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Suprising Cartridge Find Experience

Let's call them second-gen, even though it could be argued that the final-gen (AT3472 family) that we know so well is essentially only a simplification of the AT200 family. The styli don't interchange, but the specs are virtually identical-- the AT216EP and AT221EP being notable-though-minor exceptions-- so the important bits are very likely the same. There is a small inductance difference (450 vs 650mH) to be considered too. But they show up in the US market so infrequently that they can be easy (for me, at least) to overlook.
UPDATE:
They first show up in Audio's annual directory in Oct 1984, presumably for the 1985 model year, priced from $25 to $65. They last appeared in the 1987 directory.
They were based on a series of standard-mount cartridges that never came to the US (farz I know). Examples would be the AT-E30 and AT-261:
1.JPG1a.jpg as well as the whimsical AT-E32 (p-mount on left, standard on right): CjISq7kUoAgkEmg.jpg

But this line of E models extended into some very snazzy, related-but-incompatible cartridges, like this AT-E50:
20141022_43850a.jpg
Worth looking up. Beautifully made miniatures, jewel-like, though actually finding one in the US... very difficult.

I categorize the second-gen p-mounts as the A-T equivalent of ADC's equally short-lived Integra XTs-- nearly nonexistent, just barely real, but of a quality we haven't seen for a long time. I now have a couple of these, including the AT231LP. No better than, say, an 8008, but good and well worth having.
specs .JPG
 
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I apologize for the long post, but I couldn't help sharing tonight's experience with you all.

... I recently picked up a mint example of a Technics SL-QX200. I noticed it came with an Audio Technica cartridge installed (AT155LC/U). ...

Ha! I recently received a nice SL-QX200 from shopgoodwill.com. It also came with an AT155LC/U, albeit without a stylus. With trepidation I ordered the
ATSAT0155LCU stylus from LPTunes and it arrived about 30 minutes ago. I am currently listening to the new A Love Supreme - Live In Seattle, and this is a much different (and better) experience than the same record through my other styli.

Your post convinced me to spring for the more expensive stylus. Thank you.
 
Ha! I recently received a nice SL-QX200 from shopgoodwill.com. It also came with an AT155LC/U, albeit without a stylus. With trepidation I ordered the
ATSAT0155LCU stylus from LPTunes and it arrived about 30 minutes ago. I am currently listening to the new A Love Supreme - Live In Seattle, and this is a much different (and better) experience than the same record through my other styli.

Your post convinced me to spring for the more expensive stylus. Thank you.

I'm glad you like the sound of your QX200/AT155. The AT155LC/U is a great P-Mount cartridge. The SL-QX200/300 are also unique (at least for Technics) in that they employ a suspended platter/arm design. These decks sound much better than I expected with cartrdges ranging from the stock Technics P28SE to Sony XL-MC2 Moving coil. Not quite up to the level of my 1200Gs or 1000mkII, but I really enjoy them all the same. With a better arm, no telling what could happen (but that would mean disabling the automatic features).
 
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