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?
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Showing 1 response by sonofjim

I have MC and MM that I really enjoy. MM is the cheaper way to go. I'd say get a nice MM if you're on a budget. If not, get both. You'll be surprised how much you like them both. The point of diminishing returns kicks in real fast though and the high end MCs can get uber expensive. IMO, don't go down that road. Get a descent cartridge and don't skimp on the rest of the signal chain to get the top end MC. I have a MC that retails around $9,000 and I enjoy my $179 Ortofon M20 fl super almost as much, sometimes more.