Audio-Technica VM540ML Moving Magnet Cartridge,Red

Product Information

If it is this issue, and I’d put money on it based on your description, then there is nothing you can do about it. As we will see in the measurements it is not the stylus that prevents the VM540ML from matching the best Audio-Technica and Shure produced in the late 80s, it’s the frequency response. These were very strong characteristics of the previous AT440MLa/b series and are accounted by the VM generator (unchanged between both families except the improvement of copper purity from PC-OCC to 6N-OFC) and by the mechanical parts (cantilever and ML tip unchanged as per specifications). The magnets appear slightly twisted in the same direction, but the diamond looks to have about 3x the angle of the magnets. In the ensuing years, Audio-Technica has branched out into a number of other product categories finding success and acclaim particularly with its headphones and broadcast microphone expertise.

It is not the burn your ears off AT440MLa bright starting lower in frequency and ending higher in amplitude, but it could be state of the art ML170 flat. The VM540ML comes pakaged with installation hardware, a non-magnetic screwdriver, cleaning brush and a replacement lead wire set. Humility, passion, creativity and expertise in sound are the core values behind Audio-Technica’s legacy, greatly inspired by its founder - whose imprint on the company’s philosophy is still felt today. Our magazine, which began with the publication of the SECRETS Primer, is available exclusively on-line and offers to our readers an extensive information resource about home theater and high-end audio.Summing with the 150pF of your tonearm, you'd end up with something close to 400pF, which is a tad high for the ATs. The first sounding turn of the groove of a 12" LP record has a radius of 146mm, and the last a 56mm diameter. Perhaps this is just me, but for some reason pulling the plug seemed rather crude to me, and I could not shake the feeling that I had overlooked some detail, like an on/off-switch perhaps.

This chart shows the left channel frequency response directly compared to the right channel separation as well as the reverse condition. In one case, a second hand copy of Emmylou Harris's Elite Hotel, I noticed that the crackling coincided with a light hardly visible scuff mark on the surface of the record. This was one of the only measurements that were not close to state of the art, but it appears to be some sort of strange distortion peak centered at this frequency. Consequently, the VM design ensures outstanding channel separation, extended frequency response and superb tracking. Even though these are background elements to the song, they sound properly and completely rendered here.Unfortunately, as manufacturers do not make manuals or guides in all languages, we cannot guarantee that a local language manual is included for the item. This is tiny at 2um because the frequency is up 10x and as we pointed out above, groove size goes down with frequency for constant output. I think it could work well in the new Technics SL1500C with a separate preamp such as my ifi Zen or possibly work well using a Project Classic Evo.

A few months ago I made a couple of comparison videos with the VM700 using the MicroLine and Shibata styli. The different instrument sections come across as well-defined with plenty of string detail being rendered in the presentation. For the VM540ML, changes in IM and THD were small moving from Level 1 to Level 6 so we will show only the Level 6 spectra. Paired with Hodgson’s tasteful and detailed guitar work, the song came across as the proper tour-de-force that it is.By the time I’d put a rubber mat on, added 20gm to the counterweight and put some Dynamat where I could, I was quite a bit more impressed; then late one night I decided to try reducing the VTF from 2.

Tracking force was set using a digital tracking force scale and anti-skate was set with the aid of the anti-skate band track of the Shure “An Audio Obstacle Course” LP (TTR-101). After getting myself some new second-hand records from the 1960s to the 1980s during 2021, the VM540ML now has over 338h of use and still performs pretty well with most of my records. I am trying to get a useful image of the 540 stylus from my usb microscope as I type, and I'll post it as soon as I can. What you will notice, is the exceptional sound quality for the money and the grin on your face when you listen to your favorite music.In the measurements section, we will show direct comparison between the AT440MLa and the replacement VM540ML. The stylus’ multilevel shape also wears better than other styli, while reducing the wear on your records.