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

I replaced my cartridge for the first time & went with this after reading reviews - it’s fantastic!! Bright, full & fat sound!

Incredible. What a difference in changing the cartridge. Added this to my Audio technica 120. Wish i would have got this a while back.

This is a fantastic stylus! After listening to a variety of records be it 45s, re-released 180 gram LPs or LPs that are 50 years old ... the bottom line is this cartridge delivers!! I never thought Id spend this much on a cartridge but after reading the insane amount of positive reviews I knew I had to take a chance. I replaced the original cartridge/stylus that came with my Audio Technica 120XUSB turntable. I have absolutely no complaints about this purchase. The sound is much brighter, louder and simply better overall. Nice separation and clarity as well. Will it be a good fit for you and your setup? Only you can answer that. I wouldnt hesitate to make this purchase again. Whether I am listening to classic rock, metal pop, soul or country, my listening experience is significantly improved with my new cartridge.

昔はグレース（品川無線）F8に音の幅で負けていましたが、今は無き名器のF8に勝る音質になりました。

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 **

First of all, being pre-mounted is a real time saver! The sound is full and precise. No sound coloration and tracks very nicely. I would recommend

Je m’étais fié aux différents avis sur cette cellule et la qualité de son délivré. Mais quelle déception à lécoute. Cette cellule VM540ML délivre des aigus agressifs car trop présent. Certes cela peut plaire car cela donne une sensation de brillance, mais sur une écoute longue cela savère vite fatigant. Comme si cela ne suffisait pas, l’extrême grave semble fortement atténué, ce qui enlève la rondeur et la chaleur du son vinyle. Cela semble lié à la forme du diamant, le micro line est réputé pour sortir des aigus très présents et atténuer l’extrême grave. A en croire que tout le spectre est décalé vers les aigus. Seuls points positifs, la séparation stéréo qui est meilleure que sur les cellules AT-VM95, due non pas au stylet utilisé, mais plus à la cellule AT VM meilleure sur ce point et le son délivré qui est très analytique, mais loin de ce que jattends dun son vinyle. Si vous attendez un son chaud, avec de l’extrême grave bien présent et des aigus doux, passez votre chemin, cest tout le contraire que vous obtiendrez. Je lai retourné. Ne vaut pas du tout son prix ni léloge reçue. Je suis parti sur une AT-VM95SH : Son doux, extrême grave présent et aigus sans excès. Tout ce quil me faut.

Great cartridge and stylus. Brings out a full audio experience. Only wish was a little deeper in the bass range would be nice. Does anyone have possible recommendations. Other than that, perfect upgrade.

This was an absolute game changer versus the cartridge that came with my AT LP120. Way better tracking and exceptional sound quality. I questioned how much a differencd this would make before purchasing. It is very much night and day to my ears. It was like removing earplugs. I am back to enjoying my setup now.

I have the Audio Technica AT-LP120XUSB. I also have a deer hide mat under my stock AT mat to help absorb vibration and adjust the height of the vinyl slightly. This means my cartridge bottom is parallel to the vinyl since my turntable has a fixed height tone arm base. I use the 1 pound AT disc stabilizer. I used a protractor to slightly adjust the cartridge from its preinstalled setting and used a scale to adjust stylus pressure to 2.0 grams as noted in specs. The weight on this is very important because the VM540ML/H combo weighs 1 gram more than the stock VMN95E and all that weight is right at the stylus. The tone arm counter balance weight had to be dialed back to only 0.5 grams from 2.0 to get the desired stylus pressure. With all that said, this thing sounds phenominal. I give credit to the stock VMN95E for doing a good job out of the box. But the VM540ML has a clarity and a silence that is easy to hear right away. I did not have a volume change when comparing cartridges. Hearing real bongos from the left soundstage when they used to sound like a drum machine from the center was the moment i knew there was a difference. Cymbals are more clear and you can hear the high hats actually touch. Dont forget to use the handy headshell holder at the back of the turntable for the stock set up. Also makes it easy to compare back and forth for the first 3 hours you test out the new set up!