The Ortofon stylus on my Pro-Ject Essential II needed replacing, and it’s almost as cheap to replace the whole cart with an upgrade model than replace the stylus only. The difference out of the box is great - and I’m expecting it to get better as it burns in. As with all carts, you will need a protractor and a tracking force scale to get the best out of it, and it’s worth taking some care over installation even on the very cheapest tables. The AT instructions are rubbish, but there are some good YouTube videos. The level of detail is pretty good, and it sounds pretty neutral paired up with my slightly dull amp and slightly bright speakers. This is as far as I go with this table; no point in putting anything better on it, but this makes me want to upgrade the whole table.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
This low cost cartridge really is amazing. It brought out detail that was not revealed by my Shure M95 but after awhile I decided to get even more and asked Simon at The Audio Files about the Elliptical Nude option. He advised to go for a further improvement and suggested the Microline. I have just received this and it is quit a big step up. Even more detail that I had not heard before and great stereo separation. My 50 year old classical records never sounded so good, (nor Tony Bennet for that matter). So, don't hesitate, you are not buying just a new cartridge, this is a whole new listening experience with a reasonably painless upgrade path.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
A worthy successor to the AT95e, the AT-VM95E has the added advantage that it can be upgraded to audiophile status simply by changing the stylus. The Audio-Technica "VM" design gives quite respectable channel separation, the channels are well matched, and the frequency response is pretty good. Provided you use a well-matched pre-amp of course. As with most cartridges, the AT-VM95E will only give of its best if the pre-amp has the correct input impedance.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Bought to replace my old AT95E cardridge/ stylus. No regrets, for an entry level product, the difference between the AT & the VM is night and day. The stereo separation is very noticeable and the lighter stylus tracking really works well on my AT 1240LP turntable, much reduced popping and clicking. I really like the fact I can upgrade the stylus to a shabata profile if I so desire but I will likely go for the ET95NML Microline stylus next time retaining my original cartridge
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Once set up, the cartridge and stylus sounded great, pulling out tone and depth from my records that i had not heard before. A great way to upgrade my system without spending huge amounts of money. I would recommend this audio technica product to anyone who has a basic hi fi system that wants to improve the sound on a budget. Another plus is that you can upgrade the stylus using the same cartridge. All in all a very good product.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
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