Audio Technica AT ML-180 Cartridge Advice

Now you are not speaking of inductance any more, good. Mass? yes: different cantilever/stylus holder and some internal arregments. But, what's your point? what do you do not like on my advise to send the cartridge to Northwest?, it's only an alternative suggestion, that's all.

Thanks Raul for the great response. I spent a lot of time yesterday going between an Ortofon Classic GM E MKII SPU, a Grace F9 Ruby and the 180/150 combo and I have to say the 180/150 is opening up / breaking in nicely.

I will contact Northwest next week and ask what options they can provide but I think if it continues to get better I will hold off on any expensive upgrade as this combo currently gives a huge bang for the little bucks I paid.

First of all, many thanks to all who have contributed to this thread.

As an update I have decided to hold off on rebuilding the original ML180 cantilever as the NOS ML150 stylus on the ML180 body is proving to be a very enjoyable cartridge indeed.

During the time it has been breaking in, it has in my opinion, exceeded the performance of the Grace F9 Ruby, the Shinon Boron Red, the Ortofon Classic GM E MKII SPU, the Fidelity Research FR1 MK3F and my most recent addition the Grace Level II RC.

The only cart left in my stable that beats it, is the Spectral Reference LOMC cart.

One of the most impressive features of the cart apart from dynamic range, holographic imaging, expansive soundstage, etc, etc,......... is how quiet it is in the groove. I have always heard of people speaking of "inky black backgrounds" but never truly appreciated it until now.

One other reason not to consider rebuilding was that my research into new cantilever options concluded that even though I could spent well over $600 on a new cantilever for the ML180 stylus holder, I was still not going to get the performance of the original ML180 stylus.

It would no doubt be very good but not the same, and although my current ML150 stylus is also not as good as the original ML180 stylus, I do not believe any expensive rebuild will give me a better return than the NOS factory ML150.

After all, the ML150 stylus is a very high quality gold plated beryllium cantilever with natural (not man made) Microridge diamond. I feel this has to be better than anything a retipper can provide.

In conclusion the ML150 stylus works really, really well on the ML180 body.

I am really stunned by advices Raul and chakster dear to give. Both have no idea how AT styli are constructed. More in particular they have no idea about tension wire inside the tube behind the cantilever, The only possible way to put a new cantilever on defective AT is to either use an aluminum tube to cover both sides  or to glue an aluminum tube over the existing part of the old cantilever. There is no way to glue an new boron rode in the existing construction .  According to me  the best solution is to buy AT 160 which has gold plated beryllium cantilever (better than AT 180) assuming that AT160  can be bought for for an modest price. 

Nandric, why use a 160ML when the ML150 already has a gold plated beryllium cantilever and a smaller Microline stylus than the 160 (0.10mm vs 0.12mm).

Does a 160ML even fit on an ML180 body?

Thanks,