What is a Turntable Cartridge 101: Types and Which to Choose

What is a turntable cartridge?

A turntable cartridge is a small component found at the end of the tonearm, which is responsible for reading the grooves of a record and generating an electric audio signal for further amplification.

These are also called phono cartridges (as they generate a low-power signal) and are often referred to as ‘carts’ for convenience.

The phono cartridge houses a few components (explained in full below), namely the stylus, which is the tiny diamond tip that runs through the record’s grooves, vibrating and creating audio signals.

It also contains magnets and coils that convert the vibrations to an electric signal via movements in a magnetic field – but more on that later!

A working cart is an essential part of turntables and record players to play albums; without one, you’ve basically got a glorified pottery wheel. Because the needle makes direct contact with the vinyl records, they have a big impact on the overall audio quality of your setup. They interpret the raw sound off the record, which is further modified by amplifiers and speakers.

How does a phono cartridge work?

The sound you hear coming through the speakers when you play a record has undergone a long journey from the vinyl surface, with many stages of processing. The phono cartridge is responsible for the first stage and in itself involves a couple of events.

The way modern carts work revolves around the phenomenon of electromagnetism. Magnets moving through wire coils generate electrical signals, in this case, a reproduction of the information etched into the groove.

Inside the cartridge is a cantilever, which is a long, thin shaft. On one end is the tip (stylus), which runs through the groove; on the other end is a magnet. This magnet is surrounded by coils that are attached to the edges of the cart housing. (In some carts, the placement of the magnet and coils are reversed, but I’ll explain this in the cartridge types section).

In order to generate a voltage in the wire coils, the tip moves the cantilever based on the groove information, which in turn moves the magnet inside the coils, modulating the magnetic field. This creates an electromagnetic signal, which is sent to the output terminal of the cart, which is fed through the turntable and into a phono preamplifier. Essentially the cartridge turns movement into an electrical signal based on the information of the record groove.

When a stereo cartridge has two sets of coils, the terminals on the back are linked to the positive and negative contacts for each channel, this allows it to generate two channels of information, creating a stereo signal with left and right channels.

A turntable requires a special amplifier called a phono stage (aka phono preamp) to increase the low-level voltage produced by the cartridge to a level where an ordinary amp can operate with it.

The diamond stylus shape, cantilever material, and placement of magnets/coils in the cart’s body are just a few of the many elements that go into how effectively it performs, and all change the sound quality produced. Incredibly, even the substance from which the cartridge body is constructed has an impact.

In a perfect cartridge and perfect acoustic conditions, all of the stylus’s vibrations would be converted to electrical energy, but this is a rudimentary mechanism that is always fighting against undesired vibrations in the air (sound) and coming through the turntable motor from the furniture, and floor.

This is why you want to maximize isolation and keep your deck away from your speakers and on a hard surface. They are super sensitive and pick up vibrations easily, which creates interference in the audio signal.

Parts of a turntable cartridge

Let’s break down the parts that they’re made of.

Stylus

The ‘needle’ tip of a stylus is a fine point attached to the end of the cantilever shaft and runs through the record groove. The stylus sits in the groove, and when a vinyl record is played, the grooves move the cantilever tube, which sends this movement to the magnet and coil assembly.

Most styli use diamond tips (or similar hard materials) which makes them exceptionally durable and long-lasting. On close inspection, you can see a spike-shaped part of the stylus on the end, this is the tip.

Since the stylus is sensitive and often exposed to dust, dirt, and other debris off the record or the environment around the turntable, it’s important to keep your record player needle clean!

Coils

The coils, which are made of tightly wound wire, are usually located at the back of the cartridge. The coils are responsible for the cart’s disproportionately large appearance compared to the size of the needle itself. The cart would be unable to produce sound if it didn’t include coils, which are a core part of the electromagnetic process.

Magnets

A phono cartridge includes magnets, regardless of the kind, in order to function properly, as, like coils, they are key to the electromagnetic event.

Cantilever

The cantilever (commonly made of aluminum alloy) acts as the main ‘holder’ for the stylus/needle itself. This is a thin rod that attaches the tip to the magnets (or coil in the case of Moving Coil carts. More on that later). Its primary role is mounting the stylus and transferring vibrations to the magnets and the coil assembly at the rear of the cart, where they are amplified. Rubber suspends the cantilever, allowing it to move smoothly and with little resistance.

Rubber Suspension

In order to convert physical motion into an electrical current, the cantilever interacts with the magnets while being kept in place by rubber components as part of the internal suspension system. This rubber suspension helps to secure all the parts within the entire phono cartridge.

Turntable Cartridge types

There are two main types of turntable cartridges, each with different functioning and performance:

1. Moving Magnet cartridges (“MM cartridges”)
2. Moving Coil cartridges (“MC cartridges”).

Moving Magnet Cartridges

MM cartridges are the most popular type of cart. The stylus moves the cantilever, which moves the magnets, in these carts. In a moving magnet cartridge, the magnet is attached to the end of the cantilever, and the coils are fixed to the inside of the cartridge.

When the magnets move, an electrical current is generated and transferred to the pins on the cartridge’s rear, where it is then routed via the wiring to your preamp. Moving magnet turntable cartridges are the more common of the two and work with most record players and turntables.

Moving Coil Cartridges

A moving coil cartridge operates in the opposite way to moving magnet carts. In moving coil cartridges, the coils are attached to the end of the cantilever, and the magnets are attached around the inside of the body. These create a much more sensitive electrical signal and, as a result, can reproduce more detailed and accurate sound.

Also, you will need a phono preamp that is compatible with an MC cartridge to boost the lower output signal to line level. (More on Phono vs Line level here)  Some preamps are designed to work with either MM cartridges or MC cartridges, although some can be switched between modes, so they work with either type.

A moving coil cartridge generally costs more than an MM cartridge due to the complexity of its construction.

Check out the deep dive for a full exploration → Moving Magnet vs Moving Coil cartridges!

Styli types

You can find many different stylus shapes, each with unique properties.

Spherical / Conical Styli

This type is one of the most popular and affordable styli types (also called conical stylus).

At first glance, a spherical stylus / conical stylus resembles the tip of a ballpoint pen, with a spherical tip. Spherical styli record fewer of the tiny groove modulations that signify higher frequencies due to their larger radius.

Some suggest that a spherical stylus tip will wear your vinyl record collection the most since the diamond’s contact area with the record grooves is limited to two spots, while others argue that this actually results in less wear on the vinyl.

Elliptical

Elliptical, or bi-radial, styli are the second most common type of stylus tip.

Due to its two different edge radiuses, the elliptical stylus makes contact with a wider area of the groove wall. With an elliptical stylus, you can expect improved frequency response (especially at high frequencies), better phase response, and reduced distortion, especially in the more difficult-to-track interior grooves.

The styli on these cartridges tend to wear out more quickly, so it’s important to keep an eye on the cart and tonearm alignment.

Hyper elliptical

Some people refer to this shape as Shibata (fine line) or hyperelliptic. For example, Audio-Technica produces a popular cart with this type of stylus: The Audio-Technica AT-VM95SH.

Elliptical styli, as the name implies, have evolved from their predecessors, sharpening their design in order to create more precise contact with the grooves.

High-frequency performance, longer tip life, greater tracking, and reduced record wear may all be achieved if this stylus is correctly placed. They’re more costly than the elliptical stylus because of their complicated design and difficulties in manufacturing.

Cartridge Mount Types

The way that carts are hooked up to your turntable isn’t always the same; in fact, there are two main cartridge mount types (aka. connectors):

1. Standard Mount Cartridges are – as you probably guessed – the most common type, which sports four color-coded pins at the rear. These pins are connected to either a headshell or directly to the tonearm via delicate wires. In both cases, the cart is held in place with two screws on the top of the body. The big downside with this type is that careful calibration is essential to get the most out of your cart.

2. P Mount Cartridges (also referred to as ‘T4P’) are designed to be directly attached to the tonearm. A P Mount cartridge has four pins at the rear slot right into the tonearm, while a single screw on the side keeps it in place.

How to choose a new cartridge

When choosing the right cartridge for your needs, it’s often a case when personal preference and financial constraints are the defining factors.

It goes without saying that you must also take into account the limits imposed by your set-up. Most cartridges work with most turntables and amps, but this isn’t always the case.

Turntable compatibility is important as not all types are supported by all turntables. When in doubt, always check the user manual.

Things get much simpler after you figure out what kind of thing you’re searching for. If you’re in the market for a new cart, you’ll normally want to upgrade.

You can go two ways:

1. Upgrade to a better Moving Magnet cart (if you have a modest budget and a modest cart installed currently)
2. Upgrade to a Moving Coil cart if your setup (i.e. phono stage/preamp) supports this type.

Do not skimp on this component! It’s easy to tell whether a cartridge is inexpensive or not since it’s the weakest link in your audio chain. Any weaknesses here will be exaggerated by amplification and become more noticeable, while on the flip side, a better quality cart can shine brighter with the right setup.

Calibrating for best performance

Setting up a new cartridge properly helps you to get the best sound from your vinyl collection, as it means the stylus moves correctly through the stylus grooves to accurately track the information. It also minimizes wear on both your records and the needle.

Getting the correct tracking force (weight)

A key area of calibration for cartridges is the tracking force. This is essentially the amount of downward pressure applied to the surface of the record by the stylus. This is important because it provides better tracking and ensures that the needle isn’t under too much or too little pressure.

Each cartridge has a specified recommended tracking force weight, which you can find either online or somewhere on the package/instructions or online.

To get an accurate measurement, you will need some kind of stylus force gauge. These can be picked up at a low cost. (Here is a low-cost one I recommend).

To calibrate the tracking force, adjust the level of counterweighting applied at the back end of the tonearm. If your turntable doesn’t have this calibration control, it probably uses a fixed cartridge and will be preset in the factory.

Cartridge Alignment

The second setting to change is the cart’s lateral alignment.

To measure this, you’ll need an alignment protractor. You can print these out, although I find the plastic protractors are much easier and more reliable to use. You basically just set the lateral position, usually by adjusting its placement in the headshell.

Vertical Tracking Angle

Some turntables let you adjust the Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA) of the tonearm. From the side, this is the stylus’s angle in the groove. Sometimes this is modified by changing the height of the tonearm assembly by twisting the bass.

Some of the best carts I recommend

Here are a few highly recommended carts to consider with a modest budget in mind.

If you’re looking for a new cart or just a replacement for your record player, find out more in my other guide on how to replace your cartridge!

• The Ortofon 2M Range – (Full Ortofon 2M guide here)
• Audio-Technica AT-VM95C Dual Moving Magnet
• Gemini HDCN-15
• Ortofon OM Pro S
• Audio-Technica AT95E
• Ortofon Concorde MK2 
• NAGAOKA MP-110
• Sumiko Rainier Moving Magnet
• Audio-Technica AT-VM95SH/H