Introducing the Phono Cartridge Measurement Library

[Balle Clorin]

Audio-Technica AT-OC9ML/II


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View attachment 296928

Following information in order to make measurements useful to others:

• Cartridge: Audio-Technica OC9ML/II
• Stylus condition <100 hrs on vinyl, but laid 15 years in a drawer unopened
• Test record: ClearAudio TRS-1007 side A track 1&2 L/R stereo
• Turntable and arm: Michell Gyro SE. Measured peak wow <0.1%. Arm resonance with cart 6.5-7Hz
• Tracking force: 1.75g
• Phono stage and loading settings: Parks Audio Puffin. EQ=500R-0=corrects for TRS-1007 and B&Q QR2010/QR2009 response. Toslink out to USB converter to PC
  • Capacitance and impedance: 50pF fixed, 200 ohm . Total 147pF with cables
  • SUT if used: Not used
• Cable capacitance
  • Try to measure if you can, it matters with MM cartridges: 15+80+2=97pF internal arm leads, cable, connector) +50pF RIAA.
  • Multimeters tend to exaggerate this, LCR meters work best and are a very useful tool to have: Vendor statements
• ADC: internal in Puffin.
• Recording: no adjustment on balance, no Azimuth adjustment on cartridge, 5-48kHz, PC and Puffin at 48kHz.

NOTE: the blipp on the left channel at 9600Hz is real and not from the test record, does not occur with other cartridges, follows the cartridge.

Audio-Technica ATOC9MLii on CBS STR-100 Test record. I probably did some Azimuth optimization ( Wally fulcrum) since the CA TRS-1007 measurement

• Cartridge: Audio-Technica OC9ML/II
• Stylus condition <200 hrs on vinyl, but laid 15 years in a drawer unopened
• Test record: CBS STR-200
• Turntable and arm: Michell Gyro SE. Measured peak wow <0.1%. Arm resonance with cart 8 Hz
• Tracking force: 1.5g, AS 1.5 Tracks 80um on Ortofon record, 90um to with som extra AS.
• Phono stage and loading settings: Parks Audio Puffin- flat EQ
  • 50pF fixed, 200 ohm . Total 205pF with cables
• Cable capacitance
  • cable 105+50+50 including SUT Denon AU-320 bypass
• Recording: no adjustment on balance, Azimuth adjustment on cartridge, 5-48kHz, PC and Puffin at 24/96kHz.
• Crosstalk better than -36 on Ultimate analog testrecord

NOTE: the blipp on the left channel at 9600Hz is real and not from the test record, does not occur with other cartridges, follows the cartridge. Kink at 5kHz IS from the test record, a well known fault, ignore it.

 

[aaaakkkk]

pretty sure ive posted that before and its scattered amongst the different threads. heres one of them. i get better extension with the 95e bodies that have the lowest inductance. they vary, but can be had for 15 bucks or so off ebay so ive purchased multiple. the 95ml bodies roll off earlier and further down. i like to take the body from the 95e and install it in the threaded insert mounting cap of the vm series.
View attachment 436198

My measurements show that this combination is 12 dB quieter, due to mechanical incompatibility (the V-magnets are not fully immersed in the cartridge body)

AT-95E+VM95ML vs AT-VM95E+VMN95ML

 

[aaaakkkk]

AT-VM95E+VMN95ML L l 2.0g l 47k l 130pF l

- stylus - 460 hours, but the contact spot is still less than 6 microns!!!
(since the edge is longer than the diamonds that are installed in the AT-540ml,
I suspect that the diamond sizes are different from those installed in the AT-540ml)

- tracking at 2.0g >100mkm
-L 519 Ohm, 479 mH
-R 523 Ohm, 482 mH

1tr, 1-track = outer sweep
2tr, 2-track = inner sweep

 

[dualazmak]

Hello friends and colleagues on this invaluable thread,

I learned a lot on this thread, and I just started my mainly-subjective tests/evaluations on rather affordable MM cartridge and its compatible styli (styluses); even upon my live real-time listening to vinyl LP, I can apply full DSP controls (EQ/XO/Time-Alignment/Relative-Gains, etc.) in my PC-DSP-based fully active audio rig (ref. here for the latest total system setup) where I revived (ref. here and here) my "vinyl ceremony" setup using still-excellent TT DENON DP-57L plus MC DL-301II.

If you would be interested, please visit my post here #995 and thereafter on my project thread; your participation and suggestions there will be highly appreciated.
- Audio-Technica MM phono cartridge AT-VM95 and elliptical stylus AT-VMN95E: An Affordable but unexpectedly excellent supplemental (backup, contingency) MM cartridge for the main/reference MC DENON DL-301II

 

[narud]

My measurements show that this combination is 12 dB quieter, due to mechanical incompatibility (the V-magnets are not fully immersed in the cartridge body)View attachment 445226
AT-95E+VM95ML vs AT-VM95E+VMN95ML

interesting. did you take the generator and install it in the vm95 mounting cap? i had no gain issues. i didnt try the vm95ml stylus on a stock 95e though.

 

[Thomas_A]

AT-VM95E+VMN95ML L l 2.0g l 47k l 130pF l

- stylus - 460 hours, but the contact spot is still less than 6 microns!!!
(since the edge is longer than the diamonds that are installed in the AT-540ml,
I suspect that the diamond sizes are different from those installed in the AT-540ml)

- tracking at 2.0g >100mkm
-L 519 Ohm, 479 mH
-R 523 Ohm, 482 mH

1tr, 1-track = outer sweep
2tr, 2-track = inner sweep
View attachment 445228
View attachment 445229View attachment 445230View attachment 445232View attachment 445233View attachment 445234View attachment 445235View attachment 445236

It is quite some wear, since the ridges are not curved but flat.

 

[mackat]

Shure V15 V-MR JICO VN5MR SAS/B

This Jico SAS/B stylus came with a second V15 V-MR cartridge body I purchased from Japan a few months ago. It didn't show any obvious signs of use, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's essentially new. This cartridge body has a slight channel imbalance, so I normalized L&R.

Unfortunately, frequency response is not up to the same level as the SAS for the V15 Type III and IV (of course, we knew this already).

Crosstalk could also be better. I experimented with some different loading options:

 

[mackat]

Compare with original, low-hour VN5MR stylus on the same V15 V-MR cartridge body:

 

[Thomas_A]

Compare with original, low-hour VN5MR stylus on the same V15 V-MR cartridge body:

View attachment 445285
View attachment 445286

I”ve seen poor crosstalk for the Jico SAS/B and I sent one back and got one that was much better. So some strange individual variations exist

 

[aaaakkkk]

It is quite some wear, since the ridges are not curved but flat.

They become flat after 150 hours, what to do? change every 150 hours, for a new one?for example, the contact spot of the worn rib AT-33PTGII

 

[Thomas_A]

They become flat after 150 hours, what to do? change every 150 hours, for a new one?for example, the contact spot of the worn rib AT-33PTGII
View attachment 445342View attachment 445344

Well perhaps they wear faster than one thinks? I can only think of lowereing VTF to reduce wear. And use clean records/stylii.

 

[Thomas_A]

They become flat after 150 hours, what to do? change every 150 hours, for a new one?for example, the contact spot of the worn rib AT-33PTGII
View attachment 445342View attachment 445344

Thiis one has more ridges leff vs the previos AT. Perhaps this is what to expect after 150 and 450 hours at 1.8-2.0 g VTF.

 

[mackat]

Ortofon VMS 20E MKII

This example was purchased from Japan a number of years ago. I would have thought this is an NOS or lightly used example, but what would explain the high distortion?

It came with the CAP 210 capacitor, but I did not use it for these measurements.

I have one more cartridge body and 2 more styli, although both cantilevers appear to be slightly rotated.

 

[Thomas_A]

The Ortofon OM generation also have higher distortion than the best. For the OMs I believe their shorter cantilever is part of the explanation. I had the VMS30 once and have a stylus left but no body.

 

[cgallery]

The Ortofon OM generation also have higher distortion than the best. For the OMs I believe their shorter cantilever is part of the explanation. I had the VMS30 once and have a stylus left but no body.

I'd like to hear more on your thoughts about the shorter cantilever = more HF distortion, as long as it doesn't break the policy of this thread.

 

[Thomas_A]

I am not 100 % sure about the cutting stylus dimensions but both lateral and vertical tracking angle should match that of the replay stylus. Since the stylus moves in an arc, stylus length mismatch should affect distortion.

 

[mackat]

Ortofon Concorde 30 - updated measurements

This is the original Concorde 30, I believe equivalent to the 1/2" mount LM 30. I don't have the factory weights, so I have two nickels taped to the cartridge.

This test was conducted at the highest recommended tracking force of 1.8 grams. It has a tracking performance of 70 µm.

 

[mackat]

Audio-Technica AT-F5

I got this cartridge a number of years ago in a bundle from Japan. I think it's the OCC version. It has a beryllium cantilever with an "Elliptical 0.07 x 0.14mm nude diamond".

It was later inspected and it was determined that it has about ⅔ of its stylus life left.

This is an older measurement that I figured I might as well post. It's a very nice sounding cartridge with a gentle high-end rise.

 

[Balle Clorin]

@mackat , nice plots. but du you have some kind of rumble filter active?Low end dips..

 

[mackat]

@mackat , nice plots. but du you have some kind of rumble filter active?Low end dips..

Thanks, and yes, it is not switchable on this phono stage.