Uncoloured phono cartridges

[Helicopter]

Here is another graph of the VM540ML, from the LowBeats review:

Unfortunately, I don't see any notes on what loading they used.

Oh wow. That is uncolored. We can probably end the thread now if we want.

I found a possible downside of the plastic body of the VM 5-series:

My grounding wire came undone and I got not only hum (expected), but also buzzing (first time).

I haven't had buzzing with any of my other carts (most of which have metal bodies), so the claim from AT that 7-series metal body adds extra electromagnetic shielding may be true.

Re-attaching the grounding wire made both the hum and buzz go away, or at least at normal gain settings; I didn't crank the gain to check.

Interesting thought about shielding. I assumed the only difference was that gold-toned Al looks cooler. I guess those wires can need some pinching. Pretty sure the tonearm wires are directional due to slightly bigger ends on one side. Not sure if you looked at that.

 

[killdozzer]

Oh wow. That is uncolored. We can probably end the thread now if we want.

Before you do, if I could... Is there a cheaper one that comes close?

 

[Helicopter]

Before you do, if I could... Is there a cheaper one that comes close?

I was just kidding, like the mic drop expression. I can't close a thread, and normally the mods wouldn't do that either unless it got sidetracked or had a poll that had a closing time or something like that.

I hope it is the VM95ML because that's what I am running right now.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Who has time for such nonsense the rest of the year?

fify

 

[watchnerd]

Pretty sure the tonearm wires are directional due to slightly bigger ends on one side. Not sure if you looked at that.

Are you referring to the cartridge leads?

I used the leads pre-attached to the AT-LH13 headshell.

 

[Helicopter]

Are you referring to the cartridge leads?

I used the leads pre-attached to the AT-LH13 headshell.

Yes. Cartrige leads is what I meant. I know the difference. Need more coffee.

I figured you had it right, but it doesn't hurt to check.

 

[watchnerd]

Before you do, if I could... Is there a cheaper one that comes close?

The VM95ML is only $80 cheaper than the VM540ML and the channel separation is 5 dB worse.

I'd pay the extra $80.

 

[watchnerd]

Oh wow. That is uncolored. We can probably end the thread now if we want.
.

It's pretty good. The MP-500 is better, though, especially in the range of where actual music resides and real-world human hearing limits.

The VM540ML still has 5 dB peak upper octave peak, although it hits 0 dB at 20 kHz.

I, however, can't hear to 20 kHz, so paying a 5 dB peak price to hit 0 dB at 20 kHz isn't necessarily the best trade off.

So if your hearing maxes at 15 kHz or so like mine, the MP-500 is more uncolored. At ~150 pF loading, it sacrifices 20 kHz extension for a much less peaky treble. This gives me +/- 2 dB or so in the top two octaves within the range of what I can actually hear.

This curve can also be flattened and extended a little more by dropping the loading to ~50 pF, which most can't do because their phono stages don't have a 0 pF setting, but mine does.

 

[JP]

I hope it is the VM95ML because that's what I am running right now.

The difference between channels on my example is dissapointing. I haven't bothered to listen to it yet.

 

[watchnerd]

The difference between channels on my example is dissapointing. I haven't bothered to listen to it yet.

View attachment 102091

View attachment 102092

I don't know this, but it wouldn't shock me if the VM95ML uses the VM ML motor units that are graded worse in manufacturing, which allows AT to drop the price by $80, but still sell the unit and not throw away parts.

 

[JP]

Ya, wouldn't surprise me at all. I could live with the left channel performance, but the right channel is a bit too poor. I've plenty of 150MLX still, so I'll stick with those for daily duty. I get +/- 1dB to ~27kHz with those.

 

[watchnerd]

Ya, wouldn't surprise me at all. I could live with the left channel performance, but the right channel is a bit too poor. I've plenty of 150MLX still, so I'll stick with those for daily duty. I get +/- 1dB to ~27kHz with those.

Since they're no longer available, I've thought of frakensteining a 150MLX by buying a 150SA and sticking in a 150MLX stylus, but then I realize I've already got a $950 MM cart in the corral, with spares, and my MCs can't collect too much dust before I feel guilty.

 

[JP]

I passed guilty a long time ago. Way past.

 

[watchnerd]

I passed guilty a long time ago. Way past.

I hear you.

But the ART9XA is like getting 90% of the ART1000 for 1/4th of the price. It's quite nice if one can handle the super low 0.2 mV output.

 

[JP]

I just can't get excited about modern cartridges. Since the late 70's it's pretty much been just a rehash of basic old tech with shiny new names. I have to get my kicks trying to restore things from the past.

That reminds me, @SIY, I'd like your counsel on elastomers for suspensions. I'm about to embark on bringing some old Technics styli back to life (as promised, and long over-due).

 

[watchnerd]

just a rehash of basic old tech with shiny new names.

Well, yeah, but that also applies to pretty much everything in 2 channel audio when it comes to transducers.

Speaker drivers are just incremental improvements of foundations laid half a century ago.

And incremental improvements can still be genuine improvements.

The VM540ML, for example, is flatter than the preceding 440 into a 250 pF load.

I'd call that progress, although not of the shiny kind.

 

[JP]

Progress, or simply a design choice?

 

[Helicopter]

Progress, or simply a design choice?

It is progress either way. It could be technological or it could be philosophical. I am guessing it is a bit of both. If anyone is actually making better cartriges these days, I would say AT and Ortofon are likely.

 

[JP]

Based on?

 

[Helicopter]

Based on?

The threaded bodies on OC9X and the bodies on VM95, and the Red, Blue, Bronze, Black bodies are all improvements over prior models, with new headshell designs to match. These go together nicely and have good industrial design. And the 540ML measures very flat. Obviously they are investing in developing new products.

I am not suggesting any breakthroughs like we saw 30-60 years ago, but they are making progress and cool new products.