Audio-Technica VM540ML/H Turntable Headshell/Cartridge Combo Kit Red

Ive gone through a handful of carts lately as I look to upgrade my SL-1200 deck. I purchased an Ortofon 2M Blue a year or so ago and have used it exclusively for the last 11 months. When the tip started to wear out, a purchased a new replacement stylus. My time with the Ortofon 2M Blue was a bit exasperating. On some genres it would sound dynamic, clean, and detailed; with other genres it seemed lifeless and clinical. It would be like I was listening to a CD. The warmth and lush midrange that I wanted to hear from my albums just wasnt there. I decided to buy a second cart a couple of months ago to swap into my system when the Ortofon just didnt sound right. I started with a Nagaoka MP-110. For the first 20 hours or so, I loved this cart! It had warmth, it had great bass, and the treble sparkled. But after that 20 hours, the treble became very rounded off. Too rounded off. I didnt want the exaggerated treble that the 2M Blue was giving me, but neither did I want all the treble to go away! So I swapped the Nagaoka for a Sumiko Rainier. The treble was back, although not as exaggerated as the 2M Blue, and some of the bass was sacrificed, but man this cartridge sounded wonderful! My only problem was, for whatever reason, I could not get the cartridge to track well on my table. Inner groove distortion on several of my records drove me nuts. I tried every alignment trick I knew. I used the correct protractor. I used the overhang gauge that came with the table, I adjusted tracking force, I checked the azimuth, I checked and adjusted tonearm height, nothing seemed to matter. Sigh, the Sumiko wasnt going to work well for me either. I was about to give up and just keep using the 2M Blue, but now enter the VM540ML. I saw it on Amazon, one day shipping, and with the cartridge already mounted on the head shell. It was much pricier than my two previous options and about the same cost as the 2M Blue, but I took a chance and ordered it. I installed the unit on my SL-1200, checked alignment (it was perfect already) and got down to listening to music. For the first week, I ran dozens of records under the needle and put a little over 30 hours on it. I feel that it has broken in nicely and can report that it has the perfect combination of bass impact, warmth, and sparkly treble that reminds me of why I like vinyl so much. Compared to the Ortofon 2M Blue, the VM540 is not quite as punchy or capable in the bass department, but it is still well-defined. Whereas the Ortofon seems clinical and sterile in its delivery, the VM540 adds warmth and character. The VM540s treble is clear and sparkles, but not to the point that it is overwhelming. As for the VM540ML compared to the Nagaoka and Sumiko cartridges, it trounces them pretty handily (as it should, considering it is nearly twice the cost of them each). The sound is much more detailed and fun. I know I might have been better off comparing the VM540 to the higher range of Sumiko cartridges, or say the Nagaoka MP150, but I see no need now. I am very happy to use the VM540 as my primary cartridge and leave the Ortofon on the back of my table as a spare and back up.

I like that it came already mounted in a head shell and that it was correctly aligned. The sound quality was a good step up from the atvm95e that was originally fitted to my ATLP120X turntable, and that cartridge is no slouch.

長年愛用していたShure Type 15 IVが壊れてしまったので、その代替として購入しました。 カートリッジはこの上位機種の760SLCやＯ社のＳＰＣーＧなどももっていますが、レコードらしい暖かい表現を求めるならこれでも十分かと思います。そしてこの針に関しては左右の素晴らしいセパレーション能力も持っていて、暖かいながらもメリハリのある音を奏でます。 VM型（MM型）とMCとでときどき論争が起こりMC派の人は一度MCに行くと二度とMMに戻れなくなる、といいますが、MMやVMには独自の魅力があると思います。 ＭＣに行く一歩手前のカートリッジとして自信をもってお勧めできます。

Looking for a stylus to replace the original one on my AT-120LP. After some research decided this was the best option for sound quality, price and easy installation. Got the entire headshell as it was much easier to pop off the old one and put this one on. Noticeable sound improvement right away. Highly recommend.

The is the best needle and headshell .Highly recommended .My turntable use to get a loud hum when i turned the volume up i put isolated legs on it but it still made a humming noise but when i installed my Audio-Technica VM540ML/H Turnble Headshell/Cartridge Combo Kit Red. no more hum and the music i played was so clean i heard every vocal and instrument like the artist was really there performing

I have a couple dozen contemporary and vintage cartridges and this model sounds and tracks with the finest around. Very balanced and extended. You will be satisfied and pleased.

Pretty easy replacement of the standard cartridge on my turntable. Found a comparison that concluded this was the best manageable priced upgrade. No doubt better sound. Need to do some more high volume listening soon!

My turntable a Teac TN-570 came with an installed Audio Technica AT100E worth about $100. I was really surprised how good this turntable/cartridge/stylus combination sounded and should have been satisfied at least until the cartridge was broken in. However, I decided to go for the Gold and invest in a better sounding cartridge. Although the AT100E was very good right out of the box, I could hear some slight distortion towards the end of each of my albums(LP) and I wondered why ? Not wanting to play around with the tracking I figured a better cartridge would do the trick. I had my mind set on the Ortofon Blue which has been receiving rage reviews since I can remember. Thats until I began reading the reviews on the Audio-Technica VM540ML, which stated almost unanimously that the Audio-Technica VM540ML was the better cartridge. Oh well, for an extra $50 I might as well invest in that one, especially since I already own an AT. I purchased the Combo Kit which came with a pre-installed cartridge and head-shell, because I did not want to fiddle around with a $250 cartridge trying to install it. I eagerly waited for the Combo kit to come in the mail. It took about 3 business days. I was really surprised on how cheap looking the head-shell was. I thought it was made out of plastic, until I performed the biting test with my teeth and sure enough it was aluminum, but it sure looked plastic to me ! Also while I was trying to remove the cartridge from the packing, the stylus-guard almost came off and the stylus was actually moved to the left slightly, but I gently moved it back. And this for an extra $40 ?! The cartridge itself did not look any different than my AT100E and it seemed like there were some cut corners when it came to the build of this cartridge. It certainly did not Ooze of quality like my turntable did. In any case, I did not buy this cartridge for looks but for sound, so I placed a copy of a re-mixed Beatles album on the turntable mat and took it for a spin. Like the reviews said, I could not hear a single Snap, Crackle, Pop, but keep in mind this album was purchased recently. The sound was a little better than my AT100E, but not by much. I was not really surprised by the sound for some reason ? Dont get me wrong, the sound was better than anything I have owned so far, its just that I expected this cartridge to blow the AT100E out of the water, which it didnt. Without the noise, I would say that the sound coming out of my turntable probably matches the sound coming out of my expensive Marantz CD player, but there are some minor differences. The sound from my CD player seems to be a little more open and crisp, not as boxy. However, the sound from my TT is not as flat, has more depth and is a little easier to listen to for extended periods. Everything else such as instrument placement, base, mid range, treble is about the same although the cymbals sound a little more natural on my turntable. The reason why I gave this cartridge/stylus a 4-star instead of a 5-star, was the cheap looking head shell that cost me an extra $40 and the slight disappointment in build quality. ** The sound is great so far and I highly recommend this cartridge not only for the quality sound, but for those who want to make high-res copies of their albums on Tape or Digital if your system allows. Maybe after 20 hours of break-in period I will adjust my review. ** After the Break-in period this cartridge/stylus sounds absolutely fantastic, even better than my expensive CD player ! so I upgraded to a 5-star **

Not an audiophile by any means but I can hear the significant difference between this 540 and comparative priced cartridges. Very clear highs and clean controlled bass. I have bought two of these for my vintage Pioneer Pl512 TT and up to date AT USB DD TT. I believe for this price range you will not be disappointed at all. Try it out.

A great sounding cartridge, a great price for the combination ( cart. and headshell) ... and a great delivery time (3 days). However, when it says FREE SHIPPING... and they charge you $4.92 , I found that a bit disappointing... and somewhat dishonest. Buyer beware I suppose.