I don't think its a MM vs MC problem. You would need to listen to a lot more samples to be able to say that's the case. I can think of 2 things that might cause your problem. First is the shape of the stylus. I know that has an effect on how much surface noise you hear. The other is break in. Phono carts break in a lot. Way more than any other type of component. They almost always sound bright/harsh when they are new. As it breaks in, the highs tend to smooth out and not be so pronounced.
Why do MM cartridges amplify more surface noise??
My concern in the thread is mainly moving magnet cartridges, not MC's I recently purchased an Ortofon 2M Blue MM cartridge which sounds very good with minor exceptions. Prior to the Ortofon, I briefy used an Audio Technica AT120E.
Unfortunately, the Ortofon seems to reproduce much more record surface noise than the AT120E which was remarkably quiet, except on very noisy LP's in my small collection. Without a doubt the Ortofon 2M Blue is a much better cartridge than the AT 120E
So what causes one MM cartridge to provide more LP surface noise than another?? Is it stylus design or materials, or the windings inside the cartridge body?? Is it heavier tracking force??
What MM cartridge in your experience reproduces the least amount of record surface noise??
Unfortunately, the Ortofon seems to reproduce much more record surface noise than the AT120E which was remarkably quiet, except on very noisy LP's in my small collection. Without a doubt the Ortofon 2M Blue is a much better cartridge than the AT 120E
So what causes one MM cartridge to provide more LP surface noise than another?? Is it stylus design or materials, or the windings inside the cartridge body?? Is it heavier tracking force??
What MM cartridge in your experience reproduces the least amount of record surface noise??
- ...
- 11 posts total
Sounds like maybe too much loading capacitance. Read the Hagerman Cartridge Loading paper. Too much capacitance interacts with the cartridge inductance to make for a resonance peak at the upper bound of the audio band. This would enhance the amount of noise heard. http://www.hagtech.com/loading.html |
In fact, I do not find your premise to be true. Check out John Tracy's recommendation. However, I suppose it's conceivable that if a previous owner of a "used" LP habitually used, say, an elliptical stylus that was not properly aligned, and if the next owner of the LP used a cartridge with an elliptical stylus and compared that to a cartridge with e.g. a line contour stylus that rides in a different part of the groove wall, then the latter cartridge may appear to transmit less surface noise. (I don't know whether this circumstance is applicable to your observation.) |
- 11 posts total