A good high-fidelity turntable smoothly and quietly rotates a vinyl recording. But the device that turns the wobbles and bumps of the grooves into an electrical signal is the cartridge. This is a vitally important component in the chain of music reproduction.
The three main types of high-fidelity cartridges in use today are moving magnet and moving coil cartridges along with, less commonly, moving iron cartridges. Moving magnet and moving iron cartridges generally have a higher output – around ten times higher – than moving coil models. But still around a thousand times less than, say, a CD player. Many produce extremely high quality sound. But audiophiles tend to prefer the more expensive moving coil cartridges for the very finest performance with vinyl, although some consider moving iron almost as good.
At Addicted To Audio we carry cartridges from one of the finest specialist brands in the world, Grado. You may not be familiar with this brand, but know that its cartridges are hand-made in Brooklyn, New York, and that they’ve got a quality experience in store for your ears.
There are two great ways to buy a turntable cartridge. The best way for most people is at a quality retail outlet in your city. That way you can have a listen, try some out, see whether they feel like a good “fit” for you. And, of course, receive expert advice, especially about achieving an ideal match with your turntable and other equipment. But if you’re confident that you already know what you want, consider purchasing your cartridge direct from us at Addicted To Audio. We are an authorised New Zealand reseller for all our products. We provide full service and after sales support. And we ship fast.
