Requirements for Moving Coil setup

If you just want to audition an MC cartridge, and if your Bryston already contains a hi-gain phono section, as your post suggests, then all you need is an MC cartridge.  But it would be important to find out exactly how much gain is provided by the MC inputs on your Bryston, because there is a wide range of output voltages available among MC cartridges.  As you may know, Low Output MCs (LOMCs) generally provide roughly 0.6 mV output (for a specific stylus velocity that is used as a standard in stating the voltage output of a cartridge) or less, sometimes much less.  On the other hand, High Output MCs (HOMCs) generally make at least 1.0 mV, for the same standard stylus velocity. (There is no absolute cut-off between the two categories of LOMC and HOMC, but it's somewhere in that range between 0.6 and 1.0 mV, based on my own feel for how people talk about it.)  For an LOMC cartridge, you want at least 60db of gain from your phono section, which will handle moderately LOMCs.  

Yes, you also have to think about cartridge compliance and tonearm effective mass.  LOMCs tend to be low compliance, as has already been said.  For such cartridges, you would want your tonearm to be at least 11-12 grams in effective mass.  (The combo of compliance and effective mass determines the resonant frequency of the system, which you want ideally to be between 8 and 12Hz.  Formula is on-line.) However if your tonearm effective mass is too low, the good thing is you can add mass by simply using a heavy headshell or even just headshell meaty headshell screws.  But don't think you can't enjoy combinations that appear to be a mismatch based on the math.

Dear @jcipale: Perhaps a limitation for any cartridge including a MC cartridge is the tonearm internal wiring and a nchange down there is need it.

In the other side, you can get better quality level using a better Grado cartridge too, but either way the tonearm rewiring is a must to do it as the IC cable.

Regrads and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Most moving coil cartridges are low compliance

Further, many LOMC cartridges are high compliance as well.

I would like to use the MM cartridge (Grado Blue) on my BIC 960 as a 'preview' turntable for 2nd hand vinyl recordings. The JVC QL-A2 would then be connected to the MC input for new vinyl or pieces that have been played and are relatively clean, surface wise.

@jcipale
FWIW there is no need for a second machine to play records that may not be up to snuff. A dirty LP isn't going to damage a stylus! That is an old and persistent myth. If that's the only reason you are planning two cartridges and the like, its not worth it!

sleepwalker6510-27-2018 8:43pm

Most moving coil cartridges are low compliance, and are meant to be used on a low compliance tonearm. I doubt the JVC would be equipped with a low compliance tonearm ...  Technics turntables that have mid-high compliance tonearms. Not sure about the BIC, but if it has a low compliance arm, it would probably be more suitable ...

You're confused - there's really no such thing as a "low compliance tonearm." It's a pickup arm's mass and damping that determine its suitability for a specific phono pickup compliance. Believe me, you don't want a compliant pickup arm.

I have a Denon 103 mc in use on a Grace 707 arm. And a 103R on the Pioneer PLX1000's medium-mass arm. Both sound fine! I have yet to try out some of my other mc cartridges on my two heavier Fidelity Research arms - an FR29 and an FR54. 

Most moving coil cartridges are low compliance, and are meant to be used on a low compliance tonearm. I doubt the JVC would be equipped with a low compliance tonearm. A more suitable MM cartridge for the JVC (if it’s a direct drive) would be a shielded body cartridge like those from Audio-Technica and Ortofon. My experience with the Audio-Technica VM540ML (line Contact stylus) is very good on Technics turntables that have mid-high compliance tonearms. Not sure about the BIC, but if it has a low compliance arm, it would probably be more suitable for a MC cartridge. Keep in mind that you will need to spend at least double what you’d pay for a good MM cartridge just to have sound quality on par, then you must also factor in a new MM phono stage for the remaining MM.  

Grado > new MM phono amp > Bryston 2B-MC preamp line input.

New MC > Bryston 2B-MC phono input (set rear switch to MC mode).

You need a phono preamp with MC capability whose inputs you can plug your turntable/cartridge into and then that same phono preamp's outputs into a line-in input on your Bryston 2B preamp.