What are your all time favorite MM cartridges?

[RodH 4,866]

.....And why?

[Sk1Bum 11,411]

I love my Ortofon 2M Black. It's very detailed, and I use less tracking force than I did with the Bronze. It's also a plug and play switch with the Bronze as they use the same body.

[Dadvw 2,876]

I don’t know enough about what I am doing to comment……..lol

[cuda 526]

My favorite is a Shure V-15-II I have a few of the Shure V-15-III with jaco sis and a few others and I should be picking one of them but I like and prefer the v-15-II sound. I think it is because that is what I had in the old days (could not afford the top dog III) and am just used to it?

[kve777 6,888]

Stock unit from Kenner Close 'N Play. 

[SteveFord 1,119]

Ortofon 2M Black, a recommendation from Obi many years ago.

The crabby old duffer was right, it does everything well.

[oldtexasdog 2,456]

Ortofon 2M Bronze. It does everything well and seems to dig deep and bring out the small nuances of a album. I never tried the Black as my TT does not have a way to adjust VTA.

[Retriever 1,127]

Hmm have to try ortofon I tried rega carbon and liked it. My B&O MMC2 is really getting to pricey to replace, and old.

[4krow 6,596]

here are quite a few to choose from over the years but I remember something from way back made by Dynavector. I think the model was 10X20 and was red in color. I have owned more expensive and different, but not as detailed and just right for me.

[Brian_at_HHH 2,691]

As usual, I'm filling the role of heretic and some would likely claim, village idiot.

 

I have long been fond of the sound from Grado's.  I also have a couple of AT's (I have no clue where the 2nd one came from), but while they are clear and precise, there's no warmth, and they feel somewhat lifeless to me.

 

Tag, you're IT!  Yes, you!  Whomever you are, foolish enough to be reading this!

[4krow 6,596]

That's just it Brian, until a cartridge is rightly mounted in your system TT, you will not know what to think. The lower priced Stanton, Shure, and AKG cartridges surprised me in comparison to the more expensive Grado and others as well. 

  Does anyone remember the ad that Empire put out many years ago that showed a record being held by a pencil in the center hole, and a hand holding the cartridge to the record? (The pencil was held by the other hand). It read, "This is all we are trying to do, but accurately."

[Brian_at_HHH 2,691]

Yes, I remember that ad - thanks for the memory! 

[cuda 526]

I should have asked are we talking low mass med. mass or high tonearms for the carts?

[DrummerJuice 1,287]

The one I'm currently using... lol Nagaoka MP110H 

[xavionics 2,069]

Ahh, yes, my long lost, beloved Sure V-15 III. 
I’ve had a couple A-T MM carts since, but they didn’t make me melt into the listening chair like the Sure.

 

I currently run an A-T MC cart, but until I create a VTA mod for my SL-1600, it won’t see a lot of use yet.

(it was a bargain too good to pass on).

[oldtexasdog 2,456]

37 minutes ago, xavionics said:

Ahh, yes, my long lost, beloved Sure V-15 III. 
I’ve had a couple A-T MM carts since, but they didn’t make me melt into the listening chair like the Sure.

 

I currently run an A-T MC cart, but until I create a VTA mod for my SL-1600, it won’t see a lot of use yet.

(it was a bargain too good to pass on).

I also have a SL1600 and would be very interested in how you go about adding VTA or any other mods.