My question is why Moving Coils should be thought to be better than moving
magnets. I can think of several reasons why they should be worse, lower
compliance and higher mass, but not why they should be better. Trackability
should be better on a MM, as should record wear due to lower tracking
weights.

The quality of the stylus may be better on an expensive cartridge, but in my
own case, I have a Goldring 1042 and a Shure V15IIIMR. The stylus in the
Goldring is the Gyger S, I understand similar to the VdH, the Shure MR is a
Namiki profile, so they are as good as anything available on a moving coil.

Similarly, frequency response plots of moving magnets and moving coils don't
show any particular benefit to the MC, nor does stereo separation or
harmonic and intermodulation distortion. So why *are* MC cartridges throught
to be better?

If anyone knows of any good engineering reasons why this should be so, I
would be most interested to hear.

Thanks

S.

Serge Auckland wrote:
My question is why Moving Coils should be thought to be better than moving
magnets. I can think of several reasons why they should be worse, lower
compliance and higher mass, but not why they should be better. Trackability
should be better on a MM, as should record wear due to lower tracking
weights.

The quality of the stylus may be better on an expensive cartridge, but in my
own case, I have a Goldring 1042 and a Shure V15IIIMR. The stylus in the
Goldring is the Gyger S, I understand similar to the VdH, the Shure MR is a
Namiki profile, so they are as good as anything available on a moving coil.

Similarly, frequency response plots of moving magnets and moving coils don't
show any particular benefit to the MC, nor does stereo separation or
harmonic and intermodulation distortion. So why *are* MC cartridges throught
to be better?

If anyone knows of any good engineering reasons why this should be so, I
would be most interested to hear.

The moving coils are lighter but put out less energy than the moiving
magnets.
Thanks

S.

Bret Ludwig wrote:


The moving coils are lighter but put out less energy than the moiving
magnets.


Voltage, maybe, but if you look at the source resistance of a MC, I am
not sure its less "energy".

The stylus on a MC does I suspect have less mass to move.

--
Nick

On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 20:18:11 +0000, Nick Gorham wrote:


Bret Ludwig wrote:


The moving coils are lighter but put out less energy than the moiving
magnets.


Voltage, maybe, but if you look at the source resistance of a MC, I am
not sure its less "energy".

energy too, but it's not as if your driving your speakers directly.
Fortunately we have an invention called the amplifier.

AZ Nomad wrote:

On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 20:18:11 +0000, Nick Gorham wrote:



Bret Ludwig wrote:


The moving coils are lighter but put out less energy than the moiving
magnets.



Voltage, maybe, but if you look at the source resistance of a MC, I am
not sure its less "energy".


energy too, but it's not as if your driving your speakers directly.
Fortunately we have an invention called the amplifier.


Yep, you are right, just compaired a Goldring MM and Ortofon MC, MM
about 3.5 times the energy out compaired to the MC.

--
Nick

On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 21:04:18 +0000, Nick Gorham wrote:


AZ Nomad wrote:

On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 20:18:11 +0000, Nick Gorham wrote:



Bret Ludwig wrote:


The moving coils are lighter but put out less energy than the moiving
magnets.



Voltage, maybe, but if you look at the source resistance of a MC, I am
not sure its less "energy".


energy too, but it's not as if your driving your speakers directly.
Fortunately we have an invention called the amplifier.


Yep, you are right, just compaired a Goldring MM and Ortofon MC, MM
about 3.5 times the energy out compaired to the MC.

I'm curious: what unit is that 'energy' measurement? Is it a power
measurement ie: microwatts, etc? I usually think of energy in joules,
power in jules/s or watts. I've never heard of anybody giving a ****
about a cartridges 'energy' measurement; just the voltage output
and recomended load capacitance.

The stylus on a MC does I suspect have less mass to move.

--
Nick

I always kind of assumed that was the reason. But I don't know
enough about such things to be sure.

Why not ask Ortofon or one of the still-extant cartrige manufacturers?


Martin
--
M.A.Poyser Tel.: 07967 110890
Manchester, U.K. http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=fleetie

"Fleetie" wrote in message

The stylus on a MC does I suspect have less mass to move.

--
Nick

I always kind of assumed that was the reason. But I
don't know enough about such things to be sure.

Why not ask Ortofon or one of the still-extant cartrige
manufacturers?

AFAIK Ortofon primarily sells MM cartridges.

Compare

http://www.ortofon.com/html/body_mag...nical_data.asp

to

http://www.ortofon.com/html/body_mov...nical_data.asp


Even Ortofon's own technical data favors their MM cartridges

"Nick Gorham" wrote in message

Bret Ludwig wrote:


The moving coils are lighter but put out less energy
than the moiving magnets.


Voltage, maybe, but if you look at the source resistance
of a MC, I am not sure its less "energy".

The stylus on a MC does I suspect have less mass to move.

Nope.

Serge Auckland wrote:

Snipped


If anyone knows of any good engineering reasons why this should be
so, I would be most interested to hear.

Thanks

S.

I have never been sold on MC being better I like some MC cartridges
but always seem happier with MM


--
Dave
www.davewhitter.myby.co.uk

Music is Art - Audio is Engineering
Steam is Fun