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The Sumiko Blue Point No2 moving coil cartridge. It is inexpensive and can easily be bettered.
Into the arm is fitted a high output Sumiko Blue Point 2 moving coil (MC) cartridge, purposed for an MM input – I have to explain this better later as the handbook leaves the subject hanging.
A turntable like this is equally suited – arguably more so – to a high-quality moving magnet (MM) cartridge from the likes of Audio Technica, Nagaoka, Goldring, Ortofon and a host for others not forgetting Shure’s M97XE for those too cack-handed to feel confident about manually lifting and lowering a tone arm. I’m thinking very much here of all those souls used to bullet-proof digital devices but drawn by the lure of ancient analogue – especially when it lights up green!
McIntosh continue with their policy of glitz by using a highly polished stainless steel chassis that offers a gleaming finish all the way around. At rear it is studded by a pair of gold-plated phono output sockets, plus a gold-plated earth terminal no less – the first of its kind I ever recall seeing; these things are usually paltry little thumbwheels on a threaded shaft. I pushed a 4mm banana plug with attached earth lead into this terminal to establish earthing to our Icon Audio PS3 phono stage. At far right, looking from rear, lies a small d.c. power input since the power supply is not on-board, being a small free standing plastic case (not a wall wart) with 4ft of thin twin core flex that carries 12V to the turntable, and a two-pin ‘calculator socket’ input for a suitably terminated mains cable (not supplied). As you’d expect nowadays this is a universal power supply that works anywhere, accepting 110V/240V, at 50 or 60Hz.
The motor drives a sub-platter that sits on a large magnetically cushioned bearing, employing a hard ceramic bearing shaft.
The MT5 is big: it weighs 14.3kgs, and measures 43cm deep and 45cm wide. There is no suspension system so it needs a firm and level surface to stand on, one able to support its weight. Also, the dust cover is not hinged; it must be lifted off and placed to one side, so space for this is needed, together with the inevitable LPs that will lie about. This suggests a suitably strong and stable wall shelf system to me. The plinth feet are height adjustable. Although the MT5 is easy to use, and comes as a convenient package, if you look at the handbook available on line you will see a prodigious set-up procedure. Ours was the only UK sample and came boxed from the factory, not set-up – but this is a Clearaudio-sourced design with protected ceramic centre bearing shaft, lubricating oil, shaft, hub and much else in the box that I have encountered before, so knew what to do – including the need for a long run in and subsequent speed re-adjustment. It is a complicated design and best set up by a dealer. |