Moving Coil

Moving coil (MC) cartridges differ from standard moving magnet (MM) cartridges mainly in which part of the generator moves. In an MM cartridge, the stylus moves a tiny magnet near fixed coils; in an MC cartridge, the stylus moves tiny coils within a fixed magnetic field. MC designs usually have lower moving mass, which can give better detail, speed, and tracking, but they often have a much lower electrical output than MM cartridges. Older MC cartridges were commonly low-output MC designs and needed either a dedicated MC phono preamp, a step-up transformer, or a head amp. Many newer MC cartridges are still low output, but high-output MC models are now common; these are designed to work into a normal MM phono input, though loading and gain still matter. So, not all MC cartridges require a special MC-capable preamp—low-output MC usually does, while high-output MC often does not.

Another practical difference is stylus replacement. Most MM cartridges have a user-replaceable stylus, so when it wears out you can often just replace the stylus assembly. Most MC cartridges do not have an easily replaceable stylus, so the usual options are factory rebuild, trade-in, third-party retipping, or buying a new cartridge. Retipping a good MC cartridge can make sense when the body/generator is high quality or the cartridge is valuable, but it can be expensive and may slightly change the original sound depending on the cantilever and stylus used. For lower-cost MC cartridges, buying a replacement may be simpler and more predictable than retipping.

The main specification that separates low-output from high-output MC cartridges is the cartridge’s rated output voltage, usually given in millivolts, or mV, at a standard groove velocity such as 1 kHz at 5 cm/s.

MC Type	Typical Output Spec	Usual Phono Input
Low-output MC	About 0.1–0.6 mV	MC input, step-up transformer, or head amp
Medium-output MC	About 0.6–1.5 mV	Sometimes MC, sometimes high-gain MM, depending on system
High-output MC	About 1.5–2.5+ mV	Usually standard MM input
Typical MM cartridge	Often about 3–6 mV	Standard MM phono input

As a practical rule, under about 0.7 mV is generally considered low-output MC, around 1.5 mV or higher is generally considered high-output MC, and the middle range depends on the gain and noise performance of the phono stage. Even when a high-output MC can be used with a standard MM input, it may still play a little quieter than a typical MM cartridge.

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