Mount Type
The fitting used to attach the cartridge body to the headshell or tonearm.
Half-inch mounting uses two fixing points 12.7 mm apart. P-mount and proprietary fittings differ. With separate headshells, the headshell-to-arm connector is distinct; integrated cartridge-and-headshell assemblies can mount directly by bayonet. The tonearm’s base mount is separate.
Mount Type — Cartridge
For a Phono Cartridge, mount type is an initial mechanical compatibility check. The cartridge must attach to the intended arm or headshell using a supported fitting, with any required adapter explicitly accounted for.
Read the named standard rather than relying on the number of screws supplied. A Rega three-point cartridge fitting and a Rega arm-base mount describe different connections, despite the shared name.
Compare the fitting alongside cartridge weight, clearance and the arm’s setup range. A matching mount alone does not establish electrical compatibility or correct alignment, and an adapter can change the assembly’s weight or height.
Mount Type — Turntable
On a Turntable, cartridge mount type describes the fitting accepted by its supplied arm or headshell. It helps narrow replacement-cartridge choices before checking the arm’s other requirements.
Read the specification for the fitted cartridge connection. A removable headshell’s bayonet is the connection to the arm, not the cartridge mounting standard. A turntable’s armboard standard is another separate fitting.
Compare a replacement cartridge’s mount, weight and dimensions with the complete arm arrangement. A matching half-inch fitting does not mean every cartridge will balance or align correctly, and changing the cartridge may also require suitable gain and loading at the phono stage.
Mount Type — Tonearm
On a Tonearm, cartridge mount type identifies the attachment supported at the cartridge end. A fixed headshell and a removable headshell can both accept the same cartridge mounting standard.
Check the fitting on the actual headshell supplied or intended for use. Do not substitute the arm’s base-mount standard or the connector joining a detachable headshell to the arm tube. Those describe different interfaces.
Compare the cartridge fitting with the arm’s supported weight, alignment and clearance requirements. A compatible mount provides only the mechanical starting point; it does not establish correct tracking force, resonance behaviour or electrical matching to the phono stage.