Magnetic Mounts (Mobile)

A moving magnet (MM) cartridge is the most widespread type in vinyl playback, and is often fitted as standard on turntables. Its principle: a small magnet fixed to the cantilever moves in front of stationary coils, the opposite of a moving coil cartridge. This design has several practical advantages. The output level is high, generally 2 to 5 mV, compatible with almost all phono preamps and phono inputs on amplifiers, without a high-gain stage or transformer. The major advantage lies in the stylus: on an MM, it can be replaced on its own by clipping a new stylus onto the cartridge body, without changing the whole assembly or returning it to the factory. A conical tip should be changed after around six to seven hundred listening hours, an elliptical one a little later, before a worn tip damages records. Many MM ranges share the same body and offer several stylus options, conical, elliptical or with a finer profile: performance can be upgraded simply by changing the stylus. Compared with an MC, the trade-off is a slightly higher moving mass, resulting in generally slightly lower resolution and treble extension, but with far more accessible cost, simplicity and maintenance. It is the logical choice for beginners as well as for everyday use without constraints. This cartridge can be refurbished by changing its stylus once worn, is paired with a phono preamp with an MM input, and is fitted to a turntable tonearm of suitable mass.