Best cartridge you've never heard of: the Audio-Technica AT33PTG/II

I find that wear shows up as an unclear cymbal crash near last song or at the end of a side. This effect will only be on some records and not others. So one could think it is the record. But once you hear the wear on yet another LP, you know it is all about over. Sometimes it is early on a side, you hear a bit of vibration in the music, or a downright buzz in the sound, like it comes on suddenly.

I do find micro-line tips to wear out faster than others. It is a smaller profile to begin with, less stone to wear through.

 

wrong ... microline have the greater contact with the groove, so the VTF is the lesser by surface unit, the less possible wear.
microline have 1000+ hours lifespan, the greater of all.

 

Wrong, smaller tip, equals less mass, faster to get worn down. I never got the promised lifespan out of them, and have seen the same results some reported here in these forums. But if you do then more power to ya.

 

Ok, you must know what you're talking about then

 

I think it is two things. I have done a ton of needle drops over 24 years. Big deal, or BFD. But I am fussy as they get. So when I hear any sign of wear - I consider it all over. Others maybe might get more life out of it, maybe a lot more. But since I have to live with the digital drop, it would drive me nuts later hearing this again later, what I describe as very minor wear, but wear nonetheless.

 

I don't think anyone would disagree with this post, and it sounds like you are very good at spotting the first signs of wear. It was just your previous assertion that the MicroLine tip has "less stone to wear through" that is incorrect. The stylus tip contact area is very thin in width, but it is very extended in length, so when you calculate the actual contact area with the vinyl, it is quite a bit more than either conical or elliptical tips, and other line contact shapes as well. So with the greater contact area, there is less force per unit area, which should result in less friction and wear, all else being equal.

The other factor is the shape, the contact area is on the fins, so they can wear significantly before the actual contact area changes shape. But none of that is meant to dispute your personal findings, it's just a clarification on that one point

 

"so when you calculate the actual contact area with the vinyl, it is quite a bit more than either conical or elliptical tips, and other line contact shapes as well. So with the greater contact area, there is less force per unit area, which should result in less friction and wear"

well. i thought that's what i said

 

Well, I doubt there is anything said around here that hasn't been said many times before, and yes, oftentimes in the same thread

 

Can this be used on a Pro-ject 9’’ Evo tonearm?

 

Pro-ject 9’’ Evo tonearm mass is 8,5g, AT33PTG/II compliance is 18×10-6cm/dyne (10Hz). The resonant frequency calculated by the evaluator from vinylengine.com is 9 Hz, which is VERY GREEN, so you can use it without problems! Cartridge Resonance Evaluator - Vinyl Engine

 

Thanks a lot

 

I have recently re-aligned from 232 to 230 mm on my Technics 1210 mk2, adjusted the tonearm height by ear that corresponds to probably 1..2 degrees from cart body being parallel to the platter. Technics 1200 series has a somehow wrong design in the tonearm height department: even with the original thick mat and original shell an average cartridge is digging so I am using 3!!! records to make the cart parallel. Also, I changed the VTF from 2.0 to 2.2 gram. The AS left at 1.0. On acoustic music and ambience records, the soundstage turned into space. The vocals and instruments got rid of the sheen layer that turned out to be distortion. Harps gained depth - shapes became bodies. String picks got real. Choirs became live.
Conclusions: don't be scared to use the maximal recommended tracking force. Millimeters and degrees matters in alignment. Optimal AS and VTF may be in a very tight range. Say, 2.1 g didn't cut it while 2.2 did just perfectly.

 

That kind of stuff makes me sceptical about cartridge opinions ... not only about your experience ... my and many others as well.

How to know if the dude have rightly installed the cartridge? So, you can only trust on people with some mileage and experience.

 

I can bet a microline kills an elliptical in terms of space and resolution anything else being equal. Can't fool the physics.

 

I've had my Schiit Sol for about a year now and have enjoyed the AT-VM95ML so much I finally got around to putting my AT33PTG/II on it. I find installing a cart really finicky anyway but the combination of the generally skittish nature of the Sol's unconstrained unipivot and the tough-to-see stylus of the AT33 really made my morning. Anyway, haven't really sat down to listen (I don't hear well in a sunny room) but at least it's working and quiet.



I had to put my Bob's SUT back in service and the damn LC-1 IC's are so stiff they're supporting it. Didn't really have a spot for it anyway.

 

Man, I'd forgotten how great this cart is. It's even better than I remembered as I'd not heard it on this table in combination with the SUT and Darlington MP-7. Tiny bit of hum which I've not been able to solve with various grounding combinations so maybe due to the arm which doesn't seem shielded. Not intrusive at all, though.

 

I've been enjoying my Darlington MP-7 with the AT vm540ml for a couple of weeks now. But today, for some reason, I hit the "purchase" button on the AT33PTG/ii, and now I have to think about the SUTs and stuff.

 

For some reason I find SUTs the most fascinating product category, although I'm far from an expert. I think using my SUT again was not a small consideration behind my going back to MC.

 

I'm in love with the AT33PTG II, easy to use with SUT or head amp.

Some months ago, I bought second one for my other turntable, then tried with SUT or head amp, not seen big differences in sounding with SUT/MC amp.
Just in case, the turntable + tonearm in use can be the weak element, not as good as this excellent cartridge.
The nice rendering preserved with good preamp, in my use ( with good quality TT+TA of course).

 

try a bit of stroking angle for the body so the VTA is 20 degrees instead of the native 23 degrees. You might be surprised. Since the most of the stereorecords are likely cut with the SX-74 cutting head, the 20 degrees VTA is the target. I'd say the soundstage is as close to the live/mastertape as can be.
Also, set the VTF to 2 gramm, AS at 1 on the 1200.

 

You'd have to lower the tonearm pivot by 12mm to get a -3 deg change in VTA, not likely to get very close. If you want to make that kind of change, probably have to use a tapered headshell shim, but may have clearance problem on the body.

 

After checking the facts, I stand corrected, so it must be the generator sweetspot within the 23 degrees vicinity, not the rather drastic change in tonearm height/VTA. Yet the effective cantilever angle (not the stylus tip/suspension one!) is now 20 degrees. I have changed the height with the base adjustment ring from IIRC 3.5 to 0. the body now ever so slightly stroking instead of being parallel.

 

Hey there

Have anyone bothered weighting the never at33ptg/ii? The specs say it should weigh 6.9g, but I'm getting 7.35 on my scales (checked the scales with the testing 5g weight - looks good)

 

Mine came to 7.66g with the screws/nuts. I never weighed it w/o the hardware, though.

 

Thanks, Jack.
I think I'm going to need new scales