Analogue MM fun

[Opti-cal]

Dear all, vinyl and analogue lovers specifically (you know who you are!).

Recently I've been getting into some good ol 'broadcast style' mm carts. I like their classic 'full, warm' (etc, etc) sound and compared to my MC carts I certainly don't worry about keeping 'track' (ahem . . sorry) of the hours put on them. I like having a 'chuck a record on it' TT (AT-LP5 at the moment) so it's a pretty flexible tonearm (medium/low-medium mass).

I know a few people have previously referenced offerings such as:

Technics EPC 270C
Shure sc35c/v15/n97
Tonar Diabolic
Pickering XV 15/XSV range
Stanton 681/881/980/981
Nagaoka 321

FEEL FREE TO ADD TO THE LIST!

I'd really like to hear of others experiences in regards to ultimate 'matches made in heaven' combinations of turntables/arms/styli etc. I've modified (nuded) and rebodied a few styli in my short experience so again I'd love to hear what others have done to get good cartridges to compete with some more expensive offerings on a relative budget.

Others factors I'd be interested to hear about are headshells/wires/bolts etc, anything that has had a positive effect.

Looking to experiment with making up a few carts so if anyone has anything they might like to move on also, I could be interested! Also recommendations for stone cold bargains to be had would be appreciated.

Wishing everyone some analogue fun in these times.

Cheers!

[Barry]

The only "MM" cartridges I have experience of are the following:

Shure M3D^*
Shure M55E (Brown body)
Shure M55E (Black body)
Shure V15 II (Improved)^*
Shure V15 III^*
Shure SC35C^*

ADC 25
ADC10E Mk.IV

AKG P8ES

B&O SP6
B&O MMC20S
B&O MMC20E
B&O MMC20EN

Decca Mk.III
Decca SC4E

Decca Mk.V (aka 'Blue')
Decca Mk.VI (aka 'Gold)

Grado FTE+1^*

(^* no longer own)

All are good in their own way and are well worth trying, with the possible exception of the ADCs and the Deccas.

The ADCs have a very high compliance (as high as 60cu), so can only be used in tonearms with a very low effective mass. Futhermore, the soft rubber cantilever suspension quite often will have collapsed after such a long time (these cartidges are now around 50 years old), though third party replacement stylii are available.

Deccas are a bit of a 'law unto themselves' and benefit from the use of a damped medium mass tonearm. You also need to be careful with mating the three-pin connection of the catridge to the four leads in the headshell. But get it right, and they do things that no other cartridge to my knowledge can do.


I would also add the Sonus range of cartridges to the list; these being Peter Prichard designs made after he left ADC.

[Wakefield Turntables]

The shure M55E & SC35C are my favourite old school cartridges and when properly modified and matched can outperform most of today's offerings. You need to make sure cartridge output isn't too high with these carts as sibilance can be a problem. Make sure the cartridges "see" the correct amount of loading. This can be done by working out the capacitance of all cables in the signal path and then adding the relevant amount of additional loading via loading plugs into your MM phonostage. The M55E works with with after market Stylii, especially JICO and I've found aftermarket wooden bodies dampen the cart sufficiently to improve it's performance but still allowing vibrancy. I personally use a snakewood body which can be purchase from online. Both the shure carts offer a cheap way into getting into MONO recordings if you so wish, especially the M55E with the N55-1 replacement stylus for pre 1970 mono recordings, post 1970 and you'll need 0.7 stylus. My Shure's are used exclusively with a valve MM phonostage and to be honest make a really nice sound.

[Jimbo]

Sorry to repeat the above but the M55e is a truly great cartridge especially if you can get a NOS Shure stylus or use the expensive but in my opinion even better Jico eliptcial replacement stylus.

Another great MM I would add to the list is the Audio Technica AT95ex, this has a little more extra detail than the standard AT95e and is truly great for so little money!

[Opti-cal]

Thanks for the replies so far chaps. The shure's are definitely on my list.

I'm a big fan of my 'nuded' and wooden bodied AT95EX too. It's incredible value for money really.

[Chris]

I have returned to my pre1980 A&R P77. It has been retipped with a Shure hyper elliptical and also the suspension has been renewed with higher compliance - it now tracks at 1.4 grams instead of its original 1.8 and it sounds wonderful. Full, majestic and high class in my Ittok LVIII and into my valve phono. My Esco Troika is in its box and it can stay there. I won’t be going back to it.

[Lurch]

I also run a P77 in my case the P77Mg, (have 2 Mgs & a std P77) on a 401/RB250. Got back into them last year for my 2nd 80s system as it was my 1st proper cart (originally fitted to a Mk1 Mantra) and it sounds even better than I remember.

[Opti-cal]

So since writing the first post I've managed to get my hands on a Technics 270c (completely brand new old stock) which I've mated with an aftermarket elliptical stylus. There's an image of it in action over on the 'get yet cartridges for the lads' thread.

Okay so it might not be quite up to the performance as with the original stylus but for the price it sounds really nice to me. Surprisingly dynamic yet beefy. A really fun listen.

Also on the recommendation of this thread I've also just bought a Shure M55e, again it comes with an aftermarket elliptical stylus so I'd be looking to try it with an original NOS one too at some point.

Looking forward to that arriving to have a listen too.

Cheers.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Also on the recommendation of this thread I've also just bought a Shure M55e, again it comes with an aftermarket elliptical stylus so I'd be looking to try it with an original NOS one too at some point.

Looking forward to that arriving to have a listen too.

Cheers.

Good the M55e is a special little cartridge. Get in contact if you need any advice to hot-rod it.

[Opti-cal]

Good the M55e is a special little cartridge. Get in contact if you need any advice to hot-rod it.

Thanks Andrew, always interested in the 'hot-rodding' aspect! Probably best you educate me before I waste any hard earned on mediocre styli etc....

Happy to converse via PM or on here.

Cheers