Ok, the aspect of 'common' might be an individual aspect (I bet my neighbour also doesn't know it), but if you search on VE, there are loads of posts from 2017 where people suggest to put the 540ml stylus on their 440 bodies.
Here is even a post nov 2017 where someone writes that AT oficially recommends the 540ml stylus as a direct replacement for the 440.
So at least AT recommended it over 6 years ago, which in my book makes it common knowledge for a long time now.
You might not have know it, which just means you've missed that bit of information. But loads of others picked up on it.
And yes, the 540ml is more expensive than the 440ml was in his days. that's the way it goes.
I bought my at-95e also once for €24,50. It's successor AT-VM95e is also twice as expensive. I got over that.
Deal with it. That's life.
I'd like to have '50's prices back too, just not the 50's wages if you know what I mean
.
That said, the 540ml is still
by FAR the cheapest cartridge that has both an ML stylus and a tapered cantilever.
So you're still getting a really good deal considering the price and performance this cartridge offers.
With other brands, you pay double for something similar/equivalent.
