Glossary · Cartridges
Cartridge
The transducer that turns groove wiggles into a signal.
The cartridge holds the stylus on a cantilever and converts its motion into a tiny electrical signal via coils and magnets. It’s the single most upgrade-sensitive part of the front end. Body, cantilever, stylus profile and generator type (MM/MC/MI) together define how much of the groove it recovers.
Terms on the same stage
Moving Magnet (MM)
A cartridge with a moving magnet and a replaceable stylus.
Moving Coil (MC)
A low-output cartridge prized for detail; needs an MC stage.
Moving Iron (MI)
A hybrid generator — MM-like output, MC-like low mass.
Stylus Profile
The tip shape — conical, elliptical, microline, Shibata.
Cantilever
The thin arm carrying the stylus to the generator.
Compliance
How springy the cantilever suspension is.
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Original groove, tonearm and VU artwork — made to order.
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