• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Yamaha MC-1x

Asha

Asha

To live's to fly ...
I recently won this cartridge off of eBay. The seller listed it only as a Yamaha cartridge (didn't specify which one), though he eventually responded to the question of another bidder that it was in fact the MC-1x. He said it was still new. I just unpacked it and it was still in its plastic box, but didn't come with any instructions or other accessories. I do not have a microscope, but the stylus looks clean. I have a Yamaha turntable and thought this might be a good fit.

Does anyone have any experience with this cartridge? I was hoping it would be at least fairly good, since it is a MC. What modern cartridge might it be comparable to? Anything specific I should know about it?

At least it will look like it belongs on the end of my Yamaha's tonearm :yes:
 
Register to hide this ad
That is a low output moving coil cart and you will need a step-up transformer. It should be a good sounding cart anyhow.
 
That was Yamaha's top of the line MC cartridge from the late 70's/early 80's. I don't have a price from back then, as it isn't listed in the turntable guides I have from then, but I do have a review of one fitted to a Yamaha YP-D8, which was Yamaha's second best turntable from the late 70's. They described the sound as superb, and it tested pretty well for frequency response to 20kHz - much flatter than most. Based on the prices for the lower level Yamaha MC's, I'd guess it was probably about Denon DL-303 level - think DL-304 for a similar cartridge from today. The x signifies that it is the model with an integral headshell. If it's in good condition, it's a good find.

In fact, I found a page with the cartridge specs at http://vantageaudio.com/spec/yamahamc1x.htm . I knew I'd seen the Yamaha MC cartridges somewhere on the web recently, so did a search. You can see why it was one of their best, with a beryllium cantilever! It may even be a competitor for the Denon DL-1000A, which had a boron cantilever, and was very expensive, and the best Denon made. Another website http://audiotools.com/oldcart_z.html says that Yamaha made all their MC cartridges in house.

-Don
 
Trower, my integrated (and soon my pre), both have a MC phono option built in. Will that be sufficient?

And ETI, thank you for the links and info. It's hard for me to tell whether MC-1x is in fact "new", as it did not come in a sealed box and is missing the accessories that usually accompany high-end cartridges. However, it appears to be fairly clean and not bent or broken in any way. Do you know if it is possible to retip this cartridge, in case it turns out that the stylus is worn (or in case I end up wearing it out, eventually)?

That is interesting about the "x" designating an integral headshell. That is actually one of the things that drew me to it, as I only have the one headshell that came with my TT when I found it.

If the MC-1x is roughly equivalent in quality to the Denon's you mentioned, then assuming I don't need to retip it right away, I think I'll be happy taking with having taken a fairly blind leap at this auction (judging from what the Denons you mentioned cost).

I am just about brand new to vinyl and don't have a frame of reference, so I was wondering if anyone has heard this cartridge and could offer an opinion of how it sounded to them: its strenghts, weaknesses, characteristics, etc. and maybe how it compared to other cartridges they've owned.
 
Asha: If that MC-1x is still in good condition, prepare yourself for a goodie. It's an excellent cart - though one of those, one might mainly notice by not noticing it. I.e., it belongs to the league of carts that capably and faithfully extracts what's on the record without adding much of an own character - or in other words: very neutral and transparent in a good sense.

It's just a shame that Yamaha gave up on producing their nice MCs already quite a few years ago. I had an MC-505 (which one could regard as the successor of the MC-1s, as it has got very similar ingredients; and the MC-1000 was even more sophisticated: diamond coated beryllium cantilever anyone? *drool*) back in the mid to late 80s - and if these thingies were still availabe new, I'd instantly buy one again (or better two or three ;)).

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom