Recommended a highly resolving cartridge

New, I highly recommend boron cantilever with advanced stylus shape, and check for tight center channel balance and wide channel separation, then find some reviews that describe the quality of sound, degree of involvement others find.

I decided to risk buying used cartridges in order to get a combo of lighter tracking at 1.25g and no longer available beryllium cantilever with MicroLine stylus

I’ve been buying AT160ml, I don’t see any listed at the moment. I have them checked by Steve and Ray at VAS, so far I have gotten lucky.

this is a AT-ML150 from the same seller I successfully bought two AT160ml’s.

NOTE: there is a pause of shipping to usa, you could ask seller when they think they will resume shipping. Tarriff is 15% from Japan, billed separately by FedEx, and FedEx charged me a $4.50 disbursement fee 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/257113147950?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=f9d8d482-a061-11f0-b91f-356436643765

stereophile review AT-ML 150

............................

AT160ML, and a few other bodies, have the advantage that new boron cantilever stylus can be used (note ML comes after the number, not before it)

IF you are not comfortable risking buying a used stylus, but like AT's dual magnet sound and light 1.25 tracking, you can buy a used cartridge and put a new stylus in it.

I like Boron if buying new, and I see they still sell 3 VMN Boron Stylii that fit these older AT150, AT155, AT160; AT440 bodies 

AT-VMN45xML (microlinear/nude/boron cantilever)
AT-VMN50xSH (Shibata/nude/boron cantilever)
AT-VMN60xSL (special line contact/nude/boron cantilever)

https://www.audio-technica.com/en-gb/support/which-stylus-can-i-use-to-replace-my-discontinued-model?srsltid=AfmBOoqmY8LH9JfjLmVnMHaK7edGe8NmiyTNluGGDkQDaGLFGN74nzzh

Thanks for the input folks, I will research the options mentioned. To be more specific, I currently run a Grado Aeon3 (love it), a DV XX2 MkII (superb cartridge for the price) and a Koetsu Urushi Wajima (which sadly is all wrong for my system - too much mid emphasis and rolled off highs mated to the sound of my system which is already warm and lush sounding was a bad move). My speakers are upgraded to modern spec Shahinian Obelisks (Omni directional), Hagerman Trumpet MC phono pre (I love this little guy, it ads a lush mid even with tube rolling), Rogue Audio pre/amp. Given the presentation of the Obelisks and the tone of my system I think an open sounding, resolving cartridge will fit in nicely. I’d love to see if I can trade my low hour’s Koetsu for something of that quality so consider that price wise. Any other info I can provide please let me know and thanks all! - Rich

@billstevenson Thanks for the comments regarding the 1200G arm, my hunch was it’s perfect for me so I appreciate the confirmation! 🍻

anybody wanting a bargain and willing to take a risk

https://www.ebay.com/itm/136538075732?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=511bed7a-a06b-11f0-908b-356436643765

The specs for this cart are these:

Freq. Response: 10-30,000Hz
Tracking Forces: 3/4 - 1-3/4 grams
Channel Balance 1.0 dB
Channel seperation: at 1kHz 29dB, at 10kHz 20dB
Output at 5cm/sec: 4.2mV
Stylus tip: 0.2 x 0.7 mil nude square shank elliptical (Original, replaced with AT440ML microline on tapered aluminum)
Stylus cantilever: Tapered tube
Magnetic system: Dual Magnet
Vertical tracking angle: 20 degrees
Load impedance: 47,000 ohms
Cartridge Inductance: 1,000mH
DC Resistance: 1,200 ohms
Cartridge weight: 6.8 grams

Victor Beryllium/Shibata

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650246951-victor-u-2e-lightly-used-cartridge-with-brand-new-dt-u2-stylus-beryllium-cantilever-shibata-diamond/