MC Cartridges

[CaterhamKev]

I am thinking of moving up the Audio Technica range of cartridges, potentially to an ART9.
The question I keep asking myself is are expensive MC carts worth the expenditure over good MM cartridges? I have a AT20SLa with a spare ATN15SS stylus, a Technics EPC-205 with a Jico Neo SAS stylus. I also a have an AT33PTG/II which sounds pretty good, and is possibly marginally better than the AT20SLa. I believe that the ART9 will be better again, but possibly by a small margin?

Has anybody here had experience of good MC cartridges, and have experience of how do they compare to top end MMs?
The cartridge will be a present from my other half for my upcoming Birthday, as she has suggested I get something I would not normally buy. Normally, I would not spend €1k on a cartridge.

It is going to be fitted on my SL1200, which has the Funk Firm FX1200, Spin bearing, Strata platter, Boing feet and a Long Dog linear power supply. I think the deck will be fine with this level of cartridge.

[Latteman]

I usually look out for ‘cheap’ used mc on eBay as a way to see if I like a cartridge- I’ve had AT & ortofon predominantly; the latest is an ortofon mc10 and this with their step up transformer is better in my view to the Grado wood bodied mm.

[NSNO2021]

I'm sorry I cant help, cartridges are in my experience very difficult to demo and the purchase often end up being something of a calculated gamble, especially with the exotic or new items. The ART9 has been widely and positively reviewed and whilst thats no guarantee it might be as good as you get unless you get lucky and find a dealer willing to allow you cart all your kit over to him for a full demo.

I think there is a gap in the market for a pure cartridge specialist although they logistics of making it work on a nationwide basis would be a challenge, especially where the net profit from a sale is less than £250/300.

I wish you well, hopefully you will get an ART9 and report back in a happy mode.

[eagwok33]

CaterhamKev, I can't help with the AT ART9 as I haven't heard one by now. Seems to be a great cart according to many positive reviews from owners in forums. I do own an AT OC30 from the early 90s (was one below the ART-1 at that time) and it is still sounding very nice. Currently, my personal favorite MC cartridge is the Hana ML, which is similarly priced to the ART9, I think (with micro line tip, but only mounted to an aluminum cantilever). For my tonearms (Schick 12" and Schröder CB 10" both with idler wheel TTs), the lower compliance of the Hana and lower impedance compared to my OC30 were deciding factors and I have to say the Hana sounds great to my ears and tracks very well. The mid range of the ML is a strong point in my system and bass is well defined and has punch. Treble resolution is superb, too. The Hana ML replaced my beloved Lyra Skala after 5 years of extensive use. The Skala has been the most expensive cart I have owned and I have currently no desire to invest again that much for a cart.

I'm not an expert in MM cartridges, I own one of the newly introduced AT MMs, the AT95ML and for the price this is a superb cart. My other MM - or to be correct - MI cart is a Music Maker MkIII, which I like a lot, especially for listening to classical music or other acoustic music. To my ears, both high output carts, don't have the resolution and dynamic of a good MC cart but are musically very engaging in my system. As I use MM phono stages only (a modified EAR 868 tube phono and the NVA phono 3), there is no direct comparison possible as step up transformers are introduced in the system for listening to the MC carts. The perceived difference can therefore also be caused by the step ups or the synergy of step up and MC cart.
Anyway, this is an attempt to share my experience in my system, and you have to decide for yourself, of course. Given my experience with AT cartridges, I believe, you can't do anything wrong with the ART9 as long as it fits spec-wise to your arm / tt combo.

Enjoy your music!

[CaterhamKev]

CaterhamKev, I can't help with the AT ART9 as I haven't heard one by now. Seems to be a great cart according to many positive reviews from owners in forums. I do own an AT OC30 from the early 90s (was one below the ART-1 at that time) and it is still sounding very nice. Currently, my personal favorite MC cartridge is the Hana ML, which is similarly priced to the ART9, I think (with micro line tip, but only mounted to an aluminum cantilever). For my tonearms (Schick 12" and Schröder CB 10" both with idler wheel TTs), the lower compliance of the Hana and lower impedance compared to my OC30 were deciding factors and I have to say the Hana sounds great to my ears and tracks very well. The mid range of the ML is a strong point in my system and bass is well defined and has punch. Treble resolution is superb, too. The Hana ML replaced my beloved Lyra Skala after 5 years of extensive use. The Skala has been the most expensive cart I have owned and I have currently no desire to invest again that much for a cart.

I'm not an expert in MM cartridges, I own one of the newly introduced AT MMs, the AT95ML and for the price this is a superb cart. My other MM - or to be correct - MI cart is a Music Maker MkIII, which I like a lot, especially for listening to classical music or other acoustic music. To my ears, both high output carts, don't have the resolution and dynamic of a good MC cart but are musically very engaging in my system. As I use MM phono stages only (a modified EAR 868 tube phono and the NVA phono 3), there is no direct comparison possible as step up transformers are introduced in the system for listening to the MC carts. The perceived difference can therefore also be caused by the step ups or the synergy of step up and MC cart.
Anyway, this is an attempt to share my experience in my system, and you have to decide for yourself, of course. Given my experience with AT cartridges, I believe, you can't do anything wrong with the ART9 as long as it fits spec-wise to your arm / tt combo.

Enjoy your music!

I picked up a Music Maker Classic second hand. It is pretty good. I am tempted to get it upgraded to the MusicMaster, but it is very expensive to do so, for what I think will give an improvement in performance, but possibly not a massive one.

I still fancy trying an ART-9 at some point, but this Lockdown is going to make anything like this difficult.

[Classicrock]

CaterhamKev, I can't help with the AT ART9 as I haven't heard one by now. Seems to be a great cart according to many positive reviews from owners in forums. I do own an AT OC30 from the early 90s (was one below the ART-1 at that time) and it is still sounding very nice. Currently, my personal favorite MC cartridge is the Hana ML, which is similarly priced to the ART9, I think (with micro line tip, but only mounted to an aluminum cantilever). For my tonearms (Schick 12" and Schröder CB 10" both with idler wheel TTs), the lower compliance of the Hana and lower impedance compared to my OC30 were deciding factors and I have to say the Hana sounds great to my ears and tracks very well. The mid range of the ML is a strong point in my system and bass is well defined and has punch. Treble resolution is superb, too. The Hana ML replaced my beloved Lyra Skala after 5 years of extensive use. The Skala has been the most expensive cart I have owned and I have currently no desire to invest again that much for a cart.

I'm not an expert in MM cartridges, I own one of the newly introduced AT MMs, the AT95ML and for the price this is a superb cart. My other MM - or to be correct - MI cart is a Music Maker MkIII, which I like a lot, especially for listening to classical music or other acoustic music. To my ears, both high output carts, don't have the resolution and dynamic of a good MC cart but are musically very engaging in my system. As I use MM phono stages only (a modified EAR 868 tube phono and the NVA phono 3), there is no direct comparison possible as step up transformers are introduced in the system for listening to the MC carts. The perceived difference can therefore also be caused by the step ups or the synergy of step up and MC cart.
Anyway, this is an attempt to share my experience in my system, and you have to decide for yourself, of course. Given my experience with AT cartridges, I believe, you can't do anything wrong with the ART9 as long as it fits spec-wise to your arm / tt combo.

Enjoy your music!

I picked up a Music Maker Classic second hand. It is pretty good. I am tempted to get it upgraded to the MusicMaster, but it is very expensive to do so, for what I think will give an improvement in performance, but possibly not a massive one.

I still fancy trying an ART-9 at some point, but this Lockdown is going to make anything like this difficult.

If you like AT MC cartridges I think the ART 9 is a safe bet. I believe it is more akin to a better OC9 than the 33 series but it gets pretty universal praise from purchasers. I've not heard it but would recommend the AT33SA as a cheaper alternative, though I'm told the ART9 is quite a bit better. I think the Art 9 is higher compliance than 33 series but AT specs seem a bit misleading. AT cartridges tend to offer better value since they have manufacturing economies of scale over smaller brands. Would not recommend SH cartridges as you have no way of verifying hours. I think Music Makers new are rather pricey for what they are.

[Ali Tait]

Very happy with my Benz Gullwing SLR but it ain’t cheap. I do prefer decent MC’s, but the law of diminishing returns kicks in pretty quickly.

[Daniel Quinn]

I'm baffled by your post. Your going from a cheap mm to the most expensive moving coil they make. Bizarre.

[CaterhamKev]

I don’t just have one cartridge. The AT95 gets fitted when I have guests with children round. It avoids inquisitive finger/cantilever interfaces.

The thing that puts me off going up the food chain is an ART-9 may be a little better than my AT33PTG/II. I may be better off spending the money elsewhere in the system, like different speakers.

[CaterhamKev]

I'm baffled by your post. Your going from a cheap mm to the most expensive moving coil they make. Bizarre.

By the way, the AT20SLa was one of the top level MM cartridges Audio Technica ever produced.