Mell How do I know what cartridge fits my turntable?
If you’re unsure, take a look at the end of your turntable’s tonearm (the part you lift and set on the vinyl to play the music). If you see screws mounting the cartridge to the end of the arm, then the cartridge can be replaced. If you don’t see any screws, then you’ll only be able to replace the stylus.
How do I choose a cartridge?
What to Look for in a Cartridge. Stylus shape: The shape of the stylus affects how it makes contact with the record groove. The narrower the contact radius, the better the stylus will be able to track modulations in the groove. The two most common shapes of styli are conical and elliptical.
How do I know if my cartridge is MM or MC?
In a stereo cartridge, two sets of coils and the pins represent the positive and negative poles for each end. With the presence of a magnet, this is how the MM creates a signal. Meanwhile, an MC goes in the opposite direction–the coils of wire move in a sideward motion while the magnet stays as is.
Can any cartridge go on any turntable?
Re: can you put any cartridge on any turntable? Any medium mass MM, MI, or MC cartridge option tracking at 1-3 grams will work fine. And properly aligned and set up perform well.
Which is better MM or MC cartridge?
Both cartridge designs can sound excellent but the MC variant has the ability to go one step further and reach audiophile heights. Generally, the best value, lower cost, cartridges are of a MM design. Those who are looking to achieve the best overall sound for turntables often choose the moving coil cartridge.
What is the difference between a turntable cartridge and stylus?
What Is the Difference Between a Stylus and a Cartridge? Your turntable stylus is the needle making contact with your records. Turntable needles partner with cartridges to convert mechanical movement into an electrical signal.
What is the difference between a stylus and a cartridge?
What Is the Difference Between a Stylus and a Cartridge? The stylus sends information as a signal to an amplifier for play-through via speakers. Turntable needles partner with cartridges to convert mechanical movement into an electrical signal.
Which is better MC or MM cartridge?
Why are MC cartridges better?
Advantages: The mass is much lower in a MC design, resulting in less downward pressure. The tracking inertia is much lower, which frees the stylus up and allows for a wider frequency response, improved high-frequency transients, and a more detailed reproduction of the original waveform.
How long does a MC cartridge last?
With proper care we find that up to 1000 hours is possible without degradation of performance.
Should I replace stylus or cartridge?
Others allow you to replace the stylus but not a cartridge (in case you’re thinking about replacing both). A good rule of thumb is that if the cartridge is mounted to the tonearm with screws, then you can replace the cartridge and stylus. If you don’t see any screws, it’s likely that only the stylus can be replaced.
How much does a turntable cartridge cost?
A cartridge upgrade on those turntables will cost between $200 and $600 depending on how big of a sound improvement you want. But again, you will need an expensive high-end stereo to be able to hear the improvement in sound quality given by the extra dollars spent on a cartridge.
How are standard cartridges secured to the tonearm?
Standard mount cartridges are secured to the tonearm by 2 vertical screws spaced 1/2″ apart and feature four small posts for connecting the tonearm leads. P-mounts have four slender pins that plug directly into tonearms specifically made for use with P-mount cartridges (our tonearms are not made for this).
What do you need to know about MC cartridges?
Higher end MC cartridges usually have line contact styli that need to be precisely aligned for best results. If you want to push the boat out, and your tonearm allows it, you can adjust vertical tracking angle or VTA. This is the angle of the stylus in the groove as viewed from the side.
Which is quieter a mm cartridge or a MC cartridge?
MCs have even lower output voltages and consequently MC phono stages have to be that much quieter than MM varieties. How well a cartridge does its job depends on a lot of factors: the shape of the diamond stylus, the material used for the cantilever and the arrangement of the magnets/coils in the body of the cartridge are just a few of them.
Where do the cartridges go on a turntable?
Needles, styli, cartridges, pick ups, call them what you like, every turntable has something that sits in the groove and ‘reads’ the undulations in the groove wall.