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New cartridge time? - how do you know?

Deep down I l knew that was what coming chaps.. :(

So - looks like this lot are in the frame:

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-gb/cartridges/line-series/at-vm95-series?p=2

Price ranging from £30 to £160. Is there a sweet spot in there d/ye think - best bang for one's buck ?
The ML, pre Covid I paid £129 seems to be nearer £150 now.

There is a rigid body “RigB” available which elevates the 95 up a level for £50 or £60 if you don’t fancy splitting the cart body. This thread is worth a look https://pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/best-sub-£200-ish-cartridge.268617/
 
Is there a sweet spot in there d/ye think - best bang for one's buck ?
Not really, although I don't have the Shibata.

I would say either go cheap with the E or get the ML. The ML sounds a lot better than any of the medium wear K9s I have, has very low inner groove distortion, and after run in will be musically engaging, although probably not as musical/tuneful as a very good K9 (to my ears anyway). My ML took quite a while to run in though and was quite boring up until that point. But most folks seem happy with them straight out of the box. It should last about 3 times longer than the E before it needs replacing too.
 
You're welcome. If someone doesn't buy that soon I might have to.

Yes, to fit the AT cartridge you'd have to remove the existing one, but if as has been said the AT stylus is the same fitting as the K9 then you could just use that on the K9 body. I don't know about that, but I do know that the current ATVM95 stylii (such as in the ad link above) do not fit on the old AT95 cartridge bodies, so if your K9 is an identical fit to the old AT series then you'd need to change anyway.
 
^ I've pm'ed the chap - not to cut across you, but realistically, needs must, and I should have spent some money on the poor old LP12 before now :(
 
Didn't work out with the classifieds one here - so went with the Auto Technics EN replacement stylus in the end.

Prices on the online sites seem to be in a steady state of flux - upwards, whenever they have anything in stock. Oh well, such is life in 2022.

https://euro.richersounds.ie/p-204533-audio-technica-vmn95en-elliptical-nude-stylus-mm-stylus.aspx

Managed to pick it up for €110 / c.£95 shipped in the end.
Looking forward to getting the LP12 back into some kind of fettle. (Haven't had the heart to run it with the 'straightened' K9 stylus .. :) )

Thanks everybody for all of your input and advice as ever.
Alan
 
Well that's a revelation. New AT95 installed on the Akito/K9 body, and I've got my old proper hifi back!

Only downside is I can hear how bad some of the vinyl pressings and recordings are again now..

That's a win.. I think :)
 
I've got to thank the folks on this thread for posting about various cleaning potions. I have an old Goldring 1042 stylus that I thought was past it (but I didn't throw it out). A $15 jeweler loupe, a $15 bottle of AT607a cleaning fluid and some crud came off it and now it sounds as good as its replacement (which is already 5 years old - don't play much vinyl having recorded much of the collection to CD some time ago).
I looked at the price of a new 1042 stylus - eek £240 - so very happy with my cleaning adventures.
 


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