Great video, Paul. Started out watching it because I was clueless as to how these cartridges worked. But as soon as you started the explanation, it took me back to my teenage years when I was just starting out in Automotive Service and learning how electricity worked. Years later, but still decades ago, I started teaching basic electrical / electronics for a major automotive manufacturer. Thanks for the explanation, but also thanks for my personal trip down memory lane.
My favorite sounding cartridge is actually a budget ceramic BSR SC5M (diamond conical stylus) with a special R-C circuit that I feed into a tube pre-amp and then into a magnetic cartridge input. I bought it NOS around 2014 but it was manufactured in the early 70's and has a nylon cradle as opposed to the rubber ones that tended to dry out and get stiff. It's a heavy tracker at about 4.5 grams but it sounds amazing. BTW, I'm not in the least afraid to use heavy trackers as long as they don't exceed 5 grams VTF, the stylus isn't worn, the record is clean with a dry dust brush, and the turntable is set up correctly. At least on my system, it sounds better than any moving magnet or moving coil I've tried. It is also by far the least fussy in terms of set-up. The cartridge may have been designed to be paired with cheap BSR changers but when used on a high-end table with a high mass tonearm, this sub $100 cartridge outclasses MC cartridges costing thousands. Having said that, most ceramic cartridges are junk. This specific BSR, the Sonotone 9 series, and a few others are exceptions... you just have to have the correct circuitry to unlock their magic.
Terrific video, Paul. My late brother owned a Koetsu Black cartridge and it was superb. I have to admit however, that I haven't played an LP for decades, particularly with the advent of SACDs.
Back in the 70's Radio Electronics had plans to build an stereo octave equalizer. The circuit used an op-amp and potcore inductors for each frequency band. The design called for linear pots and I had just seen an add for some really good sealed clarostat surplus pots so I ordered a couple of dozen of those and a slew of potcores and bobbins. I bread boarded a channel and then set up my hand cranked coil winder with an electric drill (controlled by a variac), and a flexible shaft between the winder and the drill. The winder had a 0 to 100 counter on it so I could keep track. I borrowed a spool of #39 wire from the power supply company I worked for and set everything up on the bench. #43 wire is very delicate (we used to call it frog hair) so it took a little experimentation to figure out how to tension the wire. i set up the bobbin on the winder and set the wire spool on an axle a few feet away so it could freely feed wire. I ended up using a folded piece of thin cardboard to tension the wire as it was wound onto the bobbin. I got the drill running at about 70-80 rpm and guided it onto the bobbin. The 30 Hz inductor required 1,300 turns and I would both of them without breaking the wire, the 15Khz inductor required 70? turns on a smaller inductor and all cores required a small gap. In an evening i would all 16 inductors, I grounght them into work the next day and matched them on our GenRad 1650 bridge. When I got that equalizer built I put it into my stereo system, It worked but it also ended up coloring the sound so ended up not using it, a modern opamp would probably sound better. I also noticed it was very sensitive to stray transformer fields. Thats when I started to realize the fewer things in the chain the better the sound might be Now as frail as that #43 wire was I can't imagine what they use on a cartridge. I know standard magnet wire went down to # 60 and that was all but invisible.
I just watched Coal to Coltrane as linked below. A great watch which deserves many more views than it currently has. Thanks for your efforts and insights. ASIDE - a couple of good reads on the subject too: 1. AC/DC - Tom McNichol 2. The Last Days of Night - Graham Moore
Nice summary! How timely to see a couple phono related episodes, the last few days. I just mounted an analog-to-digital converter into my turntable, yesterday. Now, it plugs directly into my computer via USB, with a line tap (if needed). . I use an Ortofon X5-MC from circa 1990-ish) for the same reasons as listed here. It is one of the higher energy MC cartridges out there. Very little playtime on it, because I have been recording them to other mediums. First it was to tape. The last 15 or years, it has been to wave. And, I spend a lot of time digitally "cleaning up" those vinyl records I take time to digitize. If buying a digital copy (usually CD) is cheap, I will definitely purchase the digital over re-recording the vinyl! . Moving Coils not only hove low signal level, but they are prone to capacitive mismatch issues. For most accurate sound reproduction, most MC cartridges require matching the capacitor in the tone arm to the one in the preamp. The unbalanced cables that connect the two will play a significant role in capacitive tuning. Some think that keeping that cabling as short as possible is an advantage to sound reproduction, and I am one of them. . Paul, this is a great topic! Since vinyl has become recently popular, again, proper ways to manage analog reproduction of audio content is very relevant! Keep them coming!
They should look into the newer neodymium or rare earth magnets. They are intensely powerful as far as their gauss rating, strength of their magnetic field. If one solution to "iron is too much mass to wiggle right" was "wiggle the coil instead" then another solution might be "well make the magnet a whole lot smaller so it wiggles easier" - If they are still using old iron magnets in phono cartridges that would be a reasonable upgrade step.
The differences between the Three Magnetic cartridges (moving magnet, iron, or coil) are Real. BUT the best ones of each principle give virtually identical results. The other principles (compressing a ceramic element, OR modulating an external power source) can be just as good as the three magnetic principles. In essence the consumer's choice is really close to blind preference for the particular iteration.
Awesome video! Great explanation of the MC, and MM cartridge. Very interesting video, Thank You much. P.S. (no pun intended) I also think that Tesla rocks!
What about the output connecting wires of the moving coil cartridge. Don't those wires affect (damp/restrict) the motion of the moving coils, kind of in a leas sort of way?
Back in the 70's/89's there was a company called Micro Acoustics. They sold a Electric Condenser based cartridge, which I have one and still use today. Needles to say, the needle is worn and you can not get replacement, but it still sound good. I wish someone would resurrect the design. Talk about a low mass cart...
I still use my Micro Acoustics 630 cartridge simply because it sounds better than any other cartridge I've ever used, moving magnet or moving coil. Being so light, it tracks wonderfully, and given that the tracking force is only 1.25 grams, the stylus is still in basically new shape. The principle their cartridges worked on makes so much sense technically, and I DO wish somebody else would start manufacturing them again. I'm not holding my breath though......
Paul : I have taken apart Bang Olufsen cartridges and located the magnet .And it is tiny ..NO MASS in a big manner ..The drawback is that because is a small magnet it requires a lot of turns on the coils !.But if you see a B&O cartridge .It is small and light ..Most expensive moving coil cartridges are heavy and big because the weight of the magnet and the iron around ..
In line with this episode, moving iron would be a heavier moving mass than moving coil. The iron would be magnetized, and be another magnet. Newer higher density rare earth magnets would be lighter with stronger magnetic fields for the size. Moving Magnet cartridges tend to be cheaper to manufacture, and lend the appeal of economy. . The questions for the consumer would be whether they would hear the difference in audio quality, and is the more economical higher end MM cartridge allowing them to enter into the higher end phono audio environment than the cost of a MC cartridge. I would definitely suggest a Gradu Blue2 before a Shure M97x, but I do have a Shure M97x with a 78 needle for those really old records!
Yep. Though I've found it a good idea to look at the manufacturer specs and compare the cartridge you are considering to the phono stage you own or plan to own.
The man drives a Tesla. No surprise considering he's an audio lover. There is nothing like listening to music in a car that can actually be silent. Talk about dynamic range. It's even great in my cheepo $9600 3-year-old Nissan LEAF. ...even wonderful for me too :-)
Another downside of the moving coil is, that if the needle is worn out, you have to exchange the whole cartridge. On moving magnet cartridges you often can by the stylus separatly, which is quite a bit cheaper than the whole cartridge.
NOOOOOOO The original Star Wars movie are not camp! the effects still hold up and is the best movie Franchise in the world yea not cool Paul! but hey to each there own
Hey Paul, you might consider a "re-release" of your movie as we are just reaching the bicentennial of the discovery of the linkage between electricity and magnetism. Sadly, in the wider world, this will probably go unremarked.
@@swinde You thought correct. I meant that all the cartridges I've had after the V15 have been MC.
5 лет назад
Edison was a straight up scumbag extrodinaire. From what I understand, he didn't truly invent anything but he had a good understanding of being evil and knowing the patent scam to screw everyone out of their ideas. - here's the link to your movie : ruclips.net/video/ZQ5vSyvvBbE/видео.html :
Moving iron a moving magnet are not the same, moving iron is a better cartridge than even moving coil possibly, invented by bang and Olufsen. The best mc cartridges in the world is the van den Hul Crimson, moving iron probably soundSmith
So you drive a Tesla car that uses Edison's d/c batteries? I'm holding out for the return of the Pogue carburetor. I just hope it's during my lifetime.
Great video, Paul. Started out watching it because I was clueless as to how these cartridges worked. But as soon as you started the explanation, it took me back to my teenage years when I was just starting out in Automotive Service and learning how electricity worked. Years later, but still decades ago, I started teaching basic electrical / electronics for a major automotive manufacturer. Thanks for the explanation, but also thanks for my personal trip down memory lane.
My favorite sounding cartridge is actually a budget ceramic BSR SC5M (diamond conical stylus) with a special R-C circuit that I feed into a tube pre-amp and then into a magnetic cartridge input. I bought it NOS around 2014 but it was manufactured in the early 70's and has a nylon cradle as opposed to the rubber ones that tended to dry out and get stiff. It's a heavy tracker at about 4.5 grams but it sounds amazing. BTW, I'm not in the least afraid to use heavy trackers as long as they don't exceed 5 grams VTF, the stylus isn't worn, the record is clean with a dry dust brush, and the turntable is set up correctly. At least on my system, it sounds better than any moving magnet or moving coil I've tried. It is also by far the least fussy in terms of set-up. The cartridge may have been designed to be paired with cheap BSR changers but when used on a high-end table with a high mass tonearm, this sub $100 cartridge outclasses MC cartridges costing thousands. Having said that, most ceramic cartridges are junk. This specific BSR, the Sonotone 9 series, and a few others are exceptions... you just have to have the correct circuitry to unlock their magic.
The best part of most of your videos is that you know when, and how to end it. I wish my band could learn this skill.
Thanks Paul... I now understand the difference... well done.
Terrific video, Paul. My late brother owned a Koetsu Black cartridge and it was superb. I have to admit however, that I haven't played an LP for decades, particularly with the advent of SACDs.
Back in the 70's Radio Electronics had plans to build an stereo octave equalizer. The circuit used an op-amp and potcore inductors for each frequency band. The design called for linear pots and I had just seen an add for some really good sealed clarostat surplus pots so I ordered a couple of dozen of those and a slew of potcores and bobbins.
I bread boarded a channel and then set up my hand cranked coil winder with an electric drill (controlled by a variac), and a flexible shaft between the winder and the drill. The winder had a 0 to 100 counter on it so I could keep track. I borrowed a spool of #39 wire from the power supply company I worked for and set everything up on the bench. #43 wire is very delicate (we used to call it frog hair) so it took a little experimentation to figure out how to tension the wire.
i set up the bobbin on the winder and set the wire spool on an axle a few feet away so it could freely feed wire. I ended up using a folded piece of thin cardboard to tension the wire as it was wound onto the bobbin. I got the drill running at about 70-80 rpm and guided it onto the bobbin. The 30 Hz inductor required 1,300 turns and I would both of them without breaking the wire, the 15Khz inductor required 70? turns on a smaller inductor and all cores required a small gap. In an evening i would all 16 inductors, I grounght them into work the next day and matched them on our GenRad 1650 bridge.
When I got that equalizer built I put it into my stereo system, It worked but it also ended up coloring the sound so ended up not using it, a modern opamp would probably sound better. I also noticed it was very sensitive to stray transformer fields. Thats when I started to realize the fewer things in the chain the better the sound might be Now as frail as that #43 wire was I can't imagine what they use on a cartridge. I know standard magnet wire went down to # 60 and that was all but invisible.
After 4:45 the question is finally addressed. Thanks
"Easily distracted I am"... (talks for the next minute about Star Wars). Love it 😁
I just watched Coal to Coltrane as linked below. A great watch which deserves many more views than it currently has. Thanks for your efforts and insights.
ASIDE - a couple of good reads on the subject too:
1. AC/DC - Tom McNichol
2. The Last Days of Night - Graham Moore
Nice summary! How timely to see a couple phono related episodes, the last few days. I just mounted an analog-to-digital converter into my turntable, yesterday. Now, it plugs directly into my computer via USB, with a line tap (if needed).
. I use an Ortofon X5-MC from circa 1990-ish) for the same reasons as listed here. It is one of the higher energy MC cartridges out there. Very little playtime on it, because I have been recording them to other mediums. First it was to tape. The last 15 or years, it has been to wave. And, I spend a lot of time digitally "cleaning up" those vinyl records I take time to digitize. If buying a digital copy (usually CD) is cheap, I will definitely purchase the digital over re-recording the vinyl!
. Moving Coils not only hove low signal level, but they are prone to capacitive mismatch issues. For most accurate sound reproduction, most MC cartridges require matching the capacitor in the tone arm to the one in the preamp. The unbalanced cables that connect the two will play a significant role in capacitive tuning. Some think that keeping that cabling as short as possible is an advantage to sound reproduction, and I am one of them.
. Paul, this is a great topic! Since vinyl has become recently popular, again, proper ways to manage analog reproduction of audio content is very relevant! Keep them coming!
Now I understand clearly difference between the two type of stylus.....Thank you PS Audio.
Hi Paul,
What Are The best WAYS to listen to digital, if you build your all amplification from zero (Execpt speakers)?
Thanks.
They should look into the newer neodymium or rare earth magnets. They are intensely powerful as far as their gauss rating, strength of their magnetic field. If one solution to "iron is too much mass to wiggle right" was "wiggle the coil instead" then another solution might be "well make the magnet a whole lot smaller so it wiggles easier" - If they are still using old iron magnets in phono cartridges that would be a reasonable upgrade step.
Dear Paul have you tested a Laser Turntable for example the ELP LT-1XA ?
The differences between the Three Magnetic cartridges (moving magnet, iron, or coil) are Real. BUT the best ones of each principle give virtually identical results. The other principles (compressing a ceramic element, OR modulating an external power source) can be just as good as the three magnetic principles. In essence the consumer's choice is really close to blind preference for the particular iteration.
Thanks for loving Belgium ! Great review btw Paul.
Awesome video! Great explanation of the MC, and MM cartridge. Very interesting video, Thank You much. P.S. (no pun intended) I also think that Tesla rocks!
What about the output connecting wires of the moving coil cartridge. Don't those wires affect (damp/restrict) the motion of the moving coils, kind of in a leas sort of way?
I've seen a lot of videos explaining why one is better than the other, but i've found none that has explained why MC is so much more expensive.
Thanks Paul for your explanation!
Curious as to the Decca phono cartridge design, what’s moving in there?
Back in the 70's/89's there was a company called Micro Acoustics. They sold a Electric Condenser based cartridge, which I have one and still use today. Needles to say, the needle is worn and you can not get replacement, but it still sound good. I wish someone would resurrect the design. Talk about a low mass cart...
I still use my Micro Acoustics 630 cartridge simply because it sounds better than any other cartridge I've ever used, moving magnet or moving coil. Being so light, it tracks wonderfully, and given that the tracking force is only 1.25 grams, the stylus is still in basically new shape. The principle their cartridges worked on makes so much sense technically, and I DO wish somebody else would start manufacturing them again. I'm not holding my breath though......
I'd like to know what's your digital music workflow
Which one can give a deeper bass tone?
Start the video at 4:10 if you just want the explanation
He gets lost straight away ! lol
That's what makes him interesting.
@@TheWGLOVER
Yeah there is some good ones .
@M Pi Ok
Paul : I have taken apart Bang Olufsen cartridges and located the magnet .And it is tiny ..NO MASS in a big manner ..The drawback is that because is a small magnet it requires a lot of turns on the coils !.But if you see a B&O cartridge .It is small and light ..Most expensive moving coil cartridges are heavy and big because the weight of the magnet and the iron around ..
Love Paul the engineer. Paul the audiophile I can't always see eye to eye with. Paul master of the ah shucks soft sales pitch just makes me laugh.
What about moving iron? Soundsmith and to an extent Grado use that technology.
Agreed . . . also Strain Gauge Cartridges made by Soundsmith.
In line with this episode, moving iron would be a heavier moving mass than moving coil. The iron would be magnetized, and be another magnet. Newer higher density rare earth magnets would be lighter with stronger magnetic fields for the size. Moving Magnet cartridges tend to be cheaper to manufacture, and lend the appeal of economy.
. The questions for the consumer would be whether they would hear the difference in audio quality, and is the more economical higher end MM cartridge allowing them to enter into the higher end phono audio environment than the cost of a MC cartridge. I would definitely suggest a Gradu Blue2 before a Shure M97x, but I do have a Shure M97x with a 78 needle for those really old records!
@@AudioMaverickcom no it's not actually heavier is a ferrous alloy
I'm not sure if Grado building them, it is a invention by bang and Olufsen and only soundsmith has the right to build them far as I know.
Grado cartridges employ the moving iron principle exclusively.
Well that was much easier than expected
Ud. Es un tipo muy simpático, saludos!
I think you would have made it more interesting if you mentioned the inventor of the moving coil and why he hasn't sold it since the 60's.
Will high voltage moving coil carts work with a moving magnet phono stage without having to use a step up transformer?
Yes
Yes. I have one, a Mayware MC-3L-II.
Yep. Though I've found it a good idea to look at the manufacturer specs and compare the cartridge you are considering to the phono stage you own or plan to own.
Cheers, Paul. It makes perfect sense. :)
You should put a link to that movie in the description. I can’t find it.
ruclips.net/video/ZQ5vSyvvBbE/видео.html
The man drives a Tesla. No surprise considering he's an audio lover. There is nothing like listening to music in a car that can actually be silent. Talk about dynamic range. It's even great in my cheepo $9600 3-year-old Nissan LEAF. ...even wonderful for me too :-)
4:08 start
maybe Darrens new phono stage will get you back into vinyl Paul :)
Perhaps.
No doubt they have tried neodymium moving magnets to offset the mass?
I guess Paul is no "Analog Man" -Joe Walsh
If you have to ask this question, has ps audio got a deal for you!
Please link references in the description section. Gotcha this time ... Coal to Coltrane - ruclips.net/video/ZQ5vSyvvBbE/видео.html
please don't forget Michael Faraday
Another downside of the moving coil is, that if the needle is worn out, you have to exchange the whole cartridge. On moving magnet cartridges you often can by the stylus separatly, which is quite a bit cheaper than the whole cartridge.
MC can be re-tipped, often times by the manufacturer itself.
NOOOOOOO
The original Star Wars movie are not camp!
the effects still hold up
and is the best movie Franchise in the world
yea not cool Paul! but hey to each there own
4:01 - Aaand let's not get into how and why they are using his name for a product...
Leffe, Duvel, Chimay, …..
Hey Paul, you might consider a "re-release" of your movie as we are just reaching the bicentennial of the discovery of the linkage between electricity and magnetism. Sadly, in the wider world, this will probably go unremarked.
I've never watched Star Wars or any of the sequels, but I have only owned moving coil cartridges since my first Shure V15 from the mid 1970s.
I thought the Shure V15 (Type II, Type III) series were all moving magnet.
@@swinde You thought correct. I meant that all the cartridges I've had after the V15 have been MC.
Edison was a straight up scumbag extrodinaire. From what I understand, he didn't truly invent anything but he had a good understanding of being evil and knowing the patent scam to screw everyone out of their ideas. - here's the link to your movie : ruclips.net/video/ZQ5vSyvvBbE/видео.html :
Moving iron a moving magnet are not the same, moving iron is a better cartridge than even moving coil possibly, invented by bang and Olufsen. The best mc cartridges in the world is the van den Hul Crimson, moving iron probably soundSmith
Bro you’ve smoked some weed today matey,,, yoda,,, maaaan you make me giggle so much,,!!😂😂👌
So you drive a Tesla car that uses Edison's d/c batteries? I'm holding out for the return of the Pogue carburetor. I just hope it's during my lifetime.
spahr001 came here to find this ;-)
😁😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Star war love it still but at the time was the think to watch now movie look better effect electric chair 😂😂😂😂😂
Get to the point!
annoyingly slow, 1min of actual info