VS: Actually the AT-ML150/160/170/180(/OCC) weren't really all that much better anymore, and these also aren't that much younger than the AT120 family (~ 1985 vs. ~ 1979). And in certain aspects the AT-MLs could even be regarded as a slight downgrade to the older AT22/23/24/25 models and even more so the Signet siblings of these (mainly for additionally bringing the LinearContact and MicroLine tip shapes to that family).
Or in other words: The AT-MLs don't belong to the best MMs, 'cause these would have been such a new, much more modern approach in comparison, and not even, 'cause AT would have maxed out all of the known important ingredients in the by then already well-known recipe for producing a top quality MM in the AT-MLs (some of the top goodies were still reserved to the more expensive MCs...), but because with that series AT provided a pretty good, very even mix of known, very high quality ingredients. Add to that a quality of execution and a quality control level adequate to the not exactly cheap prices, and the result will definitely be a top quality MM series...
...which however doesn't mean that these models will (all) be exactly tailored to everyone's taste and requirements (for system synergy). For example, I know one guy from a German hifi forum, who prefers an ATN150MLX cantilever assembly transplanted to an AT-ML plastic holder on (iirc) an AT-ML170/OCC body over all of the new old stock original ATN-ML-needles he managed to get.
Or in yet other words: It's pretty case-dependent, which of the top quality AT MM carts and needles will actually perform best in one's system. For example, on a very light arm you might even fare best with a modest AT100E (the current one) or AT120E/II or AT120Ea body combined with a new old stock ATN152LP or ATN152MLP, just to name one of many possible examples...
Which is why I had to reply on your reply, 'cause imo there are just too many individual variables involved in record playback to make rather "crude" statements like "(A) will mop the floor with (B).", without a pretty highly exact description of the individual usage scenario - 'cause we're not talking about basic vs. high quality equipment here. Or to put in other words once again, in my view AT's top level middle and high-class MM bodies and needles in my view are too close together on absolute quality level scale, so that individual preferences will rather be caused by better individual suitability (in termsof system synergy, taste or both) than actual quality difference on that absolute quality scale.
Greetings from Munich!
--(the always inclined to self-rephrase *lol*)
----Manfred / lini
(...who btw, thinks that forums editors shouldn't remove leading "spaces", in order to provide more predictible formatting for a nicer, hand-written signature, but... oh, well... windmill alert...
)
((sure, I could try with a [tab] instead, but that's comparatively crude, isn't it - and who knows, which editors on which forums would remove leading tabs or not - so don't bother me with such new-fangled inventions as tabs!
))
(((Thank god, they don't yet remove leading dashes - my last resort... *rofl* :stupid
))
