About the MC-1B
The Jan Allaerts MC-1B is a moving coil phono cartridge featuring a boron cantilever equipped with a specially polished diamond tip. Its motor unit is based on an EMT design but extensively modified, with hand-wound coils on a soft iron square core. The cartridge housing is made of solid brass with a 0.3mm thin brass cover coated with 24ct gold foil, acting as a Faraday cage to reduce interference. It outputs a healthy 0.5mV signal and is designed to be used with a 100 Ohm load, either with an active phono stage or a 15:1 step-up transformer. Sonically, it offers a neutral but slightly smooth top end, a subtle midband emphasis, and excellent bass performance described as refined rather than heavy or punchy. The MC-1B is praised for its natural, fluid tonal quality and is suitable for a wide range of music genres, including metal, jazz, and vocals. It requires careful setup and a compatible phono stage to avoid coil damage due to its delicate coil construction.
Specifications
Full structured specifications are available to members.
Sign up to see full specificationsSee the full picture as a member
Create a free account to see where to buy, full structured specifications, similar components, and the systems that pair this with other gear.
Sign up free