Theory about Fidelity Research MC & PMC Carts

Your erudition and wit are fun to read, as always. But I don’t think the question is whether Vienna = Wien (of course it does).

Ateal is asking if the FR MC-201 and MC-202 are the same cartridges as the FR PMC-1 and PMC-3.

If they are, substitutio salva veritate applies. But if they aren’t, it doesn’t. If they aren’t, it would be like saying Vienna = Salzburg.

I have two MC-201s. One is used — no idea of hours but stylus looks quite good at 150X to my highly inexpert eye. The other is NOS; I played it once, to confirm it works. It does and sounded lovely, but it was not really critical listening, and it hasn’t broken-in — or whatever a 40-year old suspension does.

I also found a NOS 202 and I was happy to get it, until I opened the box: the cantilever was bent 90° to the right. Even so, he wouldn’t reduce the price — odd for a retailer, maybe he thought someone would come along and buy it without looking.

The 201, though mentioned at the outset, is not discussed thereafter. Of course I’m intrigued when Ateal says the 202 is "the most perfect cartridge I have ever owned...now the cartridge has been broken in...."

The styli differ slightly in the minor radius: a slight reduction of detail? Are there other significant differences between the two?

Can someone give me an idea of what my 201 will be like, broken in? Anything like what Ateal so greatly enjoys in his 202?