more than reviews. I will have the opportunity to buy up, so now would be the time to go to a MC cart. Will I have to have a step-up transformer? My phono stage is an Audio Research PH-3 SE.
handymann
thorman
1,262 posts
 
Find a good used Shure V15 and throw A Jico SAS replacement cartridge on it and forget about it........or Pickup a new Shure 97XE and and put on a Jico SAS Stylus ( around $200 total investment ) ...
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
02-18-11: Thorman
Find a good used Shure V15 and throw A Jico SAS replacement cartridge on it and forget about it........or Pickup a new Shure 97XE and and put on a Jico SAS Stylus ( around $200 total investment ) ...
+1! Other contenders:

- Audio Technica AT150MLX
- Ortofon 2M Bronze or Black
- Wood-bodied Grado
- Goldring 10x2 or G 2x00 series
- Nagaoka MP-300 or MP-500
- Clearaudio Maestro/Virtuoso/Aurum MM carts

With the proliferation of all things vinyl these days, there is a great selection of very high quality MM cartridges in the $300-600 range. And some of them (Audio Technica, Ortofon, Goldring) have user-replaceable stylii. Pay attention to your arm's effective mass vs. the weight and compliance of each cartridge to come up with the best combination for your tonearm.

My #1 is an AT150MLX, but I'm thinking about getting a Jico stylus for my M97xE as a backup.
bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
I agree with a number of Johnnyb53's suggestions. You can figure out the tone arm effective mass and cartridge mass and complaince questions by referring to Vinyl Engine.

Also, I own both the Grado Sonata ($500) and the Clear Audio Virtuoso Wood ($550-$600). IMHO, the V Wood sounds better than the Grado Sonata, but both are very good. If you're "spoiled" by the CA Maestro, you might consider the V Wood.

I also heard and read great things about the Ortofon 2M Black ($559). It's supposed to be a super cartridge.

I'll leave the MC/MM debate to others.

Good luck.
waynefia
156 posts
 
"02-18-11: Dougdeacon
Agree with Audiofeil.

In my system, which is optimized for LOMC's, I've yet to hear one which costs less than ~$2K significantly outplay several sub-$200 MMs. An LOMC that costs ~$600 would be a waste of money IME. For the same money I could buy 3 superior MM's or one MM and $400 worth of other goodness."

I'd like to hear a few of those MM you are referring to ?

thanks,

Wayne
inna
7,864 posts
 
Audiofeil, are Audio Note MMs significantly better than Goldrings?
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