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MM vs. MC

If I was looking at a Grado Reference Platinum cartridge, to be played on a VPI Scout & JMW9 tonearm with a Musical fidelity phono stage, How high a quality MC cart and phono stage would I need to better the sound? I have ordered the Scout but am strugling on the cartridge, is MC better?, and if so is the high output MC better than the Grado Platinum, or the Grado Sonata. I only have so much cash, the VPI was $1500.00 the Qunex 3 cable was $150.00 so I have $800.00 left this go around. Any suggestions on the cart, would be great, I have an internal phono stage in my X-150 but it's an MM with 2.5 mv so a lower output MC would require an external phono stage, if this is the way to go, any suggestions on a low output MC and external Phono stage for $800.00 that will be better than the Sonata through the X-150....Help!
flharrisdd0f

Showing 1 response by dirtyragamuffin

dirtyragamuffin
213 posts
 
Thanks to everyone, Have any of you heard anything about the Clearaudio Aurum Beta Mark II?


I have owned an Aurum Beta and, until I accidentally killed it last week, an Aurum Beta S (you are all encouraged to post on my thread asking about replacements, BTW ;) )

The Betas are very good MM carts IMHO. They do not have the effortless finess of some megabuck carts, of course, but are very sound and well rounded. Properly set up with good gear they can sound open, dynamic, and reasonably neutral. In terms of tracking, they weren't as sturdy as some but certainly held their own. Read my note about arm matching below, though.

I am not very familiar with your arm so do check and make sure that it would be a proper match. My Betas were honestly a bit too heavy and high cu for my particular arm; not sure about yours.

If it will play nice with your arm, I would say the Aurum Betas are worth considering. I can vouch for their distributor, Musical Surroundings--I've gotten great service from them, as well as my dealer, Gene Rubin.
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