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A&R P77 - Upgrading from?

syep2001

pfm Member
Hi all.

my stylus is really rather worn on my p77, starting to sound very flat and lifeless.

had a quote of £145 for a replacement from expert stylus.

so got me thinking, what else is out there? £250 or so that I could consider?

it’s on an LP12, Hercules, Ittok LV11, Naim Stageline MM so would prefer to stay MM or high output MC?
 
The usual MM recommendations around that sort of price are from Ortofon, Audio Technica, Nagaoka, Denon, Goldring,
Sumiko all in the £200 to £250 price range.

The only one I've heard is the Ortofon 2M blue and it's what I am using on my LP12. It's around £190.

It's all down to personnal preference as ever.

Others here will have more knowledge than me of the different options.

If you have to choose without being able to listen first I will say I don't think you'll be disappointed with the 2M blue.

Andy
 
I can recommend Nagaoka, I find them to have a very balanced overall sound and what I like particularly is that they are very quiet in the groove. Your budget should get you a MP150.
 
I really like the Denon DL-110 I've got fitted to my LP12. Similar spec to yours except mines got an RB-303. Prefer it to the Goldring 1042 I had previously. The Denon just has a musicality to it that makes you ignore the hifi & enjoy the music.
If you prefer a leaner more detailed presentation then the AT-VM95ML is a good option although your £250 would be enough for the higher level 540ML which I've not heard.
No doubt @Mr Pig will be along shortly to recommend the Rega Exact which I've only heard briefly in a dealer dem on a P6.
TS
 
Yes!

A friend has just fitted an AT-VM95ML to his LP12/Ittok and he is absolutely delighted with the results. No lack of bass weight in an Ittok. He did have a Linn Karma which needs retipping.

The P77 was regarded as a pretty decent cartridge but a somewhat unexciting option.
 
I had a replacement P77 stylus from ESCO a few years back and have to say the cartridge sounded better than it ever had. I'm not sure what stylus profile they provide now (is it better than the original?). Might be worth asking them about it.
The difficulty I think is knowing how it would compare to the many new choices out there.
 
Thanks for the replies thus far!!

this is what they offer;

The current price for a new A&R P77 assembly fitted with low mass Paratrace profile diamond is £148.00
 
Yes, that stylus profile sounds familiar. I think that's what I had a few years back although it was a lot cheaper then. Certainly sounded good and breathed new life into it.

Problem is, that's the same money as a new AT-VM95ML.
 
I really like the Denon DL-110 I've got fitted to my LP12. Similar spec to yours except mines got an RB-303. Prefer it to the Goldring 1042 I had previously. The Denon just has a musicality to it that makes you ignore the hifi & enjoy the music.
If you prefer a leaner more detailed presentation then the AT-VM95ML is a good option although your £250 would be enough for the higher level 540ML which I've not heard.
No doubt @Mr Pig will be along shortly to recommend the Rega Exact which I've only heard briefly in a dealer dem on a P6.
TS

The 110 is a good cartridge, I've fitted a couple of them to people's decks. But yip, the Exact is just as involving and tuneful but has much more realistic weight and body.
 
Jico SAS stylus for P77 with boron , sapphire & Ruby cantilever

neosas_20.jpg
 
I’ve never quite understood the love for that cartridge. It is so dull, even with a new tip.
I still have mine, that I bought in the late 80’s.
I tried hard to love it.
AT-sourced Linn MM cartridges were much better.
 
I'm another P77 owner who sits in the "it's nice but a bit drab" camp. Cartridge technology has moved on hugely since its day and personally I'd spend your £150 elsewhere. I'm a big Ortofon 2M fan but an AT-VM95ML sounds like an excellent shout.
 
I also had one back in the day and same here... just rather drab and "shut in". It was replaced on sound quality grounds long before the stylus was worn.
 
Depends what type of sound you like. Do you want to stay with what you have or try something different? How about looking out for a low hours, second hand?
 


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