Moving Coil Cartridges
In a moving coil (MC) cartridge, tiny coils move with the needle. The signal it makes is very small, so it needs a phono preamp with a moving coil setting.
Here are 17 moving coil cartridges from 6 makers. For 0 of them the maker names a replacement needle, and their output runs from 0.25 to 1.6 mV.
| Cartridge | Stylus profile | Output | Replacement needle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-Technica AT-OC9XEB | Elliptical | 0.32 mV | – |
| Audio-Technica AT-OC9XEN | Elliptical | 0.35 mV | – |
| Audio-Technica AT-OC9XML | Microlinear | 0.4 mV | – |
| Denon DL-103 | – | 0.3 mV | – |
| Denon DL-103R | – | 0.25 mV | – |
| Denon DL-110 | Special elliptical | 1.6 mV | – |
| Ortofon Cadenza Red | Line contact | 0.45 mV | Not replaceable |
| Ortofon MC Quintet Black S | Shibata | 0.3 mV | – |
| Ortofon Quintet Blue | Elliptical | 0.5 mV | Not replaceable |
| Ortofon Quintet Bronze | Line contact | 0.3 mV | Not replaceable |
| Ortofon Quintet Red | Elliptical | 0.5 mV | Not replaceable |
| Pro-Ject Pick it MC3 | Other (hyper-spherical) | 0.4 mV | – |
| Rega Ania | Elliptical | 0.35 mV | Not replaceable |
| Rega Ania Pro | Vital nude diamond | 0.35 mV | – |
| Rega Aphelion 2 | Fine line nude diamond | 0.35 mV | – |
| Rega Apheta 3 | Fine line nude diamond | 0.35 mV | – |
| Sumiko Songbird | – | – | Not replaceable |
We take these details from the makers' own websites and check them carefully, but makers change parts and part numbers, and we may miss an update. Before you buy, check the part on the maker's official website. If you spot an error, please tell us.