Audio Technica Cartridge Review - VM95E, VM740ML, AT150Sa, OC9XEB
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 พ.ย. 2021
- I review Audio Technica Cartridges most common for vinyl enthusiasts today. I compare 3 moving magnet cartridges and one moving coil cartridge. You decide which one is best for you. This is the first of 12 cartridges I will be reviewing followed up with phono cartridge shootout.
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AT95E
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VM740ml
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Your sense of humor is excellent and this video, after maybe 20 years of researching LP playback, is the first time i see a MC cartridge outperforming a MM cartridge at an even lower price point than the MM. I think it's a revolutionary moment in the history of cartridges...
Recently scored a brand new Technics SL-5300 , cart was VM 95 , very easy set up, I was very impressed with the sound. Previously using a Pro-ject Debut with Pro-ject OM 30 . I think the VM 95 sounds better at a quarter of the price. Did upgrade to Ortofon Bronze, game changer. Good vlog
I was about to upgrade my current moving magnet needle but seeing this video I decided to really invest and upgrade to Moving Coil. Best decision ever!! Thant you!!!
Great. Enjoy.
I have AT-VM95c, AT-VM95e, AT-71E and AT125LC from Audio Technica. The 125LC is an awesome cartridge that I use since I sold my Technics EPC100MK3 last year. I tried many Shure cartridges but the only one I bought and kept then was an M75E that I still have but with a N75-3 78 RPM stylus. I tried a V15 Type 3 for a brief period but sold it not long after, I did not like it's bass rendition.
Thanks for the first part of the AT review and will surely be watching for more.
What preamp do you use? Makes the more of a difference
@@ThriftShopReviews Now I use the phono input on the Sony TA-E1000ESD but then I had a Shure M65 for a few years before I got the Sony preamp.
Its chalk and cheese , both are excellent carts i have both, used on my SL-1200G, the nagaoka is easy to align due to the boxy body , the AT is more tricky because of the sculpted body , VTA is so important on these cartridges, if you enjoy deeper bass go with the nag ,but so hard to pick a favourite 😊.
Thanks for a great video
Thanks for the comment
13:14 Sounds amazing here.
So what cartridges do you recommend (under $200) that have good soundstage and no fatigue?
I have an old Sony tt with an AT TR440SX. Linear contact Diamond stylus. Turns out it’s a pretty decent cart!
I’d like to hear a moving coil cartridge. Probably on a new tt. Tough choices. Btw, nice to hear the Bach!
Thanks for sharing. I like the at150 !! Something about the older audio technica carts
Wow! I learned a LOT here Bro! BTW, I've been LOV'n the IFI Phono2, and I have you to thank for it 😁 Seriously, that thing is frigg'n awesome! I don't know if I had mentioned this before, but for over 30 years now I have indeed been using a Vintage Flagship Vector Aligned Linear Contact Audio Technica DR500LC, to give it it's original fancy name. To be honest, I have always really liked it. It does have the line-contact geometry which I THINK because of the way my system is set up, it must balance out the more laid-back sound with it's known detailed and clinical nature. I was thinking (before I saw your video here) of considering the AT 540mL because it sounds so much like mine, and like you said, I would guess it's a close relative of the 740mL that so many really like it, but that you found unlistenable.
I'm glad though that I saw your comments on this because that does give me pause about that one since you seemed not to be terribly impressed by it. The Linn Basik arm on my old Revolver has kind of a proprietary arrangement that holds the cartridge, so I don't really want to mess with it. I'm thinking that down the road I might consider getting a Fluance 85 since those SEEM to be so highly regarded, and it would be nice at least to check out the again SEEMINGLY quality cartridge that comes with it, the Ortofon Blue, although I hear that it too is rather laid-back. BUT... I guess the good news is that since I DO have the awesome IFI Phono2, I do indeed have the choice of at least trying a MC cartridge, which I know you very heavily favour. With something simple like the Fluance since it has the REAL easy universal headshell, it would be a lot easier for me just at some point to buy a MC cartridge already mounted on a universal headshell, and just screw it in 😊 Someday if I do actually get a simple TT like the Fluance, I think that would be a great opportunity for me finally to be able to try a nice, affordable MC cartridge that I can just plug and play. But, with your caution and impressions shown here, I think I'd better not be in too much of a hurry to get that AT 540mL. Shame... because I had thought it would be so much like mine detail-wise, which I've really liked.
Thanks for the great discussion Bro!
Jaime.
I greatly appreciate you watching the video and also providing me with comments and questions. The SLC is the highest level stylus for Audio Technica and I would assume the ML would be a serious downgrade. If you plan to stick with moving magnet cartridges, then either shibata or SLC would be the right direction. As you pointed out, the moving coil versions would be a huge step up from the moving magnets. You should watch my upcoming cartridge reviews and shootout before you decide as you will have many options including the Ortofon. I have the Ortofon 2M Bronze and don't want to give away too much before it comes out.
Glad you like the IFI Iphono 2. It is a diamond within the phono preamp market.
@@ThriftShopReviews Thanks man! This is something that is definitely down the road for me because it would entail getting another TT with the easy cartridge exchange capability. I'm too terrified to mess with my 35+ year old Revolver and Linn Basik arm with the semi-permanent way the cartridge fits on there. But later on at some point if possible, I would love to see what another cartridge would sound like on my system. And, I think that if I am gonna bother, it would indeed be logical to try a MC at that point, especially now with the IFI Phono2 (I have no excuse! 😊) Kinda sad though... so many really praised the 540mL, especially with that supposedly really detailed mL stylus, but there you go... I look forward to your comparisons, thanks again mate for all your time and work!
@@latheofheaven I use the denon vl12 with removable headshell and love it. Some might not like the dj look but it’s amazing other than the tonearm. More on that in my vl12 review. I contacted Fluance and they don’t send out samples for review but you can purchase with no hassle returns so you can test it out. I plan to get one and review it in a month or so. They do look nice but not sure if it will pass my tests!!!
@@ThriftShopReviews Yes, that will be interesting to see. Most really like it, but YOU are the Turntable Guy! 😁 And since almost half of its value is the Ortofon Blue, I figure might as well check it out to see how it sounds (I know you mentioned that the geometry of the stylus isn't everything, but just intuitively I'm kind of thinking that going from a Line Contact to an Elliptical just isn't going to be that exciting) But, that is for later on. So far, Amazon has the Fluance, so maybe down the road...
Informative video! I'm fairly new to vinyl and still finding the ideal cartridge for me. I initially bought the VM540ML, but very shortly after found a great deal on a Nagaoka MP-200 and used that for a while. I recently purchased an OC9-XEN and I'm enjoying it so far. TT is a Technics SL-1200GR with Luxman L-507uX II integrated so have both MM/MC options and the phono is decent (I've had a DIY Pass Pearl 2 in the past which was amazing as well). Too much time has past between cartridges so at this point its hard for me to judge which one is better, they all sounded great to me when they were in use. I'll stick with the XEN for the near future, but would you say the OC9-XSH is a sufficient upgrade?
Regarding the treble with the VM740ML, I know that AT carts will have harsh treble with too much capacitance. Ideally as low as possible, or around 100-150pF max for the entire chain. Many phono stages have higher capacitance than that on their inputs alone, and after you add the interconnects and tonearm wiring, that could be an issue.
If you want a huge upgrade the amount of turntable you can get for the price of a used 1200 is astonishing. Technics had to use a huge amount of very costly precision engineering to get round the inherent downsides of direct drive so that broadcast studios could have near instant cueing, i dearly love the 1200 but if you dont need the insane torque a belt is a really easy way to save MOST of the manufacturing cost. The Rega Planar 3 or Pro-Ject Debut Pro are half the price of the 1200, and honestly 2ce the reproduction deck.
Sorry I didn’t comment. The OC9 is a good entry level moving coil. I wouldn’t focus on stylus geometry but more in the cartridge coil and suspension system. I would try a few brands to get a feel. I’m in love with the Sumiko songbird. So romantic of a cartridge.
good review. I have been using the AT440 cart for about 2 years. I do agree with your comments on AT carts being somewhat 2D, and some high end(almost CD sounding). I have had better soundstage. You are correct Good bass and midrange, and music pops, but in a a way you aren't surrounded or in the mix. The only cart I've used that did that was my old Sumiko BP #2. But I broke the damn stylus off and replaced it with a Sumiko Olympus. Okay cart....but left/right levels were off by almost 2 db. Also, I did have at one point a Nagaoka MP110 as well as my AT440, and I took the 440 every single application. I listen to Death/Black/Hair metal....the Nagaoka was muffled and I have owned 2 of them. I bought 2 because It was different years and different tables. Sold them both. I have probably 200+ hours on the AT440, so the OC9XEB intrigues me for the price. The glare you speak of is real. I have a Puffin preamp so I usually adjust the treble and Air to bring it down.
I have a theory that you need to spend around 1/3 on turntable 1/3 on cartridge and 1/3 on preamp for it to all work in harmony. Regardless of price. The 33% rule. Most people believe they need a high end turntable and a cheap cart like provided with purchase and a cheap preamp and that doesn’t work at all. Value is when something overachieves the 33% rule. The nagaoka map-300 redefined what a mm cart could do for the price. Mc carts in my experience sound so much better. As for preamps watch my video on that. I have more high end over $1k preamps coming out.
Is the motor assembly of the VM740ML the same as the old Signet TK-7E?
Without objective frequency response graphs this subjective review could have an array of problems. On Line contact stylus tips, the vertical tracking angle is critical as is cable loading, in terms of capacitance and impedance. I currently use a SoundSmith Aida which sounds really nice. that said, I've been able to get a flat response and great sound stage out of several Audio Technica Cartridges via applying a lower impedance load on the phono preamplifier. Perhaps you have a potential miss match on your moving magnet preamp with the Audio Technica design parameters? By the way, I've seen the opposite with the Shure M97xe which needs a higher impedance load applied to produce a flat top end.
LOL, I drive past the old Grado place in Brooklyn at least once a week.
It would be cool to tour Grado sometime
I have watched this video a few times, and realize that these are only opinions there is one thing that you must realize about Audio Technicas line of ATvm95 carts and their turntables and that is this, I believe that all of their turntables right up to the AT-LP7 have built in pre amps, and that they can properly load the cartridges to best match their cartridges loading requirements. I have had both the ATvm95en and the AT120eb, both nude ellipticals and must say they give the Ortofon 2M Blue a run for the money.
Nothing wrong with liking AT carts. I just don’t want to make any AT cart lovers upset. I highly suggest trying something else totally different from the lower end carts and see how things change. Again, just my opinion. Thanks for the comment and watching
@@ThriftShopReviews my statement was not to critisize your thoughts and opions, it was an effort to look at some of AT's capacitance loadings. If the pre amp is conected, pretty much, directly to the cart, the capaciance of the inter connects is negated and thus flattening out the response curve. Sort of me thinking out loud. Have a great day!
@@northa4021 no worries. I agree with preamp settings and the AT carts. I tried to make that comment but it came out differently on camera when I talked about overcoming system limitations and lower end preamps. It can be hard doing there’s videos and not being clear or forgetting things. Sometimes it like a deer in the headlights when I make videos. Maybe I will do a preamp setting sound demo to show the differences. You have me a good idea!!
EB means elliptical bonded.
@@mycosys in the new line this is true, in the previous line, its not so clear. The specs that came with my AT120eb are listed as nude, in the packaging instruction, and some have speculated that the "b" was a packaging designation for box.
In the budget line imho the VM95ML is hard to beat in bang for the buck since it introduction,given that many other carts which play
in the same category were discontinued - like for example the Denon DL-160 HOMC.
I totally agree with you that the AT vm95 ml is a real honest performer , it's the red one, I have that one on my deck as I'm replying, the orange and the brown sh , are also very good 😊.
I own the OC9 III cart which has been discontinued several time ago. It's a moving coil cart with a special line contact stylus. This is a fabulous cart at an amazing price point. I'm using it on a Yamaha AS-3000 amplifier with its internal phono pre-amp. Very happy with this setup.
Glad you like it. Have you tried other moving coil cartridges and phono preamps? Curious
@@ThriftShopReviews I used to have a Sure M97xE cart. This one had a very nice bass response but terrible highs. I was lucky enough to borrow a Benz Micro Ace, which is a fantastic cart but way out of my league. I selected the AT in a shootout between the OC9 and a 2M Back at my local hifi shop. Both did sound very close to my ears but the AT had a tiny bit nicer sound (and it was cheaper). As for pre-amps, no I haven't tried any other. I very much like what the Yamaha is providing me and feel no need to try others. I much prefer listening to music than to try and top the Yamaha built in phono pre :-)
about the 740ML:
im not surprised it sounded harsh and trebly--it does to many people. despite costing more. that harsh trebly sound is why the 540ML is the near-unanimous favorite of the two.
my friend, u simply picked the wrong cartridge.
also, i think u skipped spherical stylus in ur discussion of stylus geometry.
another correction:
more offten than not MC users use a SUT (sometimes a headamp) in front of s MM phono amp rather than a mc
or mm/mc phono amp.
one other thing: the 540ML (and possibly the 740 as well ) are VERY reactive to a capacitance mismatch. that may also b why u the treble was so overbearing.
i enjoyed the video.
Thanks for the comment. The very amazing sounding dl-103 uses a conical stylus. Conical tends to wear records fast. Hence the reason to upgrade. So much is available better than audio technica that you just need to try. Don’t stick to a brand but stick to the end result you like.
Nice review however you have to take in account the musical comparison sucks a little , listen to the volume when they play and you'll hear the more expensive the movingmagnet catridge is the louder volume is. An old audiofile saying tells that for most listeners higher volume suggests a better set is playing, when hearing a little more detail. many audiosalesman try to impress buyers by more volume to sell them lesser stuff! So the comparison here isn't as fair as it may look, volume equalisation is'nt very difficult using the same musical pieces.
Otherwise it's good information here, but a little lacking from an audiophile point of view!
Maybe not the best per se, but possibly the best for the money.
Been an ortofon user for about 26 years I have been considering getting into audio technica carts for some time now but one thing that throws me off and makes me hesitant is that and correct me if I'm wrong here , it seems as if audio technica discontinues their models quite rapidly and always seems to be changing something. While I certainly can understand that change in design is necessary for innovation it also makes me hesitant about dropping a significant amount of money on one of their cartridges if its going to be discontinued
VM95 line came in as a refresh on AT95 line which hadn't changed in over 20 years.
I think things are stable with little to no changes on the horizon
It all depends on your system, your room, your ears, and your taste in sound. Audio Technica cartridges have usually been good for me, but not the greatest. They are usually affordable, good all-around performers, especially on Linn and Thorens turntables.
Great video. What was the violin piece used?
Jbl sessions lp
Chaconne from Violin Partita No. 2 in D minor by JS Bach
What's the name of the drum solo song?
It came from a jbl sessions LP.
I do wonder whether your speakers and in particular the metal dome tweeters are making all those AT cartridges unlistenable. They are known to rise in the upper range and those jbls might be accentuating that even more. I have an AT440mla, which is even more brighter sounding than any of those current ones and on women’s voices, there is often a glare in the upper frequencies, which is quite unpleasant. I have just ordered the vessel r3sm which will hopefully help my ears.
Most of my listening is done with pioneer hpm 100’s as I just love them and they do a good job of separation for old speakers. They don’t have a metal tweeter. Sorry, AT cartridges just don’t work for my ears in comparison to other cartridges. Tone controls might help to a degree
@@ThriftShopReviews Ok, not the speakers then. AT mm carts are just bright I think. The positive is their reasonably priced microline cartridges, which do a very good job with IGD, albeit at the expense of smoothness. Tone controls don’t help me, but I have considered hooking up my 12 band equaliser to really tweak those particular upper frequencies.
@@nicholas6823 have you tried other cartridges (brands). I was amazed at how much better they sound in comparison. More reviews coming out soon. Like one every day or every other day.
@@ThriftShopReviews I have the LP Gear The Vessel R3SM on order. At $649 it is the most I have ever spent on a cartridge. MM with Ruby cantilever and microline stylus sets it apart they say. Comes from the same designer as the Hanas in Japan. I do have an old linn k9 also made by AT which is not overly bright, but a bit of IGD creeps in sometimes which bothers me. Running on an older Linn lp12.
@@nicholas6823 I think you will like the vessel. I asked all gear if they would supply cartridge for review but they wouldn’t. I wanted to include a few of their models including vessel and BIN (Benz Micro). The move to a ruby or boron cantilever will be a huge improvement in micro details and speed. Good job with that purchase.
For entry price to mid range yes you get a lot for your money
I'm in favor of following the advice of those who recommend adjusting the capacitance in your system. The recording is right there and the microline stylus is uniquely capable of picking up more nuance than any other in the MM realm.
Just recently picked up a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo. First turntable I have ever owned and I know I’m probably jumping the gun a little early. But, do you have any recommendations for cartridge upgrades? Mine came with the Sumiko Rainier. I’ve seen a lot of people saying stay in Sumiko Oyster line and just replace the stylus. How do they compare to AT and Ortofon?
@@seandurham4864 I like Sumiko very much. Better to than AT. Sumiko doesn’t do a lot of marketing so you don’t see people talking about them much. Ortofon does a lot of marketing so you likely will see a lot of information. I like the bronze cartridge a lot. You need to see what matches your system best. You likely need to try a few things to understand the differences. I change cartridges based on the music I’m listening to for example.
@@ThriftShopReviews Thank you! That makes sense. I definitely prefer a little more towards the brighter/detailed sound stage than I do a warm sound. I have Klipsch for my surround sound/theater in my basement a I love the sound they give off and how dynamic they are. I’ve been looking at a pair of Klipsch RP-500 or 600 (bookshelves) series 1 or 2s. Not sure if that helps any as far as suggestions you’d have? I’m also open for any other suggestions/recommendations for speakers around the $350-$500 range. Thanks again!
@@seandurham4864 klipsch has a fun sound to them. Plenty of treble for sure. Audio technica mm and ortofon would be bright options but I think you might like to try an entry level moving coil. The phono preamp and amp can also make a huge difference. The whole chain to be honest. Many variable to consider. Audio technica with a warm amp and speakers is good. If you have a modern system that is already bright then audio technica can be painful for example. Don’t have many lower speakers that I like at the moment and not saying they are bad. Just haven’t had any cheaper options lately. I tend to like jbl studio 580 for the price if you can still get them. I had a pair of ascend acoustics sierra 1’s that blew away most cheap speakers. Look for sierra 2 or 2ex as you can find used at a good price if you like bookshelf speakers. They simply rock for small speakers and are not commonly talked about.
@@ThriftShopReviews I definitely have some looking around to do! I am going to get a pre amp and run that through a Sansuai 2000X my dad gave me. Just had it repaired and cleaned. So I’m pretty excited to see how it all goes. Not sure what sound that 2000X has. I’m assuming neutral/more towards warm? Like you said, just so many variables to take into account!
@@seandurham4864 the preamp normally has more to do with how warm or neutral the sound is in my experience. In general vintage audio has a very warm lush sound.
Why is the vm95 sh not mentioned? Very highly rated cartridge.
Didn’t have it for review
The Nagaoka MP-110 was my favourite.
……But The AT-VM 95 EN is a better Cartridge In all aspects.
@@amd3449 yeah you can change those stylus very easy will probably try the EN next but I do love the shibata.
Gotta say i disagree about the AT-VM95ML, putting an advanced stylus on a 95 pickup is like putting Cort pickups on a Fender American Strat. The 95 pickups just are always going to sound saturated in dynamic parts.
I honestly cant say i can hear a difference between the 540 and the 740 in AB tests, and this surprised me more than it should given the only difference is the non-resonant polymer case vs the alloy case. My suggestion of a first step above a basic cart would be to move up to a better pickup thats compatible with advanced profile styli, like the Ortofon 2M series, OM10/OM20 series, or AT 500 series etc, ie for the price of a 540ML you can generally pick up a 520EB and VMN40ML (and it doesnt need to be at the same time).
That's rich considering that Fender have been selling the same old
reheated pork chops for the price of filet mignon for decades now.
Cortek pickups will probably be an improvement at this point.
What excelent test, whats your opinion between at-vm95 ml and atvm540 ml.
I personally don't like the AT ML stylus, although if you have a laid back system and need more treble then it might work for you. If you plan to stick with AT then either save money and stay with elliptical or move up to Shibata.
You need to learn how to spell excellent for one thing.......
I went from an at vm 95 ml to a 740 ml 3 weeks ago now and although it is the same stylus the sound is totally different; the 95 ml was neutral to my ears, the 740 brings more details and space but sounds really tiring in the high mids, the cables do not change anything and the problem persists on 2 different phono preamplifiers: rega fono Mk3 and FX-audio BOX01 tweaked. I will try the Schiit Loki when it is in stock in Europe.
@@fabsko195 thanks for the feedback. Useful information. Does your preamp have the ability to change capacitance? This can help but not with glare. Honesty, swap out to a different cartridge before spending more money on time controls. Just my opinion.
@@ThriftShopReviews No capacitance settings on my preamps unfortunately, it's only 100Pf, only the jolida or the Musical Fidelity MX-VYNL go below to my knowledge but the price is too high for me. Reselling a phono cartridge is difficult, I will follow your advice for the shibata or the EN a little later, concerning the Schiit Loki eq if it does not solve the problem it can always be used for something else. Thank you very much for your interest ;)
So the price of gold goes up and down, the perceived value of the cartridges should also go up and down? By the way, gold price fluctuations has no correlation with inflation.
With all said where is the test disks with the frequency ramp, deviation charts and sibilants tests. The other problem I have with these reviews is what is the condition of the vinyl? An album played repeatedly under a conical or elliptical stylus will be to damaged to play under a Shibata. It may play under a hyper elliptical but not a Shibata. Anything will sound warm raked under a MC .7 mil Conical tracking at 4 grams. You just won't be able to play that album to many times or rake it under anything else.
YEAH you're right, blame it on the foo fighters.
I personally like the sound of the cheaper AT-95C over the sound of the AT-95E.
How about inner groove distortion have you incounter any on at-95c
I agree with you about the micro line cartridges to much treble and excessive grove noise and it too was the most disappointing cartridge I have ever owned .
Glad I’m not the only one with the same issues
Hi,I own many carts VM740ml being left mounted on on of my tables.
It needs to be set_up very ,very good perfect.
Same with the Shibata unlike eliptical or conical square cuts.
Otherwise what you guys are describing is your 740ml are out of groove distortion...
Very important set_up vta aziumth sra tracking force on micro line may take even myself 2 attempts you must have a crystal clear response left and right speaker if tweeters are top end edgy then you are or a smigg
Tweak it usually towards the spindle 😉😊
Btw I've been seting up tt 30× years
@@50jun I did this yes it is crystal clear and tracks great but I just don’t care for it’s cold cd like sound with the hyper treble. I think on most records this upper frequency is probably distortion and if you used it on a virgin modern pressing it might sound great but on most pre 1990 pressings it dose not . Hopefully that helps explain what I meant.
10:47
12:42
Your sound quality on this vid is terrible! Bottom of well? What have phono cartridges and "mid century furniture" got to do with the price of fish!!!!
Sorry. I can’t listen to the phasing on the narrative. I hope you get a better sound from your hi fi but enough said. I use an AT95 cartridge and have had many Audio Technica cartridge’s and get beautiful results from them but your channel does them no favours
I understand you like at carts. I lived most of my life liking them. If you can say you’ve tried all the carts I reviewed and had a different result then let’s chat about it. Willing to do a shootout if needed
Buy the cheaper one.
First off.. i subscribed 😊
Secondly.. Nagoaka against any of these pretty looking ones.
I have (and rebuilt) many turntables over the years. Far from a wealthy audiophile. BUT.. i have 2 main setups in my lair. Ats12s in my secondary setup and a Nagaoka 500 in my main. I absolutely adore vintage AT. But as of late i catch myself smiling ear to ear in disbelief at how incredibly balanced and bulletproof the N500 is. (The entire line of Nagaoka to be honest)
Love what your doing brother. Keep on fighting the good fight!
You mean those bland top end rolled off phono catridges? no thanks, you can keep those ugly looking and bland sounding Nagaokas!!
The only one I would listen to of the Nagaokas is the MP500!