Thank you Craig, New subscriber here. I’ve really been enjoying you videos recently. Being born in 67 I also grew up with records. I got back into vinyl when a friend of mine was in need of money and sold me about 150 records for $50. He really wasn’t using them so they were pretty much dead weight taking up space for him. At that time I didn’t have my own turntable. This now having all these records with many in pristine shape created a huge incentive for getting a nice turntable. After some research I was pretty much decided on a turntable. My father then asked me what I would like for a Christmas present. I jokingly suggested a Technics SL1200MK series. Low and behold my father found a used SL1200MK2 in very good shape, minus a dust cover and cartridge for a decent price. Just recently I had my RCA cord go flaky again on me, and bought a new cable to solder on. I’m choosing to leave the factory ground on and just use the cable portion rather than this new cable with its own internal ground design circuit board attached. Luckily since my cord took my table out of commission for sometime, I didn’t actually have it set up to play for sometime and never did play it for very long before the cable issue. Luckily for me I just learned about all the alignments that need done. I wasn’t even aware of the cartridge alignment thing. Thank God I now have a protractor tool I downloaded and printed. I then scanned this printout increasing the enlargement in 1% increments until the calibration line on the protractor measured exactly the right length with my digital caliper. I’m now very excited to get my new cable soldered on, and get everything calibrated correctly. I think I will use my usb borescope to see if I can get a good look at the stylus tip however before any calibration. My cart is a Shure N44-7 with original stylus. If I have an issue, I might look into the blue audio technica one you like so much. I learned that the Shure N44-7 was a very robust DJ type cartridge, and since 2018 Shure no longer makes the original stylus. Other manufactures make ones compliant with the cart supposedly, but I don’t like the idea too much. Anyways, I will keep you updated on how my needle is, and how it sounds after correct alignment for probably the 1st time. Can’t wait to throw on my mint copy I have of “In Search of The Lost Cord by The Moody Blues.” Cheers my friend from Mike over here in the USA. 🍺😎👍
Nice video! :) Your story is very similar to mine, and i'm sure it's similar to many, many people around the world too, (i'm from Portugal) who have more or less the same age, or at least who is old enough to have witnessed the fall of vinyl and the rise of cd. Yes, the 440 was my vehicle for rediscovering vinyl too, after 20 plus years of digital diet! To the point of my enthusiasm lead me to start uploading vinyl videos with my growing vinyl collection, and share the music with the world. To be accurate, my first decent cartridge that i bought for my return to vinyl, was the Ortofon Red that you mentioned on your video. It's very nice too, but not on the same league of the 440, in my opinion. To be fair, it's cheaper than the 440. I even made a video comparing both carts, eh eh! Take a look at my channel if you want to, the 440 is the "star" of most of them, but on the more recent ones, i'm using a AT150MLX. Best regards Rui
Fico feliz quando vejo amantes de viníl como eu no meu proprio país. entretanto ainda me mantenho pela 2Mred. Em breve farei a actualização para a que voces recomendam
I looked up your music...I'm impressed (I'm talking about that vinyl you're holding). I've been enjoying your commentary on cartridges through multiple videos.
I'm glad you didn't get an Ortofon Red. Like you, I was using the LP120, had the stock cart (95E) on there and I was a happy camper with it for 18 months or so. When it came time to upgrade the cartridge, I was a little more serious about how good I wanted it to sound. I did some research and really liked the sound of the 2M Red. I bought the pre mounted version that has its own head shell as I read that it would be aligned well if you put it on a technics SL1200 which is what the LP120 is based from. I was blown away with how great it sounded, I thought it was the best thing ever. But lo and behold, INNER GROOVE DISTORTION just like the 95E had. Like you, I cannot deal with IGD and it really rains on the vinyl experience So I think you would've been let down by the 2M Red, although it does sound great, I just couldn't handle the IGD. A couple of months ago I decided to buy the AT100e, aligned it properly and there was significantly lower IGD and it has that really crisp detailed high end which I love. I'm told that the 100e, 120e and 440mla/b cartridges are all the same so my next investment will definitely be the 440mlb stylus. I've heard that due to the shape of the stylus, it can track deeper into previously untouched parts of the groove and bring older worn records back to life. Anyway, I'm rambling. Really enjoyed the video. I have a demo of the AT100e on my channel if you're interested, could be a good one for your DJ'ing, it sounds a lot better than the AT95e in my opinion. Take care!
My story is the same as your Greg. I found a cartridge that just turns heads on my 1229 :Astatic MP 200 Shabbat. I have the cartridge alignment gauge for stylus high and alignment. I have a a digital pressure gauge, and a mirror protractor, have a funk audio platter mate, and a York Phono stage. Align any cartridge well and vinyl sound fantastic. Love the Thoren TD 160 with my Jelco 550S and a GoldNote Donatello Red, it is marvellous.
Hi Craig, thanks for your story. I think it is a special thing how you explained your journey, your story actually made me decide on the right cartridge, as you explained clearly all the pro and cons. For me as i am looking for an upgrade to my current cartridge, i looked at the AT440 multiple times, but some say this...some say that... this cartridge sounds like this etc...and i was really surprised when you finally mentioned the at440; i thought it would be yet again another cartridge i had to look into. Thanks for confirming, what other people also described on the internet and forums, and i am totally going going to buy the at440, :P
I learned so much from your alignment vid! Just back unit vinyl as of 2 weeks ago. That should be a few college credits. Indeed once the proper measurements and alignments are learned, a very braid and rich soundstage can be achieved. I didn't see this vid till now or may have tried the AT series, but I put my faith in a Nagaoka MP-110 for my Pioneer PL-7 TT, and for me, there's no looking back. Just a great performer and loved the feedback I was getting for the cost. Appreciate your efforts.
Yes, yes, yes. I have most of the cartridges you mentioned, and definitely the AT 440 is the ticket. The sound is as close as you’re going to get to an MC cart. Great video and relevant to a lot of what of other people have gone thru. Keep up the good work.
Craig, I am an audiophile for 30 plus years and I am impressed with your plain English nuts and bolts approach to vinyl equipment and how to get the most out of it. I am ashamed to say, I have never set up a turntable as I always depended on an audiophile shop to do that for me. Now I know how and don't have to avoid inter-changing cartridges because I don't know how. Beyond that, you obviously have spent a lot of time tinkering, talking and researching as you know what you are talking about on all subjects. I have also went down a similar path. One thing that seems to elude conversation is ADC's - (Analog Digital Converter )- which is the opposite to a DAC. For the longest time it was hard to find a decent quality ADC unit to record from a high end turntable to digital to record my vinyl collection which is quite useful for portable devices like cell phones and home stereos. The turntables available with built in ADC's and USB connection are not of the caliber of turntable or ADC that I was looking for and somewhat redundant as I already have a turntable. I happen to know some audiophile purists that have tossed their CD collection and have recorded the same albums at home with software programs like Audacity, high end ADCs and turntables and swear that the quality is better than most CD's..? They claim the CD's are compressed and sound engineered/tinkered with. Thoughts? Thanks
Randy McCall - I've used several ADC's over the years for recording Voiceovers and Music directly to disk. There are several good, affordable ones these days. I've been pleased as punch with my Focusrite Scarlett units, and have a friend with a high-end studio who has several rack-mount units, but for his own recording, he loves the Scarletts as well. If you so desire, you can run a tube preamp in front of them, but I haven't felt it renders much of an advantage in digital conversion, adds noise (though I do enjoy their effect on my home stereo system, where the noise is below the sensitivity of the speakers, so far as practical playback and listening go). FWIW.
I've been battling the sound distortion problem a long time. Even invested in a $500 turntable. Finally started reading cartridge reviews with more skepticism. I came across this video and decided to order the current available model of the blue Audio Technica cartridge. The turntable now rivals my CD player. Really made a difference. Experts were telling me the records were probably made with low grade vinyl. Glad I didn't buy the cartridge I was going to order before I watched this. Not everyone hears those flaws. It had great reviews then you get to the bottom and read one from the one guy who hears that awful distortion I had. Glad I found this video.
I used to use Stanton 500 carts back in the 90's and had lots of problems with them. I then moved to Ortofon Pro S Concordes which don't require a headshell and I've never looked back since. They track literally any record you give them even ones that are severely warped they still play them perfectly. Really good sound quality too and the styluses are reasonably priced.
My 'vinyl journey' is astonishingly similar to yours - except I did not lose my original collection. As for the cartridge journey, once I had got back into using vinyls as my main music source, I picked up a lot up really useful advice from the internet and realised that turntable and cartridge set up really is science - literally. Attention to detail to cartridge alignment and record cleaning is now getting the attention it has always needed. Often missed however are two other - very basic - set up necessities. (1) Having the turntable dead level in all directions and (2) Having the turntable (In my case a modest ProJect RPM 1) standing on a really solid surface - essential for damping out any stray vibrations. I use a 2" thick slab of worktop granite! As for the cartridge, I upgraded my very good Ortofon 2M Red to the totally stunning Ortofon 2M Black. Totally thrilled with the outcome, the collection is now pure joy to listen to.
loved your down to earth review of your cartridges, its made me think about setup more, I'm gonna shop for a tracking weight gauge, I've subscribed to your channel
If your AT440 sounds a bit too bright for you, try to go up to 1.8 grams for your VTF (and anti-skating too). Not only it eliminates the excessive brightness, but also makes the soundstage tighter and more focused. Made a huge difference for me.
Hi Craig, great videos, especially this one and the one with preamp removal. I would really like to see your guide of how to properly set up turntable, cartridge alighment etc... My vote for that to be published soon. Keep up the good work! Thank You.
This was an entertaining listen. Many of us have been down the same road and it can be an expensive and frustrating journey. Lately I switch between the at440mla and Grado prestige red. Bought them both about 10yrs ago when they were basically half the cost of today. True, the at440 tracks like a bloodhound and IGD is non-existent but the Grado is simply more musical to my ears. No hum to speak of on my SL-1200. Greetings from Montreal.
I purchased a Pioneer PLX-500 in October and it came with a Pioneer [Nagaoka]PN-X05 cartridge. I never used this cartridge but used an Ortofon 2M Red. Since then I upgraded continuously thru the Blue, Bronze and finally the Black. Each cartridge sounded better than the last, bring out more details and quality tonal until finally I end up with a cartridge that had a wide sound stage, great stereo separation, and runs with a VTF of 1.5g. I'm extremely satisfied with the sound of my turntable I'd recommend any of the Ortofon 2M cartridges. It was the 2M Blue that started my search for the holy grail after upgrading to the moving from the 2M Red to the Blue.
Same thing ... almost gave up... I didn't even play songs at the inner grooves of my records anymore. Inner groove distortion can kill this hobby. Now, that I finally got myself a Nagaoka MP110... it's gone... gone completely. You mave have some sibilance on worn records or just bad pressings. But this Nagaoka is also one of those cartridges that CAN handle it... it's so good. Now I enjoy Johnny Cashs "Spiritual" on "American II" again ... and so many more :-)
I have to say my ortofon cartridge is amazing. One of the best I have heard... I got it on my Dual 505-2. And I got that for just £30! The whole thing. It is a wonderful turntable. So silent after I refurbished it. ;)
Totally enjoyed watching your story. Still using the AT91 cartridge and amazed at the sound quality for the price....when aligned correctly. It only has a conical stylus...who would think it could sound so good! Also, have the same gauge as you. It's a great deal on eBay for cheap....and dead accurate too.
hey craig great video yea cartridges can be a pain at times I went through a lot of cartridges over the years the best ones I found that I like are certain audio technica and shure.One that you may want to try as well are some of the pickering cartridges I never had a problem with them I use them on my old compact stereo and they sound great.Love the videos hope to see more love to see a video on your turntable you bought.
Hey Craig, Very nice video and good information. Ditto on the digital scale (I have the same one). I started with a Pioneer PL-630 TT & a Staton 681EEE. Switched to a VPI Scout three years back. I tried a Denon 103r LOMC, then a Dynavector 10x5 HOMC and finally a Dynavector 20x2 LOMC. I did my research on moving coil carts and decided to try them out. Again great video!
Hi Craig I enjoyed hearing your story and I am glad you didn't give up on vinyl. I am still at the beginning stages of this Hobby and I don't want to ruin the nice collection I am building. I just ordered on Amazon a stylus pressure gauge. Thanks for your advice. P.S I am using an Ortofon Blue with good results.
Great video. I never got away from vinyl. Although my Pioneer PL 12d that I’ve owned for almost 50years now did sit idle for years at a time, never was mothballed. I couldn’t believe all the detail involved with setting up a cart., protractor and what not. On the PL 12d it has a overhang checker to adjust the cartridge. Once that is lined up, you’re good to go. It takes just a couple minutes. Anyway, I purchased a new belt, cleaned and lubed the tt and purchased a new stylus for my Pickering Xv 15 cartridge. It sounds awesome. I also bought a AT 95E just to try it out. I was disappointed. The highs are not high and th lows are not low. Anyways I’m sticking with Pickering. Back in the day I remember buying the whole cartridge instead of just the stylus and throwing the old one out. Man, I threw away a lot of good cartridges. I’ve since added a tube pre-amp and wow what a difference. The sound is very clean, crisp, and detailed. The sound is very warm and blows the boat out of any CD.
I have the Grado Black and I really like it, but you are right - the Grados are prone to hum - unless you have a side mounted motor, I wouldn't recommend them. Glad you found the cart for you - the 440 is definitely a good cart, for sure.
great video man :) I have the exact same cart in exact same head shell lying around the house, I only found it this evening again as I needed to change my stylus.. and then I found this video! :)
Before seeing this video I bought 2 cartridges as replacement for my newly bought vintage Turntables. Was looking for an AT95E but the store only have another model of AT that I wasn't familiar with which I bought it anyway. Then this video. Guess what I bought? its the AT91! And thanks to you I'm glad I did! Cheers!
Interesting video Craig. I am getting back into vinyl after 20 years and coming across issues i never seemed to have before.. my old marantz TT and my dads never had the IGD blight, but my project 1.3 with om3e cart do.. so im looking for a cart. Nice to hear you talk about your journey, i like your style bro.
OG brewing company!! I live near there and as of the writing of this comment, (June 17, 2020) it was THE LAST PUBLIC PLACE I had a beer in! Nice shirt!
Very good video Craig. I could not agree more on your feelings about Grado and Shure Cartridges. The ML 440A is a great Cart at The less than $200 mark. I think it even beats a few that cost upwards of $500.My favorites include Ortofon,Sumo and AT in the $500 or less category. I cannot afford anything nicer than those. Glad you stuck it out and found something that works for you. Peace My Friend!
Hello Craig, just started following you on your channel, enjoying your reviews. I am into vinyl records and turn tables and I use Shure cartridges, I have never had any problems with tracking distortion on the inner grooves, I am using three Shure cartridges presently, V15VXMR, V15V-MR and the 97XE, the 97XE cartridge is interchangeable with the V15VXMR, so what I do is put the stylus of 97XE on the body of the V15VXMR just to save the stylus of the V15VXMR, when I want to listen to albums that have high passages I then switch the styli around, like when I am in the mood to listen to Fausto Papetti blowing his alto sax, Zamfir on his flute or Pepe Jaramillo on the piano. these albums sound fantastic using the V15VXMR. I recently gave my son a Thorens TD165 with the V15V-MR installed and he is enjoying it. I currently use a Thorens TD160 with an SME 3009 arm, my equipment is not top of the line but I have everything adjusted and balanced very well and I am enjoying the music, the Shure cartridges serve me well, never had a problem with them, unfortunately Shure has stopped making cartridges so I have to take care of the ones I have. I enjoy your videos, please keep them coming. Regards. Norman Santos.
I just wanted to thank you for introducing me to the AT440mla I also wanted to let you know that you can still get it at LP Gear. I purchased two premounted from there and they are great! I looked it up again today and they do have them. Thanks again!
@@eroinverzo1102 I just checked and you can still buy this cartridge premounted from LP Gear. $439.00 If you just want the stylus they have that as well.😊
For a budget moving magnet cartridge I have been recommending the Audio-Technica 440 ml for about 20 years now. And for a entry level moving coil I recommend the audio-Technica OC 9. I have done the research I like the shelter 501
As the 440 seems to be no longer available, I decided to buy its succesor the VM540ML. Great cartrigde. Thank you for your great videos and enthousiam!
Thanks for your story. Recently i ordered a sexond hand Luxman PD 290. It hasn't arrived yet but it came fitted with a Audio Technica AT430A cartridge. And after what i have read on the interwebs, it is basically an AT120A with a bit better stylus, maybe one step below the 440. Im excited to listen to it when it arrives, but i was glad to hear your experiences with the 440 :)
Thanks for posting your Cart journey & adventure!! I started a VC back in 1972 with a Thornes TD-160 .. which has been in storage for 30 yrs... while I restore it, I picked up a Teac TN 570 with the fiber optic output & an AT-100E cart.. which is a fairly decent sounding set up.. but I did have to fine tune the gram weight with a digital scale to get it correct. So now I'm looking for a cart that will fit the Thornes Td-160 head shell.. one that was recommended was the NAGAOKA MP-110H .. but after watching a youtube video of it up against the at440, the 440 picked up all the nuances that the Mp-110 missed due it covers the grove best!! So I'm probably going to try and mount a 440 stylus onto the At100e.. but I have no idea if it will fit? You video's helped me sort all this out!! Thanks
I love my Shure 97XE Cartridge! I have the same turntable as you. I did just order a digital stylus gauge seeing how far off our turntable tracking force weight is it seems!! That scares me!! Been using the 97XE for about 6 months now!!!. Although the cartridge you are using in this video is my dream cartridge!! Another great video!! Thank you!!
Hi Craig - I'm another dude who has recently re-discovered vinyl, I bought the same AT turntable that you did! Having watched your video I'm seriously considering the AT440 cart. I'd love a cartridge alignment video - there's a blog I found that has the correct Stephenson protractor for the AT-LP120 but as there are no instructions on how to do the adjustments I'm terrified of stuffing it up and damaging records. I'd love to have a crack at adjusting the original cartridge that comes with the turntable as I'm sure I'm experiencing a little inner groove distortion. Thanks for the great videos, I'm subscribing :-)
I have come along way too, I was in the same boat as you were had many turntables in the 70s Never set anything just played the records ,I had an old pioneer turntable that would only sound good with pressure on the stylus so I glued a penny to and It and it actually sounded pretty good
Thanks Craig. I've recently been taking a closer look at my turntable and its setup. I wasn't really interested in it until I ran into your videos and how to set it up. A year ago I did my initial setup and now I'm looking at re cleaning and going over my setup. The reason? My G/F gave me a new Sargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club album, and it really blows me away. And I'm thinking, gees, if I just take a closer look at some of these things, it might really perform. Thanks Craig, I feel like we're buddies.
Great video! The Audio-Technica AT-91 is still on the market and a good performer certainly if we take the price it costs take into account. A good beginners cart that won't destroy your records, unlike the Crosley Cruiser and the like crap. By the way, the Pioneer turntables all came with a transparent plastic device for aligning the cartridge. I have a PL-550 that is the (roughly) direct drive version of the one you once had. I just replaced a micro switch for changing the speeds that was faulty. It is like new again. As for cartridges, it can be quite a challenge to find a cart that will feel happy on the tone arm in your turntable. Grado carts are a nightmare....for the reasons you mentioned, I totally agree. I stick with Audio-Technica and that is the very same you are using. For exactly the same reasons that you explain in this video. It brings out the best from your records and it is even capable of extracting sounds you've never heard before. I also have the AT-150 that is much more expensive but ony marginally better. This shows clearly that small improvements will set you back much more money. The AT-440MLa is a magical little performer worth every cent. Be careful though. It features a micro line needle so it demands very accurate mounting and allignment. And absolute NO back queing or a cue burn will ruin your vinyl. The footprint in the groove is so small that this will instantly be the case. And yes, the AT-120E will suit most record lovers. It is a lot cheaper and delivers almost the same sounds. The cart is exactly the same, only the needle (orange) is elliptical. A great replacement for many, many cartridges that have worn or damaged needles.
In the 80's, I worked at a quite big electronic store and could compare before I would buy. My best cartridge was from a liquidation of old stock from Technics in the form of a Technics EPC-100C MK3 just shy of $100.00 and I jumped on the deal. Great cartridge and it still works very well on my JVC QL-Y55F with its elector-servo tonearm a la Denon. I invested in a second turntable, another deal for a Sanyo TP 1024 and for it I chose the Audio Technica AT125LC and in 1985 it was quite good and still does when I fire up the old turntables which is less and less nowadays. Now, mp3 players so much lighter and sound wonderful in my old ears. but I still have 4 turntables and a few spare cartridges. I think I'll go put a Led Zeppelin LP on the 55F and enjoy it to the fullest. Thanks for the memories.
I've used both the AT90E and AT95E and loved them both. Then I upgraded to a Grado Prestige green and was absolutely blown away. was very worried about the hum but there was none at all on my Sony PS4300. Have the tracking force at 1.7 and decided to not use a protractor. Using a protractor didn't work when I installed it (sounded bad) after that I just simply had it parallel with my headshell and it is absolutely perfect. If you get a chance to use your Grado on a different table I highly recommend giving it a try :)
Good video! I realize this video is over 5 years old now, but my cartridge/turntable journey has kinda been the same as yours. I did have a similar issue with my 1st Grado cartridge, an entry level MT+, but i found that was pretty much turnable dependent. My MT+ had a low hum on my Sony PS-LX2 turntable, but was nice & quiet on my Technics SL-D3. I also found that the Grado were a little stiffer in compliance than my other MM cartridges & really needed a higher tracking weight to get it to track. But, when it was finally dialed-in, it really sounded nice. My absolute best MM cartridges are my Shure V15 mk.V & my Stanton 681EEE which are both wonderful sounding, but that darn Grado will give them a run for their money & it was only a very inexpensive entry-level cartridge when I bought it. I do have to agree that some cartridges do sound better on some turntables than on others, but given a correct setup & tracking weight, I have found that this is more related to the mass of the tonearm the cartridge is mounted on. In the case of my very compliant Shure & Stanton cartridges, they sound best on a low-mass arm. Whereas, the stiffer Grado really seems to benefit from a medium mass arm, where the arm has more inertia for the cartridge to work against. But, I am still learning as well & I have been into this hobby for over 50 years. Lots of fun when you get everything setup just right!
I have listened to few comparisons on youtube and I totally agree with you. The high frequencies of the AT440MLa are so clear - it makes me understand what actually "High-End" means. Some people don't like it. But to me - the clearer the high frequencies are - the more precise music sounds.
I got very lucky with my journey in the vinyl stylus/cart category. I too have the Stanton 720ee, the AT 95e that came with the exact turntable you have. But because of my passion of quadraphonic sound, the AT440 Mla was highly recommended because of its capability of detecting the high frequency carrier wave signal that throws the separate rear stereo channels to their appropriate place. Inner groove distortion is not a problem for me as well. I track at about 1.8 - 2.0 grams depending on the vinyl format that I'm playing. (standard, SQ, CD-4 quad) I also do need to hear more high end, because the bass will always be there on most styli's. Brightness is the term most used, but I prefer to use the term clarity, because there is a difference in those terms. If the cart is in fact to harsh/bright, I just adjust my treble settings a bit. Happy to check out your VC vids! Vinyl IS final!
@Craig (and others!) when you do align your cartridge, remember that you're actually aligning the stylus! Some styluses (styli?) are not perfectly parallel to the cartridge, so make sure that you get down to eye level with your cartridge and check that the stylus itself is parallel with the lines. On my at440 for example, the stylus is not perfectly parallel and so while the cartridge (the plastic purple part) is not perfectly aligned with my protractor lines, I check that the stylus itself (the part that touches the record) is in fact lined up. Just a little thing that eluded me for a while!
I recently bought an old MCS (Hitachi) turntable from a thrift that came with an AT91. The stylus was bent down, at least 30-40º from normal. I bent it back down and and the needle is still good and straight. Surprisingly, it sounds really good. Channel balance seems to be fine and the sound is very well balanced and clear. Crazy...
Another great video, Craig! By the date, and year or this broadcast I can understand that it's a very early one; because I've watched close to a dozen of your other excellent videos. And I've commented on them. I am certainly fortunate because I did not have the cartridge problems that you had. In my case, I replaced the original cartridge from my belt drive turntable that has automatic return; and installed a new, different, and I believe better, higher performing cartridge that gets more detail from the record's grooves, and pushes the instruments, and voice to the front. The music also has a wider range of high and lower notes. Sounds are more full, and accurate; but it could also be the elliptical stylus on the Stanton L-700E phono cartridge (1997). It's connected by TP4 that I installed on my Kenwood KD26R belt drive, with IC servo motor (of 1987), TP4 tonearm. Later at the end of 1998 I got a Sony CD player, and so up to now I did not play back vinyl much; so I understand that after at least 20 years I've got to change the stylus! The Stanton manual says from 350 to 300 hours. I researched on the Internet; 500, or 1000 hours. You're wondering what am I doing all that time, I've got to buy a new Stanton D70E stylus, and I'm going to! During that time I was playing music CDs, and the occasional cassette tape. I'm fortunate to have a good tape deck; a Harman Kardon TD302, Dolby B, C (bought in1988), has HX PRO. Therefore, I tend to listen more to analogue playback, except at the end of the 1990s, and deeply into the 2000s I listened to mostly CDs. Besides, 40% of the time I listen to radio (in italics). Recently, I've been listening to vinyl, too. I'm going to eventually get a new Stanton stylus, lucky I found the exact version number of D70E on Amazon.ca. Weird thing is that I searched one web page after another for 20 minutes on a (in italics) specialty Web Site (not Amazon Web Site); I did all the searching I could, and did not find this Stanton stylus! I thought I'm lost, may as well buy another different cartridge, or turntable, eventually I may take that choice. Stanton stylus D70E is exactly what is listed on Amazon.ca! Can I trust Amazon about a small, esoteric item? So, Craig, can this stylus be the exact one? Why does a specialty Web Site for phono cartridges, Styli not have this Stanton stylus, but Amazon.ca does carry it? Thanks for any wise advise that you can give me, and anybody here that could be encountering the same problem.
I have the same cartridge. I got a new stylus for it from Needle Doctor, but it cost me a arm and a leg for shipping and import fees! I don't believe it's an actual Stanton stylus, but an after market item. It sounds ok but I'm not getting the best channel separation for some reason. Someone told me to give it another try at different weight settings. The stylus you are looking at on amazon will fit that cartridge. I just don't know what the build quality is.
Thank you for getting back to me, Craig, I eventually purchased that stylus from Amazon.ca, and I'll try it out on my Stanton cartridge. It's disappointing to hear about the problem of channel separation. I hope you can find out about this weight setting thing, as well @@VinylTV33
Very nice video. I am partial to Ortofon cartridges myself and usually install an OM10 on the turntables I sell that need a new cart. For its price, it is a wonderful cartridge. However, I was not able to install one on a NEC turntable because it is too high. This is one thing to keep in mind when shopping for a cart; although not a problem on tonearms with height adjustment. Of course, here in Europe, the Ortofon line is easy to find which doesn't seem to be the case on your side of the water. My top model is the 2M Bronze. A wonderful, wonderful cartridge but, I know, not in everyone's budget. I got lucky and found mine for a very good price. Being used at the moment on a Grundig PS65 (Lenco L75) but I hope to move it to my Revox Linear-Tracking B795. One important aspect of the choice of a cart that you did not go into is the fact that, like speakers, it is very personal. We do not all have the same ears and a cart I enjoy may not sound that good to you. Also, the goal of a Hi-Fi system is high fidelity in the reproduction of sounds (I know, that sounds obvious) and I'm constantly telling newbies to test speakers, cartridges and other gear with acoustic music, the only way to know if said reproduction is correct. Of course, people who have never hear any acoustic instruments have a problem. But an argument I use to make that point is U2's The Edge. I like the band so, do not see this as a critic. The Edge, as he explains himself in the to-be-seen documentary "It might get loud," uses a different set of effects for each song; how are you supposed to test anything with their music? Last but not least, like you, I cannot stress enough the importance of correct mounting-adjusment of the cartridge. And, my number one pet peeve, make sure your turntable is level. Three points to check: level side-to-side, level front-to-back and level between the spindle and the cart. Thanks for your no-nonsense approach. Keep up the good work.
Just a FYI, A/T has an alignment gauge that fits snuggly on the back of the cartridge and has a groove at the front, a "V" that perfectly aligns the cartridge and let's you adjust for the exact overhang, 52mm. Very easy to use. I have two of them. I also double check overhang by laying the cart/headshell on it's side and measure from the back of the washer to the tip of the stylus.
I'm a sucker for the AT3600 and the ATN91. I've tried ortofon and others but the 3600 albeit an entry level cartridge steals the show for me. It's cheap, it sounds great and easy to mount
Great video ! Just bought a At-vm95en will arrive next week. I should had look this video before because I saw a RUclips video that was comparing inner groove and I was blown away by the At440 but the review was saying that it was too clear. But I should had bought it anyway. I hope I will be happy with the inner groove of the 95en...
God's honest truth..... the Sure M97XE doesn't sound dull in the highend. I have one on my Rega RP1 and it sounds awesome. Great video from fellow Canadian.
Craig, I’ve been saving my pennies, and I just ordered the VM540ML (updated version of your recommendation). I’m *extremely* sensitive to sibilance, so I’m hopeful this will finally solve the problem. Any chance of getting a copy of your “After All” 45? I love the song!
I've been listening to this cart for a bit now, and the best compliment I can give it is that I don't regret the sizable purchase. While it hasn't 100% eradicated all sibilance from every recording, there's a certain aesthetic to the sound with this stylus that somehow lays bare when sibilance is a mastering issue as opposed to a stylus issue - if that makes sense. Some of the more egregious offenders still contain it, but it sounds either innate to the mastering or innate to the recording as opposed to being so in-your-face that you can't help but hear it as a hardware problem. And yet there are other albums that are completely saved now - the first and second Dream Academy albums, for example. They were absolutely riddled with sibilance before and don't exhibit even a trace of it now. Thanks so much for the recommendation. I'm very, very happy. :)
Just avoid playing old 45s and styrene records with a finely cut stylus as the records might be damaged. Conical styli are best for styrene and mono records.
One thing I realize that I have taken for granted in my life is that digital has really made some things more consistent, particularly if a person was diligent about their file types/ music services. Even the cassette era on really made things much more straightforward: while things might still need a tweak it seems you had to worry a lot less about things like speed calibration, tracking weights, alignments, you name it.
I have an AT91 cartridge and the people I bought it from told me I didn't have to worry about aligning the cartridge properly because it had a spherical stylus. Like you, I have had issues with records sounding worst as the stylus drifts towards the centre but didn't realise that it was the result of inner-groove distortion. Now that I've seen this video, I'll definitely align the cartridge properly and I'm very interested to see how much of an improvement it makes.
Interesting how everyone's taste is so different in cartridges. Craig hates the Shure M97e, but I really liked it & it's become somewhat legendary & in demand lately.
Great story with a happy end! Curious if part of why you like the old cartridge is its spherical needle. Some say lp's till the end of the seventies where cut specific for spherical diamants; mainly because most playback systems had this type. Not sure about it.
I picked up a Technics SL-1700 MK2 in a second hand store that needed a tone arm belt also works the Queing and tone arm rest lock was broke..I got it for $250 and put $60 in it replaced parts only to find this on the orginal head shell an almost new Acutex M320 iii STR Improved cart.great sound.
I like my Shure 97xxxx it goes well my 1970/Dual 1218 and it cleans the dust, I must live in dust bowl 2 Boxers, may be I have gotten accustomed to the warm/mellow tube like sound, if I ever get a tube preamp I may flip out lol. My experience with force gauge was the same too much or too little is a problem. I like you explanations and expressed aggravations, educated ears are also a factor. Hearing damage I’m now getting close to 68 years old if it aggravates me it must go. Happy with my setup, for NOW. What the future will bring to a guy with 4 copies of Stickey Fingers, who knows. Thanks
My Thorens TD-165 was purchased with an Empire cartridge pre-mounted. When it came time to replace the Empire, I got a Shure M-91ed, which I was initially disappointed with. The Empire had a very warm sound, and the Shure was totally un-colored, which sounded dull to me. It took a while, but IF eventually got used to it. The Thorens had a mounting overlay for the head shell, so when it came to aligning the M-91ed, all you had to do was make sure that the stylus was nestled in the v-shaped notch, and it was properly aligned.
If you ever get your hands on a turntable where the motor is not that close to the spindle or where the motor is well shielded you should try the Grado Gold again if you still have it :)
They are only pickups- a box with coils, magnets, a cantilever, and a stylus. Don't overcomplicate what essentially is a fairly concept. And enjoy the music, don't worry that your vinyl is a ticking time bomb- it's meant to be played.
Great video, Craig! I recently bought the AT440mlb...the new version of the 440mla. Yes. OMG..the sound blew me away. Sounds and details from my records just came oozing out, even from my worst albums. And the IGD? A thing of the past. I wanted to upgrade to the AT150mlx but, sadly, Audio Technica recently discontinued it. I'm totally sold on the Microline cut stylus and don't wanna go back to elliptical, so I'm gonna repurchase another AT440mlb soon before the price goes up and they discontinue it. Btw, can you tell me which protractor you used? I have a Pioneer Plx-1000 TTable and I aligned the cart solely per the AT's instructions and a loupe. Keep rocking and making more videos. :)
Thanks Craig! I have the same cartridge (AT95E) and turntable as you and have to agree that the alignment is way off. I downloaded and printed a protractor and have noticed dramatic improvement in quality and reduced groove distortion. Why don't manufacturers align cartridges properly to begin with? :(
Very true definitely do your research there are a lot of carts out there I myself have the shure 97xe it's a quality cart that doesn't fatigue your ears I can listen to music for hours on it and it sounds great. The audio technica is also a very good cart it rates higher then ortofon black and is half the price you can't go wrong with that one.
I had one of those 440's . . . it was great but I had the problem with the high end that you mentioned . . . the truth is, the turntable matters! I had a Dual 1219 automatic deck . . . it wasn't until I got the Denon 60L that I realized how much the turntable effects the cart sound! I went with a Grado high end cart . . . I also have a AT higher end then the 440 . . . sold the 440 but would love to hear it on the Denon . . .
Wondering if you could do a video or even just reply to my comment here and talk about advice on different preamps, receivers, and speakers. This video really helped me a lot in understanding and picking out a good cartridge. I'd love to hear what you use and how you feel about different products you've tried with the other equipment as well. Thanks!
I have three turntables in my audio system. I have a NOS Dual 1219 idler drive with a Shure M97xe moving magnet cartridge and a Grado Black. The M97 is a far more superior cartridge than the Grado with great sound. I have a Denon DP-300F auto belt drive with an Ortofon 2M Red moving magnet cartridge. The Red is a good quality cartridge for the money, and the sound may be a little better than the Shure. The next one is my favorite, an AR XB that has been retro rod. The outer appearance looks stock, but underneath has all the modifications with modern parts that makes this table perform superior to when it was new. I have an Audio Technica AT-MONO 3 mono cartridge, an Audio Technica AT-440OCC which is the predecessor to your AT-440MLa. What makes the XB table sound its best is the Denon DL-110 moving coil cartridge. This is by far the best cartridge I have ever used. The 110 is ten times better than the 440OCC. This cartridge was gifted to me from a friend from an Audio forum that will always be in my cartridge collection. I would highly recommend anyone to get the Denon DL-110 cartridge. They are a little pricey due to a price increase, but it is worth every penny if and when you can afford it. I'm also thinking about moving up the 2M ladder at some point. I hope this helps, and I enjoy your videos.
Bang on, no nonsense went through similar learning curve, bought the Audio Technica At 150 Mlx which is one up from 440 and like you had fantastic results, I also run a Koetsu Black Gold Line which also has good tracking abilities without issues with inner groove distortion I don't know how people can tolerate cartridges with poor tracking abilities I cannot stand inner groove distortion it totally spoils the listening experience especially when artistically the last track can be the highlight of the piece.The tip seems to be the key Micro groove, or VDH-1 seem to be ideal.
I JUST BOUGHT A AT91 TODAY!! I got it for $49 cad new in box and set it up literally a few hours ago and it sounds great!!! Much better than my prior Shure m92e
now this is a MAJOR rabbit hole - this topic... you'd be amazed how deep you can fall down.... i started in the 1979 or so and still falling into it!
It would be awesome if you did the alignment vid!
Thank you Craig,
New subscriber here. I’ve really been enjoying you videos recently. Being born in 67 I also grew up with records. I got back into vinyl when a friend of mine was in need of money and sold me about 150 records for $50. He really wasn’t using them so they were pretty much dead weight taking up space for him. At that time I didn’t have my own turntable. This now having all these records with many in pristine shape created a huge incentive for getting a nice turntable. After some research I was pretty much decided on a turntable. My father then asked me what I would like for a Christmas present. I jokingly suggested a Technics SL1200MK series. Low and behold my father found a used SL1200MK2 in very good shape, minus a dust cover and cartridge for a decent price. Just recently I had my RCA cord go flaky again on me, and bought a new cable to solder on. I’m choosing to leave the factory ground on and just use the cable portion rather than this new cable with its own internal ground design circuit board attached. Luckily since my cord took my table out of commission for sometime, I didn’t actually have it set up to play for sometime and never did play it for very long before the cable issue. Luckily for me I just learned about all the alignments that need done. I wasn’t even aware of the cartridge alignment thing. Thank God I now have a protractor tool I downloaded and printed. I then scanned this printout increasing the enlargement in 1% increments until the calibration line on the protractor measured exactly the right length with my digital caliper. I’m now very excited to get my new cable soldered on, and get everything calibrated correctly. I think I will use my usb borescope to see if I can get a good look at the stylus tip however before any calibration. My cart is a Shure N44-7 with original stylus. If I have an issue, I might look into the blue audio technica one you like so much. I learned that the Shure N44-7 was a very robust DJ type cartridge, and since 2018 Shure no longer makes the original stylus. Other manufactures make ones compliant with the cart supposedly, but I don’t like the idea too much. Anyways, I will keep you updated on how my needle is, and how it sounds after correct alignment for probably the 1st time. Can’t wait to throw on my mint copy I have of “In Search of The Lost Cord by The Moody Blues.”
Cheers my friend from Mike over here in the USA. 🍺😎👍
AT 91 is my favourite cart. It's interchangeable with other styli and the sound-stage is incredible, for such a budget cartridge
The replacement model is the AT-VM95 series.
Great video Craig. Its very well informed. And those shipping rates....sheesh! Glad you found yourself a cart that works well for you.
I've really enjoyed all of your videos multiple times. I'm looking forward to your future videos 👍
great video. thanks for taking the time. I can feel yr frustration and disappointment in your cartridge exploration. thanks for sharing
Nice video! :)
Your story is very similar to mine, and i'm sure it's similar to many, many people around the world too, (i'm from Portugal) who have more or less the same age, or at least who is old enough to have witnessed the fall of vinyl and the rise of cd.
Yes, the 440 was my vehicle for rediscovering vinyl too, after 20 plus years of digital diet! To the point of my enthusiasm lead me to start uploading vinyl videos with my growing vinyl collection, and share the music with the world.
To be accurate, my first decent cartridge that i bought for my return to vinyl, was the Ortofon Red that you mentioned on your video. It's very nice too, but not on the same league of the 440, in my opinion. To be fair, it's cheaper than the 440.
I even made a video comparing both carts, eh eh!
Take a look at my channel if you want to, the 440 is the "star" of most of them, but on the more recent ones, i'm using a AT150MLX.
Best regards
Rui
Fico feliz quando vejo amantes de viníl como eu no meu proprio país. entretanto ainda me mantenho pela 2Mred. Em breve farei a actualização para a que voces recomendam
Watched the whole vid while eating dinner .I'm shopping for a new cart myself and this was very insightive thank you.
I looked up your music...I'm impressed (I'm talking about that vinyl you're holding). I've been enjoying your commentary on cartridges through multiple videos.
I'm glad you didn't get an Ortofon Red. Like you, I was using the LP120, had the stock cart (95E) on there and I was a happy camper with it for 18 months or so. When it came time to upgrade the cartridge, I was a little more serious about how good I wanted it to sound. I did some research and really liked the sound of the 2M Red. I bought the pre mounted version that has its own head shell as I read that it would be aligned well if you put it on a technics SL1200 which is what the LP120 is based from. I was blown away with how great it sounded, I thought it was the best thing ever. But lo and behold, INNER GROOVE DISTORTION just like the 95E had.
Like you, I cannot deal with IGD and it really rains on the vinyl experience So I think you would've been let down by the 2M Red, although it does sound great, I just couldn't handle the IGD.
A couple of months ago I decided to buy the AT100e, aligned it properly and there was significantly lower IGD and it has that really crisp detailed high end which I love. I'm told that the 100e, 120e and 440mla/b cartridges are all the same so my next investment will definitely be the 440mlb stylus. I've heard that due to the shape of the stylus, it can track deeper into previously untouched parts of the groove and bring older worn records back to life.
Anyway, I'm rambling. Really enjoyed the video. I have a demo of the AT100e on my channel if you're interested, could be a good one for your DJ'ing, it sounds a lot better than the AT95e in my opinion. Take care!
My story is the same as your Greg. I found a cartridge that just turns heads on my 1229 :Astatic MP 200 Shabbat. I have the cartridge alignment gauge for stylus high and alignment. I have a a digital pressure gauge, and a mirror protractor, have a funk audio platter mate, and a York Phono stage. Align any cartridge well and vinyl sound fantastic. Love the Thoren TD 160 with my Jelco 550S and a GoldNote Donatello Red, it is marvellous.
Hi Craig, thanks for your story.
I think it is a special thing how you explained your journey, your story actually made me decide on the right cartridge, as you explained clearly all the pro and cons.
For me as i am looking for an upgrade to my current cartridge, i looked at the AT440 multiple times, but some say this...some say that... this cartridge sounds like this etc...and i was really surprised when you finally mentioned the at440; i thought it would be yet again another cartridge i had to look into. Thanks for confirming, what other people also described on the internet and forums, and i am totally going going to buy the at440, :P
I learned so much from your alignment vid! Just back unit vinyl as of 2 weeks ago. That should be a few college credits. Indeed once the proper measurements and alignments are learned, a very braid and rich soundstage can be achieved. I didn't see this vid till now or may have tried the AT series, but I put my faith in a Nagaoka MP-110 for my Pioneer PL-7 TT, and for me, there's no looking back. Just a great performer and loved the feedback I was getting for the cost. Appreciate your efforts.
Yes, yes, yes. I have most of the cartridges you mentioned, and definitely the AT 440 is the ticket. The sound is as close as you’re going to get to an MC cart. Great video and relevant to a lot of what of other people have gone thru. Keep up the good work.
Another great video Craig, what a teacher. You make me want to get into vinyl.
Very analytical and informative. Thank you
Craig, I am an audiophile for 30 plus years and I am impressed with your plain English nuts and bolts approach to vinyl equipment and how to get the most out of it. I am ashamed to say, I have never set up a turntable as I always depended on an audiophile shop to do that for me. Now I know how and don't have to avoid inter-changing cartridges because I don't know how. Beyond that, you obviously have spent a lot of time tinkering, talking and researching as you know what you are talking about on all subjects. I have also went down a similar path. One thing that seems to elude conversation is ADC's - (Analog Digital Converter )- which is the opposite to a DAC. For the longest time it was hard to find a decent quality ADC unit to record from a high end turntable to digital to record my vinyl collection which is quite useful for portable devices like cell phones and home stereos. The turntables available with built in ADC's and USB connection are not of the caliber of turntable or ADC that I was looking for and somewhat redundant as I already have a turntable. I happen to know some audiophile purists that have tossed their CD collection and have recorded the same albums at home with software programs like Audacity, high end ADCs and turntables and swear that the quality is better than most CD's..? They claim the CD's are compressed and sound engineered/tinkered with. Thoughts? Thanks
Randy McCall - I've used several ADC's over the years for recording Voiceovers and Music directly to disk. There are several good, affordable ones these days. I've been pleased as punch with my Focusrite Scarlett units, and have a friend with a high-end studio who has several rack-mount units, but for his own recording, he loves the Scarletts as well. If you so desire, you can run a tube preamp in front of them, but I haven't felt it renders much of an advantage in digital conversion, adds noise (though I do enjoy their effect on my home stereo system, where the noise is below the sensitivity of the speakers, so far as practical playback and listening go). FWIW.
I've been battling the sound distortion problem a long time. Even invested in a $500 turntable. Finally started reading cartridge reviews with more skepticism. I came across this video and decided to order the current available model of the blue Audio Technica cartridge. The turntable now rivals my CD player. Really made a difference. Experts were telling me the records were probably made with low grade vinyl. Glad I didn't buy the cartridge I was going to order before I watched this. Not everyone hears those flaws. It had great reviews then you get to the bottom and read one from the one guy who hears that awful distortion I had. Glad I found this video.
I used to use Stanton 500 carts back in the 90's and had lots of problems with them. I then moved to Ortofon Pro S Concordes which don't require a headshell and I've never looked back since. They track literally any record you give them even ones that are severely warped they still play them perfectly. Really good sound quality too and the styluses are reasonably priced.
My 'vinyl journey' is astonishingly similar to yours - except I did not lose my original collection. As for the cartridge journey, once I had got back into using vinyls as my main music source, I picked up a lot up really useful advice from the internet and realised that turntable and cartridge set up really is science - literally.
Attention to detail to cartridge alignment and record cleaning is now getting the attention it has always needed. Often missed however are two other - very basic - set up necessities.
(1) Having the turntable dead level in all directions and
(2) Having the turntable (In my case a modest ProJect RPM 1) standing on a really solid surface - essential for damping out any stray vibrations. I use a 2" thick slab of worktop granite!
As for the cartridge, I upgraded my very good Ortofon 2M Red to the totally stunning Ortofon 2M Black.
Totally thrilled with the outcome, the collection is now pure joy to listen to.
One more vote for an alignment video with instructions on finding and printing the paper protractor! Great Vids Thanks
loved your down to earth review of your cartridges, its made me think about setup more, I'm gonna shop for a tracking weight gauge, I've subscribed to your channel
If your AT440 sounds a bit too bright for you, try to go up to 1.8 grams for your VTF (and anti-skating too). Not only it eliminates the excessive brightness, but also makes the soundstage tighter and more focused. Made a huge difference for me.
Hi Craig, great videos, especially this one and the one with preamp removal. I would really like to see your guide of how to properly set up turntable, cartridge alighment etc... My vote for that to be published soon. Keep up the good work!
Thank You.
This was an entertaining listen. Many of us have been down the same road and it can be an expensive and frustrating journey. Lately I switch between the at440mla and Grado prestige red. Bought them both about 10yrs ago when they were basically half the cost of today. True, the at440 tracks like a bloodhound and IGD is non-existent but the Grado is simply more musical to my ears. No hum to speak of on my SL-1200. Greetings from Montreal.
Totally agree, hated the m97xE, bought a 440MLa and never looked back. Amazing cartridge.
I purchased a Pioneer PLX-500 in October and it came with a Pioneer [Nagaoka]PN-X05 cartridge. I never used this cartridge but used an Ortofon 2M Red. Since then I upgraded continuously thru the Blue, Bronze and finally the Black. Each cartridge sounded better than the last, bring out more details and quality tonal until finally I end up with a cartridge that had a wide sound stage, great stereo separation, and runs with a VTF of 1.5g. I'm extremely satisfied with the sound of my turntable I'd recommend any of the Ortofon 2M cartridges. It was the 2M Blue that started my search for the holy grail after upgrading to the moving from the 2M Red to the Blue.
Same thing ... almost gave up... I didn't even play songs at the inner grooves of my records anymore. Inner groove distortion can kill this hobby. Now, that I finally got myself a Nagaoka MP110... it's gone... gone completely. You mave have some sibilance on worn records or just bad pressings. But this Nagaoka is also one of those cartridges that CAN handle it... it's so good. Now I enjoy Johnny Cashs "Spiritual" on "American II" again ... and so many more :-)
Looking to upgrade my equipment, your videos are excellent! Thanks for the information on what to look for, what to do and everything in between!
I have to say my ortofon cartridge is amazing. One of the best I have heard... I got it on my Dual 505-2. And I got that for just £30! The whole thing. It is a wonderful turntable. So silent after I refurbished it. ;)
Totally enjoyed watching your story. Still using the AT91 cartridge and amazed at the sound quality for the price....when aligned correctly. It only has a conical stylus...who would think it could sound so good! Also, have the same gauge as you. It's a great deal on eBay for cheap....and dead accurate too.
I like how you look like a proud dad of that cartridge!
hey craig great video yea cartridges can be a pain at times I went through a lot of cartridges over the years the best ones I found that I like are certain audio technica and shure.One that you may want to try as well are some of the pickering cartridges I never had a problem with them I use them on my old compact stereo and they sound great.Love the videos hope to see more love to see a video on your turntable you bought.
Very interesting video - I just switched out my A/T cartridge for a Nagaoka and wow what a big difference in sound. My records never sounded so good.
I like the Nagaoka mp110 sound with my set up.
Hey Craig,
Very nice video and good information. Ditto on the digital scale (I have the same one).
I started with a Pioneer PL-630 TT & a Staton 681EEE. Switched to a VPI Scout three years back. I tried a Denon 103r LOMC, then a Dynavector 10x5 HOMC and finally a Dynavector 20x2 LOMC. I did my research on moving coil carts and decided to try them out.
Again great video!
Yes to making an alignment video. Cheers!
great video, and great story. Glad you found a cart you like. I use the Shure M97 and works great for me.
Hi Craig I enjoyed hearing your story and I am glad you didn't give up on vinyl. I am still at the beginning stages of this Hobby and I don't want to ruin the nice collection I am building. I just ordered on Amazon a stylus pressure gauge. Thanks for your advice. P.S I am using an Ortofon Blue with good results.
Great video. I never got away from vinyl. Although my Pioneer PL 12d that I’ve owned for almost 50years now did sit idle for years at a time, never was mothballed. I couldn’t believe all the detail involved with setting up a cart., protractor and what not. On the PL 12d it has a overhang checker to adjust the cartridge. Once that is lined up, you’re good to go. It takes just a couple minutes. Anyway, I purchased a new belt, cleaned and lubed the tt and purchased a new stylus for my Pickering Xv 15 cartridge. It sounds awesome. I also bought a AT 95E just to try it out. I was disappointed. The highs are not high and th lows are not low. Anyways I’m sticking with Pickering. Back in the day I remember buying the whole cartridge instead of just the stylus and throwing the old one out. Man, I threw away a lot of good cartridges. I’ve since added a tube pre-amp and wow what a difference. The sound is very clean, crisp, and detailed. The sound is very warm and blows the boat out of any CD.
I got extremely lucky...Technics SL-D202 at Goodwill for $10...The kicker is that it came with a Pickering XV-15/625e
Mark Gray Good find man. Rock on!
AceTechHD Thanks... Love your videos
I have the Grado Black and I really like it, but you are right - the Grados are prone to hum - unless you have a side mounted motor, I wouldn't recommend them. Glad you found the cart for you - the 440 is definitely a good cart, for sure.
great video man :) I have the exact same cart in exact same head shell lying around the house, I only found it this evening again as I needed to change my stylus.. and then I found this video! :)
Before seeing this video I bought 2 cartridges as replacement for my newly bought vintage Turntables. Was looking for an AT95E but the store only have another model of AT that I wasn't familiar with which I bought it anyway. Then this video. Guess what I bought? its the AT91! And thanks to you I'm glad I did! Cheers!
Interesting video Craig. I am getting back into vinyl after 20 years and coming across issues i never seemed to have before.. my old marantz TT and my dads never had the IGD blight, but my project 1.3 with om3e cart do.. so im looking for a cart. Nice to hear you talk about your journey, i like your style bro.
OG brewing company!! I live near there and as of the writing of this comment, (June 17, 2020) it was THE LAST PUBLIC PLACE I had a beer in! Nice shirt!
Very good video Craig. I could not agree more on your feelings about Grado and Shure Cartridges. The ML 440A is a great Cart at The less than $200 mark. I think it even beats a few that cost upwards of $500.My favorites include Ortofon,Sumo and AT in the $500 or less category. I cannot afford anything nicer than those. Glad you stuck it out and found something that works for you. Peace My Friend!
As a Brit, I thoroughly approve of you saying "old bugger". 😂
Craig your vids are great keep em coming ok!
Hello Craig, just started following you on your channel, enjoying your reviews. I am into vinyl records and turn tables and I use Shure cartridges, I have never had any problems with tracking distortion on the inner grooves, I am using three Shure cartridges presently, V15VXMR, V15V-MR and the 97XE, the 97XE cartridge is interchangeable with the V15VXMR, so what I do is put the stylus of 97XE on the body of the V15VXMR just to save the stylus of the V15VXMR, when I want to listen to albums that have high passages I then switch the styli around, like when I am in the mood to listen to Fausto Papetti blowing his alto sax, Zamfir on his flute or Pepe Jaramillo on the piano. these albums sound fantastic using the V15VXMR. I recently gave my son a Thorens TD165 with the V15V-MR installed and he is enjoying it. I currently use a Thorens TD160 with an SME 3009 arm, my equipment is not top of the line but I have everything adjusted and balanced very well and I am enjoying the music, the Shure cartridges serve me well, never had a problem with them, unfortunately Shure has stopped making cartridges so I have to take care of the ones I have. I enjoy your videos, please keep them coming. Regards.
Norman Santos.
I just wanted to thank you for introducing me to the AT440mla I also wanted to let you know that you can still get it at LP Gear. I purchased two premounted from there and they are great! I looked it up again today and they do have them. Thanks again!
I cannot find one audio-technica SG. AT440MLA It say theres no product that matches the search criteria
@@eroinverzo1102 I just checked and you can still buy this cartridge premounted from LP Gear. $439.00 If you just want the stylus they have that as well.😊
@@eroinverzo1102 Just use AT 440MLA when you are looking this up.
For a budget moving magnet cartridge I have been recommending the Audio-Technica 440 ml for about 20 years now. And for a entry level moving coil I recommend the audio-Technica OC 9.
I have done the research I like the shelter 501
As the 440 seems to be no longer available, I decided to buy its succesor the VM540ML. Great cartrigde. Thank you for your great videos and enthousiam!
THERE ALSO IS THE AT440MBLb I THOUGHT THAT THIS ONE WAS THE SUCCESOR OF THE a version ,???
Thanks for your story. Recently i ordered a sexond hand Luxman PD 290. It hasn't arrived yet but it came fitted with a Audio Technica AT430A cartridge. And after what i have read on the interwebs, it is basically an AT120A with a bit better stylus, maybe one step below the 440. Im excited to listen to it when it arrives, but i was glad to hear your experiences with the 440 :)
Thanks for posting your Cart journey & adventure!! I started a VC back in 1972 with a Thornes TD-160 .. which has been in storage for 30 yrs... while I restore it, I picked up a Teac TN 570 with the fiber optic output & an AT-100E cart.. which is a fairly decent sounding set up.. but I did have to fine tune the gram weight with a digital scale to get it correct. So now I'm looking for a cart that will fit the Thornes Td-160 head shell.. one that was recommended was the NAGAOKA MP-110H .. but after watching a youtube video of it up against the at440, the 440 picked up all the nuances that the Mp-110 missed due it covers the grove best!! So I'm probably going to try and mount a 440 stylus onto the At100e.. but I have no idea if it will fit? You video's helped me sort all this out!! Thanks
I love my Shure 97XE Cartridge! I have the same turntable as you. I did just order a digital stylus gauge seeing how far off our turntable tracking force weight is it seems!! That scares me!! Been using the 97XE for about 6 months now!!!. Although the cartridge you are using in this video is my dream cartridge!! Another great video!! Thank you!!
Hi Craig - I'm another dude who has recently re-discovered vinyl, I bought the same AT turntable that you did! Having watched your video I'm seriously considering the AT440 cart. I'd love a cartridge alignment video - there's a blog I found that has the correct Stephenson protractor for the AT-LP120 but as there are no instructions on how to do the adjustments I'm terrified of stuffing it up and damaging records. I'd love to have a crack at adjusting the original cartridge that comes with the turntable as I'm sure I'm experiencing a little inner groove distortion.
Thanks for the great videos, I'm subscribing :-)
I have come along way too, I was in the same boat as you were had many turntables in the 70s Never set anything just played the records ,I had an old pioneer turntable that would only sound good with pressure on the stylus so I glued a penny to and It and it actually sounded pretty good
Please do the cartridge alignment instruction video Craig. ;)
Thanks Craig. I've recently been taking a closer look at my turntable and its setup. I wasn't really interested in it until I ran into your videos and how to set it up. A year ago I did my initial setup and now I'm looking at re cleaning and going over my setup. The reason? My G/F gave me a new Sargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club album, and it really blows me away. And I'm thinking, gees, if I just take a closer look at some of these things, it might really perform. Thanks Craig, I feel like we're buddies.
Great video! The Audio-Technica AT-91 is still on the market and a good performer certainly if we take the price it costs take into account. A good beginners cart that won't destroy your records, unlike the Crosley Cruiser and the like crap. By the way, the Pioneer turntables all came with a transparent plastic device for aligning the cartridge. I have a PL-550 that is the (roughly) direct drive version of the one you once had. I just replaced a micro switch for changing the speeds that was faulty. It is like new again. As for cartridges, it can be quite a challenge to find a cart that will feel happy on the tone arm in your turntable. Grado carts are a nightmare....for the reasons you mentioned, I totally agree. I stick with Audio-Technica and that is the very same you are using. For exactly the same reasons that you explain in this video. It brings out the best from your records and it is even capable of extracting sounds you've never heard before. I also have the AT-150 that is much more expensive but ony marginally better. This shows clearly that small improvements will set you back much more money. The AT-440MLa is a magical little performer worth every cent. Be careful though. It features a micro line needle so it demands very accurate mounting and allignment. And absolute NO back queing or a cue burn will ruin your vinyl. The footprint in the groove is so small that this will instantly be the case. And yes, the AT-120E will suit most record lovers. It is a lot cheaper and delivers almost the same sounds. The cart is exactly the same, only the needle (orange) is elliptical. A great replacement for many, many cartridges that have worn or damaged needles.
In the 80's, I worked at a quite big electronic store and could compare before I would buy. My best cartridge was from a liquidation of old stock from Technics in the form of a Technics EPC-100C MK3 just shy of $100.00 and I jumped on the deal. Great cartridge and it still works very well on my JVC QL-Y55F with its elector-servo tonearm a la Denon. I invested in a second turntable, another deal for a Sanyo TP 1024 and for it I chose the Audio Technica AT125LC and in 1985 it was quite good and still does when I fire up the old turntables which is less and less nowadays. Now, mp3 players so much lighter and sound wonderful in my old ears. but I still have 4 turntables and a few spare cartridges. I think I'll go put a Led Zeppelin LP on the 55F and enjoy it to the fullest. Thanks for the memories.
I've used both the AT90E and AT95E and loved them both. Then I upgraded to a Grado Prestige green and was absolutely blown away. was very worried about the hum but there was none at all on my Sony PS4300. Have the tracking force at 1.7 and decided to not use a protractor. Using a protractor didn't work when I installed it (sounded bad) after that I just simply had it parallel with my headshell and it is absolutely perfect. If you get a chance to use your Grado on a different table I highly recommend giving it a try :)
Good video! I realize this video is over 5 years old now, but my cartridge/turntable journey has kinda been the same as yours. I did have a similar issue with my 1st Grado cartridge, an entry level MT+, but i found that was pretty much turnable dependent. My MT+ had a low hum on my Sony PS-LX2 turntable, but was nice & quiet on my Technics SL-D3. I also found that the Grado were a little stiffer in compliance than my other MM cartridges & really needed a higher tracking weight to get it to track. But, when it was finally dialed-in, it really sounded nice. My absolute best MM cartridges are my Shure V15 mk.V & my Stanton 681EEE which are both wonderful sounding, but that darn Grado will give them a run for their money & it was only a very inexpensive entry-level cartridge when I bought it. I do have to agree that some cartridges do sound better on some turntables than on others, but given a correct setup & tracking weight, I have found that this is more related to the mass of the tonearm the cartridge is mounted on. In the case of my very compliant Shure & Stanton cartridges, they sound best on a low-mass arm. Whereas, the stiffer Grado really seems to benefit from a medium mass arm, where the arm has more inertia for the cartridge to work against. But, I am still learning as well & I have been into this hobby for over 50 years. Lots of fun when you get everything setup just right!
I have listened to few comparisons on youtube and I totally agree with you. The high frequencies of the AT440MLa are so clear - it makes me understand what actually "High-End" means. Some people don't like it. But to me - the clearer the high frequencies are - the more precise music sounds.
I got very lucky with my journey in the vinyl stylus/cart category. I too have the Stanton 720ee, the AT 95e that came with the exact turntable you have. But because of my passion of quadraphonic sound, the AT440 Mla was highly recommended because of its capability of detecting the high frequency carrier wave signal that throws the separate rear stereo channels to their appropriate place. Inner groove distortion is not a problem for me as well. I track at about 1.8 - 2.0 grams depending on the vinyl format that I'm playing. (standard, SQ, CD-4 quad) I also do need to hear more high end, because the bass will always be there on most styli's. Brightness is the term most used, but I prefer to use the term clarity, because there is a difference in those terms. If the cart is in fact to harsh/bright, I just adjust my treble settings a bit. Happy to check out your VC vids! Vinyl IS final!
@Craig (and others!)
when you do align your cartridge, remember that you're actually aligning the stylus! Some styluses (styli?) are not perfectly parallel to the cartridge, so make sure that you get down to eye level with your cartridge and check that the stylus itself is parallel with the lines.
On my at440 for example, the stylus is not perfectly parallel and so while the cartridge (the plastic purple part) is not perfectly aligned with my protractor lines, I check that the stylus itself (the part that touches the record) is in fact lined up.
Just a little thing that eluded me for a while!
I recently bought an old MCS (Hitachi) turntable from a thrift that came with an AT91. The stylus was bent down, at least 30-40º from normal. I bent it back down and and the needle is still good and straight. Surprisingly, it sounds really good. Channel balance seems to be fine and the sound is very well balanced and clear. Crazy...
Another great video, Craig! By the date, and year or this broadcast I can understand that it's a very early one; because I've watched close to a dozen of your other excellent videos. And I've commented on them. I am certainly fortunate because I did not have the cartridge problems that you had. In my case, I replaced the original cartridge from my belt drive turntable that has automatic return; and installed a new, different, and I believe better, higher performing cartridge that gets more detail from the record's grooves, and pushes the instruments, and voice to the front. The music also has a wider range of high and lower notes.
Sounds are more full, and accurate; but it could also be the elliptical stylus on the Stanton L-700E phono cartridge (1997). It's connected by TP4 that I installed on my Kenwood KD26R belt drive, with IC servo motor (of 1987), TP4 tonearm. Later at the end of 1998 I got a Sony CD player, and so up to now I did not play back vinyl much; so I understand that after at least 20 years I've got to change the stylus! The Stanton manual says from 350 to 300 hours. I researched on the Internet; 500, or 1000 hours. You're wondering what am I doing all that time, I've got to buy a new Stanton D70E stylus, and I'm going to! During that time I was playing music CDs, and the occasional cassette tape. I'm fortunate to have a good tape deck; a Harman Kardon TD302, Dolby B, C (bought in1988), has HX PRO. Therefore, I tend to listen more to analogue playback, except at the end of the 1990s, and deeply into the 2000s I listened to mostly CDs. Besides, 40% of the time I listen to radio (in italics).
Recently, I've been listening to vinyl, too. I'm going to eventually get a new Stanton stylus, lucky I found the exact version number of D70E on Amazon.ca. Weird thing is that I searched one web page after another for 20 minutes on a (in italics) specialty Web Site (not Amazon Web Site); I did all the searching I could, and did not find this Stanton stylus! I thought I'm lost, may as well buy another different cartridge, or turntable, eventually I may take that choice. Stanton stylus D70E is exactly what is listed on Amazon.ca! Can I trust Amazon about a small, esoteric item? So, Craig, can this stylus be the exact one? Why does a specialty Web Site for phono cartridges, Styli not have this Stanton stylus, but Amazon.ca does carry it? Thanks for any wise advise that you can give me, and anybody here that could be encountering the same problem.
I have the same cartridge. I got a new stylus for it from Needle Doctor, but it cost me a arm and a leg for shipping and import fees! I don't believe it's an actual Stanton stylus, but an after market item. It sounds ok but I'm not getting the best channel separation for some reason. Someone told me to give it another try at different weight settings. The stylus you are looking at on amazon will fit that cartridge. I just don't know what the build quality is.
Thank you for getting back to me, Craig, I eventually purchased that stylus from Amazon.ca, and I'll try it out on my Stanton cartridge. It's disappointing to hear about the problem of channel separation. I hope you can find out about this weight setting thing, as well @@VinylTV33
I love AT cartriges. I have several and use different ones for the type of music I listen to. All on a different headshell.
Great video. I love my denon dl103R. One of the very best there is
Very nice video. I am partial to Ortofon cartridges myself and usually install an OM10 on the turntables I sell that need a new cart. For its price, it is a wonderful cartridge. However, I was not able to install one on a NEC turntable because it is too high. This is one thing to keep in mind when shopping for a cart; although not a problem on tonearms with height adjustment.
Of course, here in Europe, the Ortofon line is easy to find which doesn't seem to be the case on your side of the water. My top model is the 2M Bronze. A wonderful, wonderful cartridge but, I know, not in everyone's budget. I got lucky and found mine for a very good price.
Being used at the moment on a Grundig PS65 (Lenco L75) but I hope to move it to my Revox Linear-Tracking B795.
One important aspect of the choice of a cart that you did not go into is the fact that, like speakers, it is very personal. We do not all have the same ears and a cart I enjoy may not sound that good to you.
Also, the goal of a Hi-Fi system is high fidelity in the reproduction of sounds (I know, that sounds obvious) and I'm constantly telling newbies to test speakers, cartridges and other gear with acoustic music, the only way to know if said reproduction is correct. Of course, people who have never hear any acoustic instruments have a problem. But an argument I use to make that point is U2's The Edge. I like the band so, do not see this as a critic. The Edge, as he explains himself in the to-be-seen documentary "It might get loud," uses a different set of effects for each song; how are you supposed to test anything with their music?
Last but not least, like you, I cannot stress enough the importance of correct mounting-adjusment of the cartridge. And, my number one pet peeve, make sure your turntable is level. Three points to check: level side-to-side, level front-to-back and level between the spindle and the cart.
Thanks for your no-nonsense approach. Keep up the good work.
Just a FYI, A/T has an alignment gauge that fits snuggly on the back of the cartridge and has a groove at the front, a "V" that perfectly aligns the cartridge and let's you adjust for the exact overhang, 52mm. Very easy to use. I have two of them. I also double check overhang by laying the cart/headshell on it's side and measure from the back of the washer to the tip of the stylus.
I'm a sucker for the AT3600 and the ATN91. I've tried ortofon and others but the 3600 albeit an entry level cartridge steals the show for me. It's cheap, it sounds great and easy to mount
Great video ! Just bought a At-vm95en will arrive next week. I should had look this video before because I saw a RUclips video that was comparing inner groove and I was blown away by the At440 but the review was saying that it was too clear. But I should had bought it anyway. I hope I will be happy with the inner groove of the 95en...
God's honest truth..... the Sure M97XE doesn't sound dull in the highend. I have one on my Rega RP1 and it sounds awesome.
Great video from fellow Canadian.
Craig, I’ve been saving my pennies, and I just ordered the VM540ML (updated version of your recommendation). I’m *extremely* sensitive to sibilance, so I’m hopeful this will finally solve the problem. Any chance of getting a copy of your “After All” 45? I love the song!
I've been listening to this cart for a bit now, and the best compliment I can give it is that I don't regret the sizable purchase. While it hasn't 100% eradicated all sibilance from every recording, there's a certain aesthetic to the sound with this stylus that somehow lays bare when sibilance is a mastering issue as opposed to a stylus issue - if that makes sense. Some of the more egregious offenders still contain it, but it sounds either innate to the mastering or innate to the recording as opposed to being so in-your-face that you can't help but hear it as a hardware problem. And yet there are other albums that are completely saved now - the first and second Dream Academy albums, for example. They were absolutely riddled with sibilance before and don't exhibit even a trace of it now. Thanks so much for the recommendation. I'm very, very happy. :)
Micro Line stylii are my favourites. Can't beat their tracking ability and their low innergroove distortion.
Just avoid playing old 45s and styrene records with a finely cut stylus as the records might be damaged. Conical styli are best for styrene and mono records.
One thing I realize that I have taken for granted in my life is that digital has really made some things more consistent, particularly if a person was diligent about their file types/ music services. Even the cassette era on really made things much more straightforward: while things might still need a tweak it seems you had to worry a lot less about things like speed calibration, tracking weights, alignments, you name it.
But the fussing around, reaps a large cornucopia of sonic bliss!
I have an AT91 cartridge and the people I bought it from told me I didn't have to worry about aligning the cartridge properly because it had a spherical stylus. Like you, I have had issues with records sounding worst as the stylus drifts towards the centre but didn't realise that it was the result of inner-groove distortion. Now that I've seen this video, I'll definitely align the cartridge properly and I'm very interested to see how much of an improvement it makes.
Interesting how everyone's taste is so different in cartridges. Craig hates the Shure M97e, but I really liked it & it's become somewhat legendary & in demand lately.
Great story with a happy end! Curious if part of why you like the old cartridge is its spherical needle. Some say lp's till the end of the seventies where cut specific for spherical diamants; mainly because most playback systems had this type. Not sure about it.
Great video!
I picked up a Technics SL-1700 MK2 in a second hand store that needed a tone arm belt also works the Queing and tone arm rest lock was broke..I got it for $250 and put $60 in it replaced parts only to find this on the orginal head shell an almost new Acutex M320 iii STR Improved cart.great sound.
I like my Shure 97xxxx it goes well my 1970/Dual 1218 and it cleans the dust, I must live in dust bowl 2 Boxers, may be I have gotten accustomed to the warm/mellow tube like sound, if I ever get a tube preamp I may flip out lol. My experience with force gauge was the same too much or too little is a problem. I like you explanations and expressed aggravations, educated ears are also a factor. Hearing damage I’m now getting close to 68 years old if it aggravates me it must go. Happy with my setup, for NOW. What the future will bring to a guy with 4 copies of Stickey Fingers, who knows. Thanks
My Thorens TD-165 was purchased with an Empire cartridge pre-mounted. When it came time to replace the Empire, I got a Shure M-91ed, which I was initially disappointed with. The Empire had a very warm sound, and the Shure was totally un-colored, which sounded dull to me. It took a while, but IF eventually got used to it. The Thorens had a mounting overlay for the head shell, so when it came to aligning the M-91ed, all you had to do was make sure that the stylus was nestled in the v-shaped notch, and it was properly aligned.
I recently obtained the ortofon red cart and I love it!!
WOW and your own record. Nice.
If you ever get your hands on a turntable where the motor is not that close to the spindle or where the motor is well shielded you should try the Grado Gold again if you still have it :)
They are only pickups- a box with coils, magnets, a cantilever, and a stylus. Don't overcomplicate what essentially is a fairly concept. And enjoy the music, don't worry that your vinyl is a ticking time bomb- it's meant to be played.
Great video, Craig! I recently bought the AT440mlb...the new version of the 440mla. Yes. OMG..the sound blew me away. Sounds and details from my records just came oozing out, even from my worst albums. And the IGD? A thing of the past. I wanted to upgrade to the AT150mlx but, sadly, Audio Technica recently discontinued it. I'm totally sold on the Microline cut stylus and don't wanna go back to elliptical, so I'm gonna repurchase another AT440mlb soon before the price goes up and they discontinue it.
Btw, can you tell me which protractor you used? I have a Pioneer Plx-1000 TTable and I aligned the cart solely per the AT's instructions and a loupe.
Keep rocking and making more videos. :)
You got it for a realllllly good price (the 120). I have it too and got it for almost double.
Thanks Craig! I have the same cartridge (AT95E) and turntable as you and have to agree that the alignment is way off. I downloaded and printed a protractor and have noticed dramatic improvement in quality and reduced groove distortion. Why don't manufacturers align cartridges properly to begin with? :(
Very true definitely do your research there are a lot of carts out there I myself have the shure 97xe it's a quality cart that doesn't fatigue your ears I can listen to music for hours on it and it sounds great. The audio technica is also a very good cart it rates higher then ortofon black and is half the price you can't go wrong with that one.
Still got my made in Austria AKG K 141, still rocking!
I had one of those 440's . . . it was great but I had the problem with the high end that you mentioned . . . the truth is, the turntable matters! I had a Dual 1219 automatic deck . . . it wasn't until I got the Denon 60L that I realized how much the turntable effects the cart sound! I went with a Grado high end cart . . . I also have a AT higher end then the 440 . . . sold the 440 but would love to hear it on the Denon . . .
Wondering if you could do a video or even just reply to my comment here and talk about advice on different preamps, receivers, and speakers. This video really helped me a lot in understanding and picking out a good cartridge. I'd love to hear what you use and how you feel about different products you've tried with the other equipment as well. Thanks!
I have three turntables in my audio system. I have a NOS Dual 1219 idler drive with a Shure M97xe moving magnet cartridge and a Grado Black. The M97 is a far more superior cartridge than the Grado with great sound.
I have a Denon DP-300F auto belt drive with an Ortofon 2M Red moving magnet cartridge. The Red is a good quality cartridge for the money, and the sound may be a little better than the Shure.
The next one is my favorite, an AR XB that has been retro rod. The outer appearance looks stock, but underneath has all the modifications with modern parts that makes this table perform superior to when it was new. I have an Audio Technica AT-MONO 3 mono cartridge, an Audio Technica AT-440OCC which is the predecessor to your AT-440MLa. What makes the XB table sound its best is the Denon DL-110 moving coil cartridge. This is by far the best cartridge I have ever used. The 110 is ten times better than the 440OCC. This cartridge was gifted to me from a friend from an Audio forum that will always be in my cartridge collection.
I would highly recommend anyone to get the Denon DL-110 cartridge. They are a little pricey due to a price increase, but it is worth every penny if and when you can afford it. I'm also thinking about moving up the 2M ladder at some point.
I hope this helps, and I enjoy your videos.
Bang on, no nonsense went through similar learning curve, bought the Audio Technica At 150 Mlx which is one up from 440 and like you had fantastic results, I also run a Koetsu Black Gold Line which also has good tracking abilities without issues with inner groove distortion I don't know how people can tolerate cartridges with poor tracking abilities I cannot stand inner groove distortion it totally spoils the listening experience especially when artistically the last track can be the highlight of the piece.The tip seems to be the key Micro groove, or VDH-1 seem to be ideal.
Micro Line or Shibata is the way to go as far as stylus shape is concerned.
I have great success with my Grado cartridges (I have one for 78's) and I am able to lose most of the hum by adjust the shell clamp!
It was probably a Shure M91-ED.......the legend with the real USA made .2x.7 nude diamond. Great video brother. God bless u.
I JUST BOUGHT A AT91 TODAY!! I got it for $49 cad new in box and set it up literally a few hours ago and it sounds great!!! Much better than my prior Shure m92e
Yes, the AT91 is a very underrated cartridge.