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Audio Technica P-mounts

kceateva

kceateva

Active Member
Hello
I was just hoping I could get some info out of you fine folks about Audio Technica P-mounts and if anybody knows which old P-mounts could fit new Audio-Technica AT150MLX or 120E or any down this line. The reasson is I want to know if there is a way to take a turntable that could only take P mount cartridge like the Technics Sl-7 and be able to buy high end stylus for it?

I see that there are some cartridge bodyies that look like it could work like this one Audio Technica ATU12EP, but I'm not sure, and was hoping that maybe you guys would have some insite on this issue.
I am really looking for a list from cartridge bodyies that would work. Thank you guys in advance :music:
 
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You keep making a noise like a bad headshell wire, and I'll see what I can come up with to answer your question.

What will work, if I understand your question rightly, is any of the first-generation Audio-Technica p-mount cartridges, the ones that look like this:
ATU13L2 clone of AT122LP.JPG
Understand that this includes hundreds of model names across about seven sub-brands. They're also, all of them, long out of production. Audio-Technica replaced this model type with the ones that look like the current AT92E. One that might be easy to get is the Radio Shack Realistic RX-1500.

Any of those bodies will work and sound fine. However, to get the flattest response from the standard-mount styli like the ATN120E and the ATN150MLX, you'll want one of the bodies from this much shorter partial list:

AT155LC/U
AT152MLP
AT152LP
AT142LP
AT132EP LC-OFC
AT132EP
Signet AM10P
Signet AM20P

Why? because these bodies are the ones that most closely resemble the standard-mount bodies in their magnetic design, a factor that affects the upper-midrange-to-treble range. The difference this makes is not huge. Anyway, this little group comprises the ones I know about so far, but there are probably a few more.

[GEEK NOTE] Note that 99.9% of the models helpfully added by other AKers in this thread are only a few of the hundreds of "fits and works" bodies and do not belong to the above select group. As I say, the difference is not huge. If you're not super picky, don't worry about it. You're not statistically likely to prefer a cartridge with perfectly flat response anyway.

Finally, when you're using a Technics close-n-play, don't forget that standard-mount styli weigh a few tenths of a gram more than their p-mount counterparts. You might want to dial tracking force back by a quarter-gram, depending on which stylus it is.
 
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These all interchange styli:
Half-inch mount – AT103/120/125/130/135/140/440/150/160
P-mount – ATP7P/P8EP/102/112/122/132/142/152
P-mount – Akai RS7/PC7, Grundig ?, Hitachi MT13/MT33, Inkel ?, Matsushita/Panasonic/Technics EPC90SMAD/SMBD/STGD/STGED, Realistic RX1500.

So you can buy a relatively cheap p-mount AT102P or AT112EP cartridge, and fit it with a Microline stylus from an AT440MLa, or even the stylus for an AT150MLx! Styli ranged from conical, elliptical or line contact, right up to Microline (ML) with aluminium, beryllium or boron cantilevers.
 
A very handy vendor site for this question is turntableneedles.com. Even they have not enough space on a single page for all the possible models that will accommodate this type of stylus. You can get a tiny hint from this page.
 
kceateva said:
Sp the body of the cart are all the same just diffrent brands and stylus on them?
Click to expand...

The other brand cartridges were made under an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) basis by Audio Technica, so are probably re-branded versions of genuine AT cartridges.

They won’t all necessarily be the same bodies, but similar (I haven’t checked out the inductance and resistance of them all, but you are welcome to, and report back!), and the styli can be interchanged – the styli vary in tip shape and cantilever material. There may also be differences in the internal construction on some of the high level models, such as laminated magnetic cores – I don’t know enough about AT cartridges to say. As already pointed out, the half-inch mount cartridges’ styli may have weighed slightly different to the p-mount cartridges’ styli, so are only suitable where tracking force can be adjusted.

P-mount cartridges were supposed to have a standard weight of 6g, and standard tracking force of 1.25g, and were used on some turntables with pre-set tonearms which couldn’t be adjusted, so only those styli designed for p-mount cartridges will weigh the same. However, some of the half-inch mount cartridge styli mentioned had additional mass – extra pieces of plastic, flip-down stylus guards and similar, so can only be used on p-mount cartridges where the tonearms are adjustable for tracking force. They’ll fit, and in many cases will upgrade the performance of the p-mount cartridges in the list, but probably won’t be suitable for p-mount tonearms with pre-set, non-adjustable tracking force.
 
kceateva said:
Sp the body of the cart are all the same just diffrent brands and stylus on them?
Click to expand...
For the vast majority of bodies, yes. I must have twenty of them lying about here and electrically they vary little.

But a few, originally designed for some early flagship models, vary magnetically. These are the members of that short list of special bodies mentioned above. They have what's called a laminated core, something all A-T's standard-mount audiophile MM bodies had at the time. The current AT440MLa and AT150MLX have it, and I believe the newer AT120E/T and AT100E do too.

What's the difference? A more accurate frequency response. A little more output in the upper midrange and lower treble. Is it worth bothering about? If you're a stickler for accuracy, yes. If your aim is pleasing sound, I wouldn't worry about it. The difference is small. In fact, you might prefer the sound of a 440 stylus in the non-laminated body.
 
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This is like a gold mine of good information thank you guys so much. Another question is are all stylus cantilever the same length or do they very from diffrent brands or diffrent ways the tips are cut?
 
If it's P mount it will be standard. That's the purpose of P-mount. They all have same weight, same length, same compliance.
 
sorry I was talkng about standerd mount cartridges. T4p are the same, but is there a diffrence in the standerd stylus?
 
Standard mount cartridges obey no laws and respect no persons. The only standard is the distance between the mounting screws. Everything else is wild and woolly.

Back to p-mount for a moment: If in doubt, ask here before buying any p-mount where you can't get specifications or find any coherent information on the googlenet. After all, this is AnalogLand, where the yardsticks are made of chewing gum and standards are slippery.
 
kceateva said:
sorry I was talkng about standerd mount cartridges. T4p are the same, but is there a diffrence in the standerd stylus?
Click to expand...

Oh yes, very different from each other. Weight, height, tracking force, compliance, cantilever distance. That's why standard mount tables have all kinds of adjustment, VTA and VTF, alignment.
 
Ha thank you. Should I take off the plastic dust cover on the Audio-Technica AT150MLX or will it still go up on one of these P-mount bodys ? Also thank you everybody again Wualta that list you link is a long one. I have been seachering flea bay and all the bodyes look the same just diffrent numbers lol.
 
The "special" bodies I've found are either gold or black. But I've also found black bodies that aren't "special", so the way to really be sure is to look closely at the exposed metal bits when the stylus is removed. This hobby can get pretty geeky.

Other than color, the vast majority of those first-generation A-T p-mounts are indeed the same, just with a snowstorm of different model names/numbers. Pick a cheap one and just run with it.

Not sure what you mean about "the plastic dust cover" of the AT150MLX. Do you mean the flip-down stylus guard? That should be removed when you use the stylus on a p-mount table that won't let you adjust the tracking force.
 
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Yes I meant the AT150mlx stylus guard I am planning on using this on a Technics Sl-7 turntable. Im on the hunt now for a cheap body as this looks like fun!
 
So still on the hunt, but I came across a technics SL-J2 turntable (the next track button is messed up gonna try and fix it.) But, the real reasson I snaged it was because from the photo it looks to have a Technics P205mk4 attached to it with needle intact. So for 85 I say why not? Anyways still on the hunt, but just thought I share.
 
If that thing's intact, you'll have something REALLY special! And there's always the "re-tip" option.
 
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