You've run some pretty fancy MC's, but the _______ MM cartridge really impressed me


Fill in the blank above. If you wish, feel free to mention what MC or MC's you have used. 

fjn04

- Grace F9 (Soundsmith makes replacement styli)

- Technics EPC-205C* (the EPC-100C has already been mentioned; JICO makes replacement styli for the 205)

- JVC/Victor X-1 (JICO makes replacement styli)

- Audio Technica 150* (really any of the AT 150 models; AT150 MLX/Sa, ATML 150)

- Fidelity Research FR-6SE

 

* Best with TOTAL capacitance (including cables) <200pF

Hmm. I have not owned a MM since a Shure V15, 1970’s?

So all the cartridges I have used have bee MC and sounded much better. 

Another vote for the Clearaudio Maestro V2 Ebony. Easily one of the widest stages I've heard from any cartridge.My Hana SL has slightly more detail, but doesn't present as well. 

Back in 2010, motivated by Raul’s monster thread (yes, it was even too big back then), I bought a handful of vintage MM carts off eBay, just to try when I had some time. They were all reasonably priced or downright cheap, which of course is one of the beauties of MMs compared to MCs. I mounted a few and thought were were OK, nothing too special. The Grace F9 was definitely a keeper but the others, not so much, probably more because of mismatches with my tonearm at the time than anything else.

The gem of this small horde was a brand new ADC TRX-2 that I never opened. I wasn’t sure at first whether I was going to keep or resell it, so I put it in the drawer and then just forgot about it. Reading this thread brought it back to mind so I mounted it last week. Whoa! this thing is remarkably good! Fluid, dynamic, detailed, musical, it pretty much does it all. Maybe it doesn’t have quite the refinement and openness of my top MCs like a Benz TR or A90, but it comes remarkably close and adds something organic that they don’t really have. And the soundstage is huge. I had to track down the right headshell first because it is very compliant. The ADC LMG-1 at 7.6g is just right.

So thank you @fjn04 for this thread, and @rauliruegas for cluing me into this cartridge way back when. I’m going to dig around in the drawer and see what other neglected MM treasures I might find.

Dear @wrm57  : You are welcome.

 

Well Your ADC cartridge as other ADC models are really good and is  no MM design but Induced Magnet. ood for you.

 

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.