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

To make a very good comparison, you need to make 3 rips with 3 cartridges of the same track with the same setup and open theme all in a software like SoundForge. You could compare theme almost in a real time!
This method is unbeatable.

 

I tried the stock, HS10BK (original and with upgraded AT wires), and AT-LH11H on my sl1210GR, the lh11H is worth the extra, but I think it's a tad taller than the stock one, so I'm using an additional 2mm mat.

 

Mine arrives tomorrow. But may not want to risk mounting it. Call me 'one eye'

 

As expected, they cannot help as the warranty works in Japan only, and I bought the cart more than 60 days to return it.

 

Just got back from the doc
Gas did not work

next week oil...for 6 @&$!?@ months.
Oh well

 

AT33PTG/II price down to $385 at CDJapan now, but not sure what coverage you have if the tip falls off like with our friend from Ukraine.

 

Step 1
No catastrophe


alignment
Azimuth left

 

Alignment done
Looks tight

Azimuth now

While warming it up, 3 things
Between tracks 1/2 the mV as the 33EV, quieter?
Higher output 195 vs 165 mV
Off channel lower 8-9 vs 11-12 mV

 

All done, took dinner and an eye break lol
Azimuth and VTA
Avg x-talk ~ 29 dB, ch-ch <1 dB, 6 dB better than 33EV
Balance 0.1 dB, same as 33EV

The test lp has double sets, L, R, L, R
The left set before the / is the outter 2, the others the inner

music time, the acid test

 

I wonder how they’re able to get it down that low. The lowest I see new in Japan is about $440.

It also says “Backorder” “Usually ships in 2-4 weeks”.

Definitely a great price if it’s available!

 

The Japanese price usually includes the 10% consumption tax since most of the stores only sell to the domestic market, but CDJapan lists price without since it does sell overseas. So that may be a lot of the difference, and they currently have it listed with 9% discount.

 

It’s actually been cheaper than that, closer to 365. I’ve been hovering over buy for a while

 

It was below $350 in October when the yen hit bottom, that's when quite a few people bought this one and the Nagaoka MP-500.

 

3 lp sides.
Better than the 33EV in every facet. Much better.
Better bass tone
Less harsh sax
Crisper cymbals
Dead quiet.
Sharper attack and faster decay

 

Gentlemen, Talking about the AT33 & 304 is like taking about apples & oranges. The A/T is a lowish compliance cart that need a medium to heavy arm to sound at it's best. Whereas the 304 is a high compliance cart that need a much lighter arm. Depending on your arm one will sound much better that the other due to arm / cart matching. One will match the other not.
But their are many, many better sounding MC carts, just depends on what your arm is & how much you want to spend. And yes I have owed one & moved on to an Ortofon MC25FL, a class above both Denon & AT33.
Cheers

 

For a Technics Sl1200 MK3, (KAB SL1500C tonearm) what head shell would be recommended for the AT33PTG/2 Cartridge?

Would the original Technics head shell work best or something else? Does it matter?

Thanks.

 

I thought you weren't commenting on SQ anymore?

Honeymoon period, the "way betters" even out over time when confirmation bias wears off.

I like my PTG33ii a little more than my 33EV, but there's no way better going on it's subtleties... didn't hook up any probes to it though!

 

The AT33PTG/II has become my favorite cartridge. On a VPI Scout 1.1/JMW 9t arm.

The posts regarding VTA/SRA are spot-on in my experience.

I set up my arm at least 3 times before being totally satisfied. My end result is with the arm veryyy slightly tails up, and I mean a very tiny amount above parallel.

The tracking ability at 2.0gr is downright superb. I think it even beats out the 740ML in terms of end-of-side performance. I didn't bust out my test records, I never trust them to set antiskate, among other metrics.

But yeah, anyone who's on the fence about this cart should just buy one. My records, from Cabaret Voltaire all the way through to Bach harpsichord records, sound perfect to me on this AT. Truly a great company

 

It will certainly work. Is it the best, good question? I've got my old 33PTG mounted on a Nagaoka headshell that's approx. 10 grams IIRC.

jeff

 

Thanks Jeff, appreciate the reply.

 

I use the ATLH-11. I think they pair well, though I’ve never tried it with the stock head shell. N.b., the ATLH-11 does put the counterweight towards the rear of the tonearm — in fact it doesn’t quite balance but it’s close enough to zero at the very end that you can get the tracking weight close and then dial in with a scale.

 

just placed an order for a backup. well see how long this 2-4 weeks ends up being. the total ended up being 405 but once paying with paypal, their conversion rate turned it into 425. i said f it and ordered anyway. the payal buyer protection has always been so straight forward to get issues made right that i didnt mind the extra 20 bucks.

 

You can always just select in Paypal to pay in yen (or whichever currency you are buying with) and let your bank do the conversion, that's what I do. Your bank generally uses the current market rate, at least mine does.

 

ive seen that option before, but unless im blind tonight, i didnt see that option to select. i probably just missed it.

 

just got a parks audio puffin in. one pleasant surprise when using it with the ptg is with the magic setting on, it brings down the high end boost above 10k by 1db bringing it closer to neutral. when using the puffin with a shure v15vmr + magic, setting the air to +1 brings it back to neutral.