Cartridge-- M/M or M/C


Even though I have been back into vinyl for about 9 or 10 months now, I am still a relative newbie. I used to listen to vinyl in the 70's but not the way I do now.
I have a MMF-7 TT with the stock Eroica cartridge. As you know this is a M/C cartridge with what I assume is high output. 2.5 mv. (is that right?)
I guess because of my stupidity it is time to upgrade.
I don't want, or let me rephrase, I can't spend more than $500. What are the character differences between M/C and M/M?
What should I be looking at in this price range?
Thanks, Scott
scottht
Well I am not sure if this info will help but, here is my present system. Rogue M-120 Magnum monoblocs, Rogue Magnum 99 preamp, Rogue Stealth phono stage, Music Hall MMF-7 TT and Proac Studio 250 speakers. And of course last but not least from the digital end, California Audio Labs CL-15 CD player. All with Discovery Cable interconnects and Signal Cable Power cords.And Apature silver speaker cables.
Now with that said, I have never been very fond of the Stealth phono stage. Right from the beginning it sounded thin and bright. And that is what I still have. The stealth is pretty flexible in it's terms of selection of set up parrameters. It has opened up some in the last 9 months of operation but, it is still not to my liking.
But to be honest, I was never sure if it was the Rogue or the Goldring Eroica H cartridge. I would like to darken it just a bit.
Does that help at all?
Thanks guys, Scott
A shorter answer this time: Dan has probably hit the nail on the head. Your cartridge is not suited to your 'table, and your 'table is totally outclassed by the rest of your equipment. And given a chance, the Proacs will sound bright. If you keep your 'table, then the Shure - my personal favorite in the "play music and forget about audio" field - will flesh things out considerably. Being an excellent all-rounder with perhaps the best bass of any cartridge, it will also improve in sound when you get a 'table to match the rest of your system, at which point you can start to consider more exotic and risky cartridges. You can enjoy a larger record collection and get an idea of what your Stealth can really do.
What table combination would you recommend for my system in the $1000 used market?
The proacs sound wonderfull with the CD player. That is what is killing me. I know that the TT should sound better than it does.
Considering that brightness is your problem, the 'table which immediately springs to mind is Sota. They recondition their trade-ins to as-new and sell them at a significant discount. In this way you get a guarantee as well, I believe. The website TNT-Audio has an excellent review with these matters explained at http://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/sotastar_e.html.

The Sota is perhaps the best isolated 'table out there, and a good suspension usually means less brightness: it's hung from four springs, and if you get the plain vanilla Star Sapphire (with a sapphire bearing plate) you are getting a true high-end 'table at close to your budget (you'll have to call), finished in excellent real wood. Add the ubiquitous Rega arm to go with this, and you can keep and get the maximum out of your Eroica, which is reputedly very good. There's also a used Sota for sale on this website, with air-bearing arm (complicated, though very good), and a used Well Tempered, both very smooth, both on your budget, though I favour the WT for musicality. Maybe you could find a used VPI Mk IV, very warm in the bass, again with Rega arm. Or a Roksan/Rega, great if rhythm is your thing, as is Linn (only consider the LP12, and make sure it is recent). Look around: you're probably better off keeping the cartridge and upgrading, just as you're thinking, given your very high-resolution system. Since this website is crawling with Teres 'table fans, I'm sure they'll advise you this way. But I'm not familiar with this 'table or their variety, so I leave it to them.

Just to throw out a cheap and controversial alternative: one of the rockinest, best rhythm and best-isolated 'tables out there is for sale on this website for $255: an Acoustic research "The Ar Turntable". Try it with it's stock tonearm, but upgrade soon: this 'table is so good you can consider better even than the Rega tonearm, though this is very good. Some have mounted SME IVs and Vs on this 'table. (Just so eveyone knows, I'm a Rega arm fan). I'd buy it myself if funds allowed right now. Of course, there are more detailed 'tables out there, if you're willing to shell out a lot of dough, but none more musical...you'll have to organize the replacement for the armboard and such yourself...and check the bearing! Good Luck.