Westcoast, how can AI possibly have accumulated enough opinions comparing the 760 to that particular vintage AT, the 150MLX, in order to say that the latter is "generally preferred"? Most likely it read your own prior post to come to its conclusion, because the 150MLX is relatively rare.
Audio Technica VMN760xSL Reveiw
I wrote this brief review of the subject cartridge for Amazon and thought it would be of interest here as well.
This cartridge performs well above expectations. It is mounted in a Technics SL1200GAE turntable and it has been compared to an Ortofon 2M LVB, and an Audio Technica ART20 among others. Two phono preamps were used for evaluation: Conrad-Johnson ART Phono and PS Audio Stellar Phono. All cartridges set up using AnalogMagik software. By any criteria the 760xSL performed at an exceptionally high level. Compared to the Ortofon, perhaps the nearest competitor, it offers slightly leaner bass, but in exchange is ever so slightly cleaner and better defined. Both offer boron cantilevers, the LVB has a Shibata stylus, whereas the 760xSL has a fine line stylus. Which is better is a matter of taste. To me perhaps the LVB might be the better choice for classical music, the 760xSL for jazz etc. However, the differences are minor and given that the LVB costs almost twice as much.... The ART20, even costing over $3,000.00 is considered by many to be perhaps the best moving coil cartridge available for the money available in the world today. It is a marvelous thing. So how does Audio Technica's best Moving Magnet cartridge compare with it? Moving Coil cartridges are recognized as having superior detail retrieval compared to Moving Magnet cartridges. Is that so here? Not really. MC cartridges should also have greater sound stage, superior tracking ability and so on. Again not so between these two. So is there any difference? Oh yes, the ART20 has a richness of sound that is unmistakable. With very high end sound systems the ART20 will be better, but the difference is one of nuance. The 760xSL has all of the essentials covered. It is quite simply astonishingly good. It is perhaps the modern day equivalent of the Shure V15Vmr. It hits way above it's weight. Highest recommendation.
- ...
- 27 posts total
FWIW, I generally rely on my ears to form my opinions about sound quality. I have compared my AT150ANV to a 150MLX and quite prefered the ANV. In fact it was not even close. Interestingly enough I have also compared my ANV to several of the new LMNx series cartridges, not just the 760 and even preferred the 740 to the ANV. But YRMV. I say again, you need to listen to a 760 and make up your own mind. This whole AI thing is reminiscent of the early days of the Absolute Sound. Whatever was printed in that rag became gospel. I was still in the business at that time and it was literally the amplifier of the month club. A license to steal for the unscrupulous. People need to use what God gave them (i.e. ears, brains, common sense) and not rely of artificial intelligence to decide what is best for them. I hope I don't get censored for being too controversial for saying that. |
@westcoastaudiophile No doubt. I also have pricier and more technically sophisticated cartridges. That in no way diminishes what this one has to offer. You seem intent on dismissing it without listening to it. I gave you more credit than that. |
bill, congrats w/ your 760, enjoy! AT tooling for 150 carts and 760 is the same, thus those shouldn’t be much different at highest end of the line level! as of AT150MLX, it is well regarded cart, if 760 beats it - congrats to you! my point is a NOS AT-ML180 LC-OFC beats all of them! ..even AT-ML170 sounds better in my setup! ..better magnets, more solid cantilever, better diamond ( I checked my under microscope - WOW!). https://hifi-wiki.com/index.php/Audio_Technica_AT-ML_180 response plot for ML170 (180 exceeds it): here is some discussion from previous years: "And maybe (180) is one of the best cartridges ever” https://audiokarma.org/forums/threads/audio-technica-ml180.461678/ 760 inductance is on the high end, which might have w/ your setup (cable capacitance + phono-input capacitance) frequency picking response on the bright side, and you like it! btw.: "AT150MLX had been named Cartridge of the Year!" https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/audio-technica-at150mlx-finally-gets-some-respect |
- 27 posts total