The greatest MM and MI cartridges ....


.... survived the test of time with flying colors.

Would like to know your mind about what MM and MI cartridges did really survive in our memory and were able to hold their sonic standard against all fashions.
dertonarm

Showing 5 responses by dertonarm

Dear Halcro, no other agenda here as to separate the two threads indeed.
This is about the MM and MIs - Syntax' is about the classic MCs.
Period.
And - yes, there were a few MM and even 2 MI cartridges which did indeed influence me in my journey and which I "liked".
I left this thread "unrestricted" in the way that I did not start with a list (even if I would have a few contenders in mind) - I just want this list to develop itself free and following the minds of the contributors
I certainly agree that there is a good number of very good performing MM and MI cartridges out there.
What I am missing however are a few MM/ MI cartridges which do display greatness.
Is there any MM cartridge (or MI) out there were you would say:
"that's it ! I could live with this one forever - no need for any other cartridge no more."
If there is any such thing out there which didn't trigger my attention so far, I would honestly like to know.
Me myself musing since a long time about having a MM cartridge made to my specifications.
As I for one still believe that the possibilities of this design haven't been fully explored yet.
Dear Halcro, dear Timetel, actually I wanted to have this thread as "open" as possible. Many of the best MM and MI cartridges are long discontinued and their dampers (guess we all noticed, that "break-in" time of MMs is (if any...) much less than witlh most MCs) were not built to last for ever.
I am curious what MM cartridges might turn up here and maybe get to learn a MM which I have missed so far.
I follow a simple procedure when examinating a cartridge (in fact - this is my procedure in most any audio component I come along and which catches my attention) - I try to get as many technical information about it's design as possible to get an idea what are it's requirements, what are it's inidvidual design strength, what may be a technical/mechanical/dimensional foundation for a certain sound.
As said earlier - I am musing since a long time about having a MM cartridge manufactured to my specifications.
I for one hope to get new inspiration from a few of the contenders mentioned by others here.
BTW - yes, I have found 2 LOMCs in my long journey, which I can (and most likely will ...) live with happily ever after (within a certain "team" of tonearm/SUT).
I yet have to find a MM cartridge I can include in that elusive small party.
So forme this is really a valuable source and I perksonally especially welcome posts like Timetel's which are accompanied by technical parameters.
Cheers,
D.
Dear Nikola, I didn't want to ask any specific person about this - I wanted to get the information/recommendation as eclectic as possible.
There was no reason to direct the question to someone in specific.
Furthermore - I'd rather intended to direct certain contributions away from the "Greatest MCs ever"-thread.
Certainly no intentions to hi-jack any posts from Raul's "who needs MM"-thread - and I can't see any danger for this either, as that thread long developed in certain directions.
I do see my question above going to a different direction anyway.
So far I am still certainly not in the fan-group for MMs and MIs.
I had many encounters with them and I liked quite a few.
But I draw a strict line between "I like it" and "I can live with it".
There is a wide gap between that camps.
I am very interested in the technical aspects of moving magnet cartridges - especially so, as I believe that the topic isn't fully explored yet.
When power restriction was an important point in PA audio, speaker development saw quantum leaps. When the "power issue" was solved in the late 1960s speaker development concentrated on reducing magnet/frame weight.
I see a similar analogy in MM design history.
There is no need/market call today for top-flight (= high priced) MMs - and there isn't since a long time.
Aside from Grado and Decca/London the high-price department is LOMC only.
Would really like to see a few gifted designers to return to an old "field" and trying to bring in an all new harvest of previously unknown quality from MM.
I am sure, that the very best possible MM hasn't been designed yet.
Cheers,
D.
Dear Timeltel, unfortunately Sun-Tzu ( or Sun-Zi ) died about 1 century before - so he couldn't watch Hannibal's tactics on august 2nd, 216 b.c., which turned the fury of the attack against the attacker ..... but he is certainly in accordance with Miyamoto Musashi.

Sorry - off topic. I find your descriptions and in-deep analysis of the MMs very valuable.
This is exactly what I was looking for.
Cheers,
D.