Liking my “new” Audio Technica AT440MLa

[Azimuth]

Over a decade ago I bought a new AT440MLa cartridge for the then price of under $100. But I had a lot of other cartridge choices, mostly vintage, and didn’t use it. It has sat in a drawer ever since. I did notice that the price had doubled or tripled. I recently came across it and started using it and I am enjoying it very much. It’s MicroLine, which is better than anything else I have. However, I see that it is out of production and the ML replacement styli are very expensive. I will use it for the foreseeable future. Any tips or advice? What is your experience? How long will the stylus last? Any thoughts on a replacement? I may just go back to an Elliptical, since retirement affects my budget. Thanks.

 

[sound hound]

I think it is a very well regarded cartridge.

 

[SONDEKNZ]

Over a decade ago I bought a new AT440MLa cartridge for the then price of under $100. But I had a lot of other cartridge choices, mostly vintage, and didn’t use it. It has sat in a drawer ever since. I did notice that the price had doubled or tripled. I recently came across it and started using it and I am enjoying it very much. It’s MicroLine, which is better than anything else I have. However, I see that it is out of production and the ML replacement styli are very expensive. I will use it for the foreseeable future. Any tips or advice? What is your experience? How long will the stylus last? Any thoughts on a replacement? I may just go back to an Elliptical, since retirement affects my budget. Thanks.

It would be helpful if you could reveal what arm you are using, as cartridge and arm matching is important. That said, if you already enjoy the Audio Technica AT440MLa...

When your 500-1,000 hours on your Audio Technica AT-440MLa expires - largely determined by your chosen VTF, the cleanliness and lack of scratches in the grooves you spin - I would thoroughly recommend the Audio Technica AT-VM95C (Conical) MM cartridge.

It is cheap as chips and punches well above its price-tag, particularly with 30-hours of play behind it. We run ours on a high-end rig and it never sounds like it is out of its depth.

Only at the frequency extremes, does the AT-VM95C lack the absolute extension of the more expensive transducers. That said, the AT-VM95C gives many more expensive cartridges a shock when it comes to sheer dynamics!

Best of all, You can invest in another ML stylus to fit this cartridge, if you find you want to return to the ML sound.

There are some very long threads extolling the virtues of this little cartridge. Hunt them down if you are serious about a budget cart for everyday motoring.

 

[Azimuth]

It would be helpful if you could reveal what arm you are using, as cartridge and arm matching is important. That said, if you already enjoy the Audio Technica AT440MLa...

When your 500-1,000 hours on your Audio Technica AT-440MLa expires - largely determined by your chosen VTF, the cleanliness and lack of scratches in the grooves you spin - I would thoroughly recommend the Audio Technica AT-VM95C (Conical) MM cartridge.

It is cheap as chips and punches well above its price-tag, particularly with 30-hours of play behind it. We run ours on a high-end rig and it never sounds like it is out of its depth.

Only at the frequency extremes, does the AT-VM95C lack the absolute extension of the more expensive transducers. That said, the AT-VM95C gives many more expensive cartridges a shock when it comes to sheer dynamics!

Best of all, You can invest in another ML stylus to fit this cartridge, if you find you want to return to the ML sound.

There are some very long threads extolling the virtues of this little cartridge. Hunt them down if you are serious about a budget cart for everyday motoring.

View attachment 3829249

 

[Azimuth]

Why not an Eliptical in this line of AT cartridges. There is also an Elliptical stylus made that fits the AT440 that is reasonably priced.

 

[mr_petit]

I think in the long run a microline stylus is just as cheap as an elliptical one as it has a longer stylus life, and during that stylus life you get way better playback.
So when your at-440mla stylus wears out, I would buy the AT-VMN40xML replacement stylus (normally fitted on the at-vm740xml cartridge but it fits the at-440 body and is it's succesor) and play with that (that stylus is I think about €170 or so), or maybe buy an AT-VM95ML cartridge (costs €150 but the stylus also costs €150 but has a lower tech level (straight cantilever instead of tapered cantilever).4

For the AT-440mla, I would not play below 1,4gr VTF (I play at 1,75gr) and I would keep that VTF if going to a AT-VMN40xML (and not use 2,0gr as AT recommends).
Use as low as possible capacitance cable for your interlinks, and if possible (if you can solder etc) change the MM loading resistor in your phonopre from 47kOhm to around 39kOhm). That solves pretty much any issues with the ML stylus sounding a bit bright on that body.f

Tracking/tracing capabilities of an ML stylus compared to a simple elliptical or conical stylus is just no match. Those differences are huge.

 

[Azimuth]

I think in the long run a microline stylus is just as cheap as an elliptical one as it has a longer stylus life, and during that stylus life you get way better playback.
So when your at-440mla stylus wears out, I would buy the AT-VMN40xML replacement stylus (normally fitted on the at-vm740xml cartridge but it fits the at-440 body and is it's succesor) and play with that (that stylus is I think about €170 or so), or maybe buy an AT-VM95ML cartridge (costs €150 but the stylus also costs €150 but has a lower tech level (straight cantilever instead of tapered cantilever).4

For the AT-440mla, I would not play below 1,4gr VTF (I play at 1,75gr) and I would keep that VTF if going to a AT-VMN40xML (and not use 2,0gr as AT recommends).
Use as low as possible capacitance cable for your interlinks, and if possible (if you can solder etc) change the MM loading resistor in your phonopre from 47kOhm to around 39kOhm). That solves pretty much any issues with the ML stylus sounding a bit bright on that body.f

Tracking/tracing capabilities of an ML stylus compared to a simple elliptical or conical stylus is just no match. Those differences are huge.

I run it at 1.4 grams on good records. What is the estimated stylus life?

 

[mr_petit]

I run it at 1.4 grams on good records. What is the estimated stylus life?

1,4gr is good. You can go higher (imho up to 1,75gr) and that might give you an edge on IGD distortion (my at-440mla (new stylus) plays slightly cleaner on the Tacet fricatives test track at 1,75gr than an AT-150mlx (ML on boron cantilever) at 1,4gr on the same testtrack), but those differences are really small.
Lower vtf might (agruably) give a slightly longer stylus life.
In that light I have my doubts about AT nowadays advising 2.0gr vtf for their at-vm95 range and at-vm5xx range, as compliance has pretty much stayed the same compared to at120/440 and at95 range

Estimated stylus life is difficult to say as everyone uses different criteria. But I'd say at least 1000hrs, or maybe better said: 2-3 times as long as an elliptical stylus.
Also a ML stylus doesn't degrade as much during it's stylus life as other stylus profiles (conical, elliptical, shibata etc).
This is because the contact wear patch doesn't grow in width as much as most other stylus profiles due to it's special grinding. It's basically ground in a narrow ridge on the diamond that has to wear away completely. The contact wear patch never gets any wider than the width of that ridge.

A good way to monitor stylus life (for a hobbyist) is to record a known track that is difficult on IGD (like Billy Jean from Michael Jackson) when the stylus is new, and compare that recording (on the 'S' sibilants) every few hunderd hours.
Otherwise you have to use a microscope and a special lighting setup to make the wearpatches visible.