Best MM?

@frogman

1959 - First MC phono cartridge (Grado)

This not the first MC phono cartridge, but first STEREO MC phono cartridge, an MC cartridge (MONO) invented by Ortofon in 1948. Anyway all those cartridges are garbage. You can also remember Gramophones and 78 rmp records, but it will be hard to argue that the best MM cartridges are all made in the 70s/80s and some of them are better than modern LOMC even if the price difference is x10 and not in favor of the LOMC. Grado holds patent for stereo MC, but all their cartridges are MI 

Point taken and thanks for the correction (re MC), but it appears you missed the larger point.

Audio Technica AT150ANV, $1549.

In Mike Fremer’s evaluation of nine cartridges, #2 was the 2M Black and #1 was the AT150ANV. He rates the AT150ANV as incrementally better, conveying wider dynamic swings, but the 2M Black is overall rated more organic and natural sounding, which would probably carry the day for me.

One thing that puzzles me is why, in Stereophile’s Recommended Components issue, the 2M Black has been dropped to Class C, the same as the 2M Blue. Pretty much every other review I’ve read of the 2M Black placed it at or near the top of every MM cart available.

He rates the AT150ANV as incrementally better

It actually was the winner as voted (blind listening) by his readers.
And I think it won IIRC against his Ortofon Anna in his Cobra arm on his Caliburn turntable.....

I have the AT150ANV and this is an excellent example of what Chakster and I are saying about 'modern' MM cartridges......
Whilst in a blind listening test the AT150ANV beat the Ortofon Anna......it cannot compete against the GOOD vintage MM of the 70s and 80s 😝

And when compared to the GREAT vintage MMs that Chakster and I mention......it is really 'chalk and cheese' 😴

Dear @halcro : In audio all is dependent on at least to critical subjects: r00m/system quality level and resolution and each one of us MUSIC/Sound priotities. I forgot a third one: how accurated is your proccess evaluation to always know the very tiny differences/nuances in between the different items: are you sure to be aware of those differences other than the obvious ones?

With out that all preferences/opinuions belongs to the common: " I like it more ".

R.