Audio Technica AT ML-180 Cartridge Advice

Dear @ateal: I think your today tonearm will works fine as a fact you can't say after the re-building which will be the new compliance figure or its VTF range.

I was a fan of the 180 but not now. In the other side and with a vintage cartridge when the cantilever, stylus tip shape and dampers are changed the cartridge will performs with different performance quality levels.

So you can choose boron but you can choose by material too that by its characteristics is better than boron. It's just an election, both can sounds good but I don't know for sure wich one can have higher quality levels.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

I am precise as much as your best MC cartridge, lol

Even AT-ML150 cantilever is Gold Plated too, but it’s not Boron, it’s Gold Plated Beryllium. Here is a picture of my ex AT-ML150. So i just don’t know anything about your 160 model (can be beryllium or boron). But the next model in official Japanese catalog is AT-ML170 with different cantilever and different style of mounting stylus tip on this hollow boron cantilever: https://scontent-amt2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20139640_1791997270818432_584247051679766313_n.jpg?oh=...

Why the AT-ML180 stylus/cantilever is different?
The stylus is 0.08mm (for others it's 0.1 mm). Vertical tracking angle is 23 degree (for others it’s 20 degree).

Never seen AT-ML160, it can be closer to AT-ML150 which has a beryllium cantilever, the 150 is also very good cartridge, but not as good as the 170.

AT-ML180 is completely different compard to all of them.

The problem with the 160 models is that you will not find it in the catalog where this number simply missed, there are 140, 150, 170, 180 in comparison chart, but there is nothing about 160. Maybe the 160 was not for Japanese marked and that’s the reason i do not see it in the catalogs?

I still have my second spare of the AT-ML170 in fully working condition if anyone need it.

However, the price for refurbishing of the broken needle is not equal to the price of the perfectly working sample of AT-ML170 or AT-ML180 cartridge. If the AT-ML170 normally goes for $750+ in working order, the AT-ML180 goes for over $1000. While the re-cantilevering starts from $250 (SoundSmith) or $400 (ExpertStylus). 

SME III w/ 5.0 g teak damped titanium nitride S-shaped want + fluid damping is designed especially for HQ HC MM cartrides. You will have a terrific combo. Good luck for searching

Yeah, closer to the original, unfortunately hollow pipe boron is not available anymore in the world (which makes the original cartridge so special). 

I would use boron with microline/microridge type of diamonds. They call it paratrace. See below what they said:

"We manufacture cantilevers in aluminium, boron and sapphire. I would also advise the Paratrace profile diamond is possibly the most advanced diamond produced world wide." -ExpertStylus 

Thanks Chakster that is very helpful. Would you suggest Boron cantilever? Also what diamond profile.

The original is gold plated hollow pipe boron with tiny nude microline stylus, i have a few samples of perfectly working at-ml180 and at-ml170. I also have a few broken samples of both, one of them is here. I think the best option is Expert Stylus & Cartridge Co. service in UK, they are very good in communication and very well organized, reasonable prices (imo). Contact Email: info@expertstylus.co.uk

Here is the info i got from them:
"We shall need to carry out a detailed examination and assuming we find the cartridge repairable, our charges to carry out a complete overhaul to include materials as necessary and auditioning will be between £291.00 - £330.00. With the work carried out we aim to return the cartridge to as near new condition as possible. Should we find the cartridge in relatively good order, apart from a badly damaged cantilever or the stylus to be showing excessive wear, our chatges will vary between £120.00 - £180.00."

I use my AT-ML180 and AT-ML170 on Victor UA-7045, Lustre GST-801 and Reed 3P "12 Cocobolo.