What s MM and what s MC

MM is moving magnet, which has a much higher output than a moving coil in most cases. (There are high output moving coils). If the preamp does not have a MC input, a step up device such as a head amp or transformer is necessary.

There are moving coil (MC) phono cartridges that are high output, and therefore, do not need a MC step-up phono stage preamp, and work fine with a Moving Magnet (MM) only phono setup. Sumiko Blue Light and Blue Light Special are very popular. There are others. Many preamps and separate phono stages can handle both types of phono cartridges. You will need to check the specs.

I guess the rest of your question is: MM & MC are the two major types of phono cartridges. One basically uses some kind of moving (vibrating) electro-magnet to convert the vibration from the record grooves & stylus to an analog electrical signal. The other type uses some type electrical coil to do the same thing. Moving coil tend to be more expensive (can go into the thousands of dollars), and preferred by a lot of audiophiles into only records. There are some very good MM cartridges as well. The Shure V15VxMR is a well regarded MM cartridge for around $250.

Thanks everyone.