Audio-Technica announces extensive new VM cartridge series

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Poison_Flour, Jan 6, 2017.

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  1. Scott Davies

    Scott Davies Forum Resident

    Similar but different manufacturing. The AT is built as a DJ deck with no motivation towards audiophiles. I bought it at the time (2009) because my OCD with pitch required me to have the quartz lock, which works great. But the well known issue on AT turntables with the antiskating essentially not working at all with carts that require lower weight (AT has admitted this, and have said it's because it's for heavier DJ carts) was just too much. I could never get it to work right, despite trying all the tricks I've read about online. My first test with the Reloop will be if the antiskating works as it should, and if it doesn't I have 30 days to send it back. But the Reloop also appears to be built a little sturdier, and even though it is also a DJ turntable I am hopeful they handled the antiskating mechanism properly. I also do not trust the AT tonearm. It's always been a little wobbly, but tightening it only made the antiskating issue worse. And I wonder if this tonearm isn't what's been causing my ML styli to dig into opening tracks of LPs (though I do think I ran into that same problem before this turntable). I think the Reloop 2000 is more close in match to the AT but the 4000 is an upgrade. At least that's my hope after reading reviews and researching for months. I do not like that the dust cover is sold separately for $40-$50. Boo...
     
  2. misterdecibel

    misterdecibel Bulbous Also Tapered

    Both appear to be typical Hanpin turntables.
     
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  3. dahoo

    dahoo Forum Resident

  4. 808_state

    808_state ヤマハで再生中

    Anyone care to elaborate on "Special Line Contact"? Is there an advantage over shibata or microline?
     
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  5. daytona600

    daytona600 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
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  6. riverrat

    riverrat Senior Member

    Location:
    Oregon
  7. 808_state

    808_state ヤマハで再生中

  8. jtkoyich

    jtkoyich New Member

    Location:
    tr11 3be
    i thought shibata for quad play ?
     
  9. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    Budget Hanpin for budget Hanpin. Likely similar performance. The only Hanpin I can confidently recommend is the Pioneer PLX1000 or the new cheaper 500 may be OK.
     
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  10. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Innocent Bystander

    Not necessarily. The Shibata profile was originally designed for improved trackability, necessary for CD4 LPs specifically, as the first major step beyond elliptical. With the demise of CD4, the benefits of improved stylus profile began to be applied to stereo playback. All other forms beyond elliptical - microline, line contact, van den Hul, Stereohedron, STR, etc. - took their starting point from Shibata as methods to read the groove better.

    The Shibata design was patented, so most other subsequent designs began as ways to get around the Shibata patent.

    As always, just my opinion, YMMV.

    Cheers,
    Larry B.
     
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2017
  11. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    Well has anyone actually heard any of the VM series yet? Dying to know if they sound any different than their predecessors or is this just a trick to get us to pay more for aluminum cantilevers than for gold plated Boron?
    Has AudioTechnica found new advances in design or slipped down to the lowest dregs of greedy deceivers?
     
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  12. Classicrock

    Classicrock Senior Member

    Location:
    South West, UK.
    The specs suggest a price hike which isn't a surprise in the UK. However there are extra models and some differences suggested by increases in VTF on some new models. The old models were long substantially discounted by some dealers which does not appear to be the case so far with new product. I think it is wise to wait and see or grab an old model at a bargain price.
     
    SteelyNJ likes this.
  13. Michael Orme

    Michael Orme New Member

    Location:
    Rhyl
    I find Audio-Technica cartridges to be bright, or very bright in measurement, and in sound. Nothing of their's seems to be flat response.
     
  14. Mitsuman

    Mitsuman Diamond Tone Junkie

    Location:
    Missouri
    NICE TO KNOW
     
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  15. missan

    missan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Stockholm

    What is bright in measurements?
     
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  16. Hermetech Mastering

    Hermetech Mastering Mastering Engineer

    Location:
    Milan, Italy
    AT150 MLX sounds just about right here, compared to the source files. I'm lucky enough to have mastered tracks for vinyl so I have the originals to compare the final vinyl releases to. It's by far the flattest sounding cart I've owned.
     
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  17. Mitsuman

    Mitsuman Diamond Tone Junkie

    Location:
    Missouri
    I love my 150mlx, but I still have an axe to grind with AT. My original diamond fell off the cantilever, 2 months out of warranty. They charged me $200 to replace it with the ATN150SA Shibata, which as you know is an aluminum cantilever. I like how it sounds now that it is broken in, but I'm still bitter over having an inferior diamond and cantilever.
     
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  18. olschl

    olschl Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    Would you mind sharing some (or all) of the other cartridges you are referring to? I have a Shure V15RS with a SAS stylus and an MR (Beryllium). I'm not sure the difference in voicing/SQ is going to be worth the expense. Love the Shure; just looking for variety.
     
  19. Hermetech Mastering

    Hermetech Mastering Mastering Engineer

    Location:
    Milan, Italy
    Sure, before I found the AT I had only ever used variations on the Roksan Corus Black/Goldring 1042, since 1989, with various turntables. The 150 MLX was a night and day upgrade! I hear the Shure V15 range is supposed to be amazing too, know quite a few other mastering engineers extolling the virtues of those, but never had one myself. I finally had an analogue front end to rival the digital side.
     
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  20. shadowlord

    shadowlord Forum Resident

    Location:
    Austria
    they old ones seems to get more expensive the rarer they get. :(
     
  21. Pavol Stromcek

    Pavol Stromcek Senior Member

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    Has anyone heard these yet, particularly the VM540ML?
     
  22. 808_state

    808_state ヤマハで再生中

    If a 150mlx sounds too bright it is either setup wrong or paired to the incorrect arm. If done correctly it should sound warm and detailed with good bass. The only fault I've found with it is surface noise but that's as compared to the 33ptg/ii which is dead silent. Matching cart to arm is essential before you can properly evaluate a cart's sound character.
     
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  23. Scott Davies

    Scott Davies Forum Resident

    I've got the 740 and it's the best setup I've ever had/heard. Very smooth sound. It is somewhat bright but I'm ok with that.
     
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  24. patient_ot

    patient_ot Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    There is one member here that commented in another thread. Don't remember the member's name or thread title, unfortunately. The comments were positive.
     
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  25. stevenalejandro

    stevenalejandro Forum Resident

    Location:
    san antonio, tx
    I just picked this one up. It is a little bright as Scott mentioned the 740 is. But bass response is solid. Separation is fantastic. I've got it on a JVC QL-7 pumping through a Marantz 2216B
     
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