Hi,

Today I received a small packet with an MMC20CL cartridge, as a complete red box with all its accessories (yes, even the brush), the nice Brüel & Kjær graph and instructions. It is dated February 1979. Surely one of the first produced. The number at the back of the cartridge matches the other stickers' numbers: 3204. My review in the Revue du Son is from September 1980.

What is surprising—I was actually buying a box with accessories—is the fact that it actually plays quite well. Not a trace of dirt at the tip. It even tracks better than my SMMC20EN (ex: the kids' choir in Another Brick when they shout, alway been a tough one!). Its treble is much sweeter than that of the Soundsmith, very delicate even, not dull. Piano sounds fantastic!

How long will it last? Could it be that it was repaired by B&O themselves? Did they repair your cartridge at all?

Anyway, for £30 the risk was low, and you can count me as one of the CL adorers!

Edit: It doesn't look like the one on Peter's pictures, the tip seems to be glued to the sapphire rod. Sorry I don't have a microscope!

Right. On closer inspection, the cartridge seems to have been repaired. The glue at the back doesn't seem original and the edge there is slightly dented.

The contacts are shiny, so they may have been cleaned. 

Could I have bought an Axel re-tipped MMC? for this miserly amount?

By the way, I'm waiting for my MMC4 to come back from its trip to Germany! But it'll be more expensive!

Doesn't Axel cut the cartridges open from the front to access the insides?

I could be wrong as I haven't used his service myself (yet).

I suppose only time will tell if this turns out to be a bargain or not - play it until it fails would be my advice.

Chris.

Yes, that's what I intend to do, obviously!

I'll use it on my Beogram 4000/Beomaster 4400 setup, and let the SMMC20EN on the 8000 system.

Regarding Axel, I thought he only cut the MMC1-5 ones. I may be wrong!

Peter:

[about the Axel re-tipped MMC5000] The pickup itself was well finished and apart from some small traces of glue visible around the clear plastic stylus guard showed no signs of having been dismantled.

 

 

Medogsfat:

Doesn't Axel cut the cartridges open from the front to access the insides?

Chris.

 

Only on the MMC1-5 types not on the earlier MMC20 series and similar.

I just received an Axel-retipped MMC20. I chose the Shibata option.  

He redid the suspension as well.

Beautiful sound - a great improvement over the original.

I'm very pleased with his work.

Menahem

Hi,

I'm glad to report that the MMC20CL still works fine. It gives a lovely and subtle sound on my Beogram 4000/Beomaster 4400 system!

It is also a wonderful tracker

Much better than my re-tipped MMC4... Yes, that one is an original pressing of The Wall!

There is one on eBay at the moment at a surprising £465, not even new, and the tip is dirty!

Bonsoir Jacques, congratulations to your newest purchase. My MMC 20CL with papers and box was made in 1986! I think it is one of the last produced... The cartridge was also optimized from Van den Hul! I've paid two years ago about 100.— Euro or 180.— CHF. At this time the Euro was much stronger than the CHF. And yes, the Sound is really fantastic (My one and only setup: Beogram 4002 and Classic Audio Beolab 5000). Thinking to buy a Soundsmith SMMC 20E Cartridge but i'm not sure about the longterm use quality. Another option would be retipping one of my other MMC 20S, E or EN Cartridges. Any suggestions? Thanks!

I received an SP15 with that box with my beogram 4000. It was dated september 1973

superdario:

Thinking to buy a Soundsmith SMMC 20E Cartridge but i'm not sure about the longterm use quality. Another option would be retipping one of my other MMC 20S, E or EN Cartridges. Any suggestions? Thanks!

I've had an SMMC20EN for two years and I'm completely happy with it!

But it doesn't sound anything like the B&O carts!

 

This MMC20CL is amazing... It even tracks one record I had discarted 30 years ago (it is new) because no cartridge could track it, even my V15IV!

Beethoven Fifth, Paita, Lodia (a Swiss label long gone which didn't use any compression, a horrible torture). The Soundmith also threw the towel on this one.

@ Jacques: Good to know that you're happy with your MMC 20CL. Sounds to me, that i don't need a Soundsmith Cartrigde.

@ Søren: My newest purchase was also a MINT SP 15 including box, tools and papers. Mine is from february 1974.

@ Menahem: How would you describe the differences between your Soundsmith SMMC and your retipped shibata MMC?

Not sure you could compare to the original unless you had a recently manufactured one to compare to the newly referbished one. I am sure they were every bit as good (if not better) when they were newly produced!

 

yachadm:

I just received an Axel-retipped MMC20. I chose the Shibata option.  

He redid the suspension as well.

Beautiful sound - a great improvement over the original.

I'm very pleased with his work.

Menahem