← The components

Goldring 1042 MM

Cartridge

Relative price

below typical

Among the 89 cartridges in the catalogue, this one is below typical.

A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.

What it is

Top of Goldring 1000 series MM. Long-running design.

Replaceable stylus — same Pocan body as 1006/1012/1022.

Competition record

Assessed against 13 rivals across the sixty systems: it takes the slot in none of its 37 head-to-heads.

Where it gives ground

The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.

  • bass control ×21
  • midrange truth ×13
  • spatial detail ×6
  • rhythmic grip ×5
  • bass weight ×2
  • quietness at rest ×1
  • speed stability ×1

Who it comes up against

van den Hul The Frog

12 lost · Anchored, Artisan, BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Twin Arms

Against the Anchored brief, the van den Hul The Frog keeps the slot decisively.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on bass weight.

With the Technics S-shape magnesium tonearm (SL-1200G), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

excellent moving magnet cartridge with fine bassowner reports (eBay UK + Amazon UK 8/8 positive)
powerful dynamicsvdH Frog reviews

van den Hul The Crimson

6 lost · BBC Sound, Characterful, Intimate

Against the Characterful brief, the van den Hul The Crimson keeps the slot decisively.

With the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl, the pairing gives up most on rhythmic grip.

With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

excellent moving magnet cartridge with fine bassowner reports (eBay UK + Amazon UK 8/8 positive)
punchy 0.65mV output that flattered inferior MM phono stagesVintageSonics review (2021)

Hana EL MC

4 lost · Anchored, Characterful, Intimate, Romantic

Against the Anchored brief, the Hana EL MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on bass weight.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

excellent moving magnet cartridge with fine bassowner reports (eBay UK + Amazon UK 8/8 positive)

Sumiko Blue Point No.3 Low MC

4 lost · Artisan, Cavity-Native, PRaT, Reference

Against the Artisan brief, the Sumiko Blue Point No.3 Low MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on spatial detail.

With the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

excellent moving magnet cartridge with fine bassowner reports (eBay UK + Amazon UK 8/8 positive)
lacked fine resolution and was not as good as moving coilsVintageSonics review (2021)

Etsuro Urushi Gold MC

2 lost · Vocals-First

This cartridge’s output has no matching input on the phono stage in this system.

Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue MC

2 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the Cyrus Classic PHONO, the pairing gives up most on midrange truth.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

makes the most of any recordingWhat HiFi 5-star review (Apr 2017, ongoing)

Linn Kendo MC

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Linn Kendo MC keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

Goldring Eroica HX MC

1 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Goldring Eroica HX MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the Michell Apollo + Muse PSU, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

van den Hul MC One Special

1 lost · Romantic

Against the Romantic brief, the van den Hul MC One Special keeps the slot decisively.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on midrange truth.

With the Technics S-shape magnesium tonearm (SL-1200G), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

excellent moving magnet cartridge with fine bassowner reports (eBay UK + Amazon UK 8/8 positive)
makes the most of any recordingWhat HiFi 5-star review (Apr 2017, ongoing)

Goldring Eroica LX MC

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Goldring Eroica LX MC keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

Ortofon MC Quintet Black S

1 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Ortofon MC Quintet Black S keeps the slot decisively.

With the Cyrus Classic PHONO, the pairing gives up most on midrange truth.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

makes the most of any recordingWhat HiFi 5-star review (Apr 2017, ongoing)

Rega Nd3 MM

1 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Rega Nd3 MM keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

Linn Koil MC

1 lost · BBC Sound

Against the BBC Sound brief, the Linn Koil MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on midrange truth.

With the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Goldring 1042 MM is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

excellent moving magnet cartridge with fine bassowner reports (eBay UK + Amazon UK 8/8 positive)
makes the most of any recordingWhat HiFi 5-star review (Apr 2017, ongoing)

Systems it is part of

What the reviewers said

makes the most of any recording What HiFi 5-star review (Apr 2017, ongoing)· Harmonic texture
prioritise accuracy without emphasising bass or treble Crutchfield product description (industry consensus)· Tonal body
Gyger S stylus offers superior high-frequency detail Goldring + Listening Room dealer (technology overview)· Micro-dynamic resolution
excellent moving magnet cartridge with fine bass owner reports (eBay UK + Amazon UK 8/8 positive)· Bass control
punchy 0.65mV output that flattered inferior MM phono stages VintageSonics review (2021)· Transient attack
lacked fine resolution and was not as good as moving coils VintageSonics review (2021)· Spatial resolution
25dB channel separation at 1kHz SPEC: channel separation 25dB @1kHz (manufacturer)· Spatial naturalness

How it scores

Clarity

  • Spatial resolution 70 from listening evidence

Voice

  • Tonal body 70 from listening evidence
  • Harmonic texture 76 from listening evidence
  • Spatial naturalness 70 from listening evidence

Rhythm

  • Transient attack 74 from listening evidence

LowerVolume

  • Micro-dynamic resolution 71 from listening evidence

Specifications

cartridge typeMM
output mv6.5
recommended load ohm47000
recommended capacitance pf150/200
tracking force g1.5/2.0
compliance dynamic um per mn10
weight g6.3
stylus profileGyger S
cantilever materialaluminium
channel separation db25.0
notes