Which is the better P-Mount Cartridge?
- Thread starter AdamITR
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KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
The VS 215 EP was higher end, both are fine cartridges. Both were designed for T4p rather than adapted from 1/2" mount designs.
AdamITR
Well-Known Member
Thanks!
lini
just me...
Kent: Actually at least the VS215EP would rather count as "adapted", 'cause it's a renamed AT102P family member, and these use practically the same body as the halfinch-mount models of the AT100/120 (*) family. Also I don't really see a problem in adapted bodies in general - not even if these slightly deviate from the standard weight (6 g), provided the corresponding needles compensate for that. I.e., imo the only real problem are T4P designs/adaptations with needles that significatly deviate from the standard tracking force (1.25 g) without the cart weight compensating for that (or at least within +/- 0.25 g for models with tracking force fine adjustment) as well as models that deviate from the standard needle position...
Greetings from Munich!
Manfred / lini
*) officially AT100 - but I still prefer AT120 in order to avoid confusion with the older, renamed AT100E from the AT10 to AT12 family as well as the AT105/110E/115E.
Greetings from Munich!
Manfred / lini
*) officially AT100 - but I still prefer AT120 in order to avoid confusion with the older, renamed AT100E from the AT10 to AT12 family as well as the AT105/110E/115E.
rnorton
Super Member
It has good sound and detail for 5X the price, IMO.
AJD1964
Well-Known Member
Technically better and with an easier-to-find set of original advanced styli, should you ever decide to upgrade. Here's the spec sheet for the whole line:
Can you post the 92E specs for comparison?
SA-708
Appalachian-American
From Audiotechnica's web site:
Looks like the specs are a little better than the VS215EP, with a narrower elliptical stylus.
My gut feeling is that, with replacement stylii instead of original, whichever one has the best stylus would perform the best.
Code:
Frequency Response 15-27,000 Hz
Channel Separation 29/18 (dB at 1 kHz/10 kHz)
Vertical Tracking Force 1.0-1.5 grams
Stylus Construction Bonded round shank
Recommended Load Impedance 47,000 ohms
Output 3.5 (mV at 1 kHz, 5 cm/sec)
Channel Balance 1.25 dB
Stylus Shape 0.3 x 0.7 mil elliptical
Cantilever Alloy tube
Mount UniversalLooks like the specs are a little better than the VS215EP, with a narrower elliptical stylus.
My gut feeling is that, with replacement stylii instead of original, whichever one has the best stylus would perform the best.
AJD1964
Well-Known Member
Thanks for posting - Interesting!
Well, the bodies do differ in this case. The VectorScan model is a 1st-gen A-T p-mount. The final-gen AT92E is basically an AT95E in p-mount form. Still good, but the 1st-gen models have the technical edge. Whether or not this becomes an audible edge depends on many external factors, as you might expect. But as has been pointed out, the stylus is the thing, and there are more original A-T-made styli available for the VectorScan, though they're not exactly cheap.
So if you need a high bang/buck cart, the AT-92E is the one. If you need a cart with a future (by which I mean upgrades), the VectorScan is the better choice.
If you want to get really geeky about it, the AT132EP body is, technically, slightly superior to the VectorScan body-- it has the two-layer laminated core shared with the AT440MLa. The difference (slightly flatter frequency response) is subtle but easily audible. Deciding which one sounds better, however, might be difficult, so get one of each. It's the AK Way. AT92E specs from retail package:
So if you need a high bang/buck cart, the AT-92E is the one. If you need a cart with a future (by which I mean upgrades), the VectorScan is the better choice.
If you want to get really geeky about it, the AT132EP body is, technically, slightly superior to the VectorScan body-- it has the two-layer laminated core shared with the AT440MLa. The difference (slightly flatter frequency response) is subtle but easily audible. Deciding which one sounds better, however, might be difficult, so get one of each. It's the AK Way. AT92E specs from retail package:
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A couple of things to keep in mind when reading specs:
1) Frequency response when quoted without +/- db limitations are meaningless!! (achieving 20khz with 20kHz being down 20db is no great achievement...)
2) Needle mounting method provides some indication of effective total needle mass - and lighter is better... nude is lighter than bonded. (real frequency response, dynamics, tracking ability and other factors are affected by effective tip mass)
3) Cantilever type also affects performance markedly - tapered reduces tip mass over straight cantilevers, exotic materials are a further improvement (boron, beryllium, sapphire/ruby) - tapering also improves rigidity which reduces midrange losses and harmonic distortion caused by cantilever flex.
4) All the VS215 to VS235 bodies are identical - only the stylus varies - so a stylus upgrade takes you to the stylus' level of performance... The VS245 seems similar to the current ATN440MLa needles....
bye for now
David
1) Frequency response when quoted without +/- db limitations are meaningless!! (achieving 20khz with 20kHz being down 20db is no great achievement...)
2) Needle mounting method provides some indication of effective total needle mass - and lighter is better... nude is lighter than bonded. (real frequency response, dynamics, tracking ability and other factors are affected by effective tip mass)
3) Cantilever type also affects performance markedly - tapered reduces tip mass over straight cantilevers, exotic materials are a further improvement (boron, beryllium, sapphire/ruby) - tapering also improves rigidity which reduces midrange losses and harmonic distortion caused by cantilever flex.
4) All the VS215 to VS235 bodies are identical - only the stylus varies - so a stylus upgrade takes you to the stylus' level of performance... The VS245 seems similar to the current ATN440MLa needles....
bye for now
David
