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The cartridge is the small box at the end of the tonearm that holds the stylus. As the stylus traces the groove, it moves tiny magnets or coils inside the cartridge and produces an electrical signal. Everything you hear starts there, which is why a better cartridge is often the most effective upgrade for a beginner turntable.
The basics
Moving magnet or moving coil. MM (moving magnet) cartridges have a higher output, work with almost any phono stage and usually have a stylus you can replace yourself. MC (moving coil) cartridges have a lower output and need a phono stage built for them. Start with MM. Our guide to the best phono preamps for beginners explains the difference in more detail.
Stylus shape. A conical stylus is round and forgiving. An elliptical stylus is narrower where it meets the groove, which lets it follow fine detail more closely and often reduces distortion near the end of a side. A nude stylus is a solid diamond rather than a diamond tip bonded to a metal shank, which lowers its mass.
Mount. Most cartridges use a standard half-inch mount with two screws. Some turntables, including several Rega models, use a three point mount. Some entry level turntables have the cartridge built into the headshell and cannot take a new one at all, so check before you buy.
Tracking force. Each cartridge has a recommended downward force, measured in grams. Setting it correctly with the tonearm counterweight is the most important part of installation.
Audio-Technica AT-VM95E: the easy first upgrade
The AT-VM95E is a dual magnet cartridge with an elliptical stylus, an aluminum cantilever and an output of 4.0 mV (millivolts), which Audio-Technica credits to its specially wound coils. It has threaded inserts so it mounts with two screws and no nuts, and its recommended tracking force is 2.0 g. The best part is the system around it: every VM95 cartridge shares the same body, so you can later swap in any of the six AT-VMN95 replacement styli without remounting. It already ships on many of the decks in our guide to the best Bluetooth turntables.
Ortofon 2M Red: the classic choice
The Ortofon 2M Red is a moving magnet cartridge with an elliptical diamond stylus and a recommended tracking force of 1.8 g. It suits entry level turntables with a standard half-inch mount, and Ortofon also sells it premounted on a headshell for decks that use removable ones.
Ortofon 2M Blue: the step up
The Ortofon 2M Blue shares the 2M Red body and tracking force but uses a nude elliptical diamond. That matters for upgrades: Ortofon sells the 2M Blue stylus separately, and it fits the 2M Red body, so a Red owner can move up to Blue performance by replacing only the stylus when the old one wears out.
Rega Carbon: simple and tolerant
The Rega Carbon is the moving magnet cartridge Rega fits as standard to its Planar 1 and Planar 2 turntables. It has a conical stylus, a carbon cantilever, an output of 2.5 mV and a wide tracking force range of 2 to 3 g, which makes it forgiving to set up. The stylus is user replaceable, and Rega offers a Carbon Pro elliptical stylus as an upgrade.
Rega Nd3: for Rega owners ready to move up
The Rega Nd3 is hand made and uses neodymium magnets with a bonded elliptical stylus and an aluminium cantilever. It uses Rega's three point mounting, so it is best suited to Rega tonearms.
When to replace a stylus
A worn stylus does not just sound worse, it can damage records over time. Makers quote different lifespans depending on stylus shape and how carefully it is used, so check the guidance for your model. The warning signs are easier to spot: sibilant vocals that sound smeared or spitty, distortion that creeps in near the end of a side, the needle skipping on records that used to play cleanly, or visible fluff and grime that will not come off with a stylus brush. A magnifier or a cheap digital microscope will show whether the tip looks bent or chipped.
Replacing only the stylus is usually much cheaper than buying a new cartridge, which is one reason the models below are popular. Each has replacement styli available directly from the maker, and in the case of the Audio-Technica VM95 and Ortofon 2M families, the replacement can also be an upgrade. Always buy the stylus made for your cartridge body, since styli from different families are not interchangeable even when they look similar.
How to choose
If your turntable came with an AT-VM95 series cartridge, upgrade the stylus rather than the cartridge. If it has a basic cartridge on a standard mount, the AT-VM95E or Ortofon 2M Red are safe first steps, and the 2M Blue is worth it if you can stretch. If you own a Rega, stay with the Carbon and its Pro stylus or move to the Nd3.
When you install a new cartridge, align it with the protractor supplied with your turntable, set the tracking force with a stylus gauge if you have one and set the anti-skate to match. Then keep the stylus and records clean with the best record cleaning and care gear. If you are still choosing a deck, start with the best turntables for beginners, and browse more in our vinyl section.
