Restore a Clearaudio Virtuoso MM or move on?

[Ultrapotato]

Short story long did the unthinkable, caught the stylus and bent hell out of it. Toast. Wasn’t the original. I inherited this cart with the TT when I bought it (thorens 318 with an RB101 Rega arm swap and I have an Audiocraft AC-3000 coming to replace it).

So I can either put an AT95 elliptical or micro line stylus back into it or move on. Probably to something up the AT MM line like a 740ML or I have heard good **** about the Nagaokas.

I was reasonably happy with the Virtuoso but found it wasn’t the greatest on surface noise. Solidly good but didn’t do anything that made me dance on the ceiling.

It’s spoken of truly over the top in reviews but I was underwhelmed.

Probably going to put my old shure M95HE back on for now but am I missing the boat, is the. Virtuoso MM really that amazing or just an AT95 with a wood bit stuck on?

 

[Hajidub]

Short story long did the unthinkable, caught the stylus and bent hell out of it. Toast. Wasn’t the original. I inherited this cart with the TT when I bought it (thorens 318 with an RB101 Rega arm swap and I have an Audiocraft AC-3000 coming to replace it).

So I can either put an AT95 elliptical or micro line stylus back into it or move on. Probably to something up the AT MM line like a 740ML or I have heard good **** about the Nagaokas.

I was reasonably happy with the Virtuoso but found it wasn’t the greatest on surface noise. Solidly good but didn’t do anything that made me dance on the ceiling.

It’s spoken of truly over the top in reviews but I was underwhelmed.

Probably going to put my old shure M95HE back on for now but am I missing the boat, is the. Virtuoso MM really that amazing or just an AT95 with a wood bit stuck on?

A lot of online talk about the Virtuoso just using AT95 coils and ease of trimming down an AT95 stylus to fit the cart. I actually wrote and asked ClearAudio about this rumor. They responded very abruptly and stated they would invite anyone who doubts the internals of their carts for a public viewing of the factory to view the build process. Could be BS talk, but the responding party was offended and adamant. I've never seen anyone actually open it and compare. Curious if any of our resident retippers to chime in.

 

[mrwood200]

... or just an AT95 with a wood bit stuck on?

...or a 'custom run of tuned' AT95, with the wood bit.

So I can either put an AT95 elliptical or micro line stylus back into it or move on.

Since you got the body, I would give a VMN95ML a try. If not for you, then MP-200.