Carbon

The Carbon is the cartridge fitted to the Planar 1 and Planar 2, and the friendliest way into the range. It is a moving-magnet design with a conical stylus and a healthy 2.5mV output, so it works with any phono stage, and its wide 2–3g tracking range makes it forgiving to set up. The stylus detaches for easy replacement. It is not trying to be revealing — that is what the Nd cartridges above it are for — but as an honest, robust starting point, or a like-for-like replacement on an entry Planar, it does exactly what it should.