MC versus MM. Which to choose.



I am pretty much a vinyl newbie so bear with me. What are the benefits and drawbacks of both of these types of cartridges. Is there a clear better choice for someone just getting into vinyl? The MM seem to be less costly but how does it compare sonically? Take for instance the Clearaudio Concept cartridge. The MM retails for $200 while the MC retails for $800. Is the MC version a better sounding cartridge?
lostbears
Dear T_bone: +++++ " a cart/arm combo to track the cannonball shot of the 1812 Overture is not a relevant determinant of how well the cart does with other music). " +++++

yes, I agree. That and other cartridge tracking tests only tell us that cartridge abilities, how good the stylus tip is " always " or not in touch with the grooves.
Cartridge quality level performance depends on several additional factors that as a whole makes the difference- Cartridge tracking abilities is one of those factors.

Yes, too: Phono Stage is almost as important as the cartridge/source. Its role IMHO is that trough it preserve the cartridge signal integrity loosing and adding the less. This is more easy to say it than to achieve it, the PS overall role is " complex " because at the same time that amplify the delicate cartridge signal ( some times 10K times with very low MCs.. ) must do it with no noise added or distortions added in a signal that's extremely sensitive to contaminate by trash pollulation.
It has to do it following an inverse RIAA eq. with no frequency response deviation.
All these factors are a challenge to any PS and these factors are not independent but are interrelated and in some ways ( inside some limits. ) one of those factors can be against others, example: active high gain vs noise, the equilibrum in this relationship has a tiny tiny line.

Btw, I assume that headamp is the Pionner one. I never owned but heard it but even that my memory has almost nothing to remember because in those all times my ignorance level was to high. One headamp that I owned was the Classé NIL-2/3 and was a good one.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
Dear T_bone, There are many (LO)MC carts with low compliance. To assume that tracking capability is important is the same as to assume that those producers have no idea what they their job is about. I know since 80s that 50 micron on the test Records is agequate for the ''normal LP's'' but never 'got' the reason why they are produced except reg. the 'effective mass' of the tonearms.

Your statement ' L1000 plus HZ-1 and a phono stage' is not
clear to me. It is difficult to 'hunt' if one has no idea
about the 'animal in casu'. BTW how are we supposed to hunt in Japan?

Regards,
Hello all not going to take anything away from my Tom Evens groove plus srx phono amp or ZYX universe because i enjoyed that combination for many years in a row exclusively. Was on the verge of my 3rd universe swapout. Thats a lot of vinyl spinning and music listening.

Now im using a simple few component MM riaa circuit in my Fisher 400c preamp that i completely rebuilt paired with MM/MI cartridges. i believe i will be listening to this vinyl front end for years in a row. Out standing sound top to bottom truly quenches my musical thrust.

2 first class front ends one that costs many thousands and one that can be had for in the thousand range.

After years of MCs going back to MM/MI has been one of the best moves in my audiophile life. Yes i have accumulated a fine stable of MM/MI cartridges to go with that so simple phono stage which i believe has a lot to do with the super fine sound my system delivers. Less is better and its true. I have a good buddy and Rauls thread to thank for my return to MM.

So i would say Lostbears take a good look at vintage or modern MM vinyl front ends first. and good luck the world of vinyl delivers all of the music so satisfying.
I'm coming to this thread late but i'm assuming you will be using the cart w/ Concept turntable. I have not heard the MM cart but i Have the Concept w/ the MC and it is a wonderful combo. My system has never sounded so smooth, open, and detailed. Bright records are still bright but less edgy with harsh sibilance being less grating and prominent. Dynamics are nice, bass is nice and tight.
And for the outlay and value of the time spent buying a cache of MM's, rebuilding your amplifier and shagging around setting them up, would probably have paid for an Olympus/Connoisseur, and then you could have spent all that time listening to music. Bugger.
I had a doctor client who had a dozen or so of the top moving coils of the day. Finally he came to me at 68 yrs and said - my ears are failing, I need a brighter cartridge with a rising top end. So save a nasty MC at least for your later years.