Jelco SA-750D cartridges

@minkwelder I really don't know, I have not kept up with the changes in the audio-technica line.

I just want to add that New AT-150MLX and Vintage AT-ML150, 170, 180 are two different series of cartridges (but people always mix them together by mistake), they are completely different, the AT-ML170 (and especially AT-ML180) are two best MM cartridges ever made by Audio-Technica, this series is rare and best sounding of them all. The cantilever is Gold-Plated Boron and Beryllium, the stylus is MicroLine, cartridge base is Ceramic. 

AT-150MLX and relates series are inferior in comparison to the AT-ML170 and AT-ML180. The styli are not compatible, the diamond mounting style is different, the material is different (beryllium is not available anymore). 

Reviewers never review Rare Cartridges from the past, they can only review current models and they never compare the best cartridges from the past to the current models from the same brand. 

MM cartridges were better in the 70's/80's than today, because today trend is LOMC 

It seems like people on Audiogon always using the same MM cartridges from the same Brands and never ever trying to find something special. it looks like some other cartridges does not exist for them in their world, very strange! What is it ? The lack of experience ? The lack of curiosity ? 

I always read in any thread something like AT and Nagaoka, nothing else, well, maybe Grado and SoundSmith too. But what about other cartridges, there are so many great cartridges made in the past. Why anyone have to stick to 4 modern brands only ? I just don't understand it. 

I owned a SA-750E for seven or eight years and tried it with a sh*tload of cartridges from 5g (Dynavector Karat 19A) to 12.5g (Koetsu Onyx Platinum). Basically it handled all of them very well indeed. The SA-750 isn’t the very last word in refinement, but it’s certainly a very competent arm and in terms of price/performance it can’t be beat.

As far as recommendations go, I’ll recommend what I always recommend:

A grand will get you an Audio-Technica ART9, which is about as good a cartridge as anything I’ve heard, at any price. Solid Boron cantilever, Special Line Contact stylus.

Roughly $750 will buy you an AT33Sa, which is almost as good. Tapered solid Boron cantilever, Shibata stylus.

Finally, $550 will buy you an AT33PTG/II, which is merely very, very good. Boron cantilever, MicroLine stylus.

If MM is what you want, the Audio-Technica VM760SLC and VM750SH are superb examples of the species. Astoundingly, so is the Goldring 1042 at a price of £200 (from Juno Records in London).

There are certainly excellent vintage cartridges, such as the Audio-Technicas mentioned by Chakster, but if you don’t particularly want to spend countless hours searching eBay and the like for reasonable examples and spare styli to go with them I’d just forget it.  Nor will it save you any money, more likely the opposite.

Nor do I agree that they are in any way, shape or form head and shoulders better than current cartridges. The very best of them (AT-ML170/180) may indeed have a slight edge on the top of the line VM series cartridges, but nowhere near large enough to justify the amount of time and effort required to get hold of them.

In my opinion, to my ears and as heard in my system.

@agripps nice post!  Thanks.

Nor do I agree that they are in any way, shape or form head and shoulders better than current cartridges. The very best of them (AT-ML170/180) may indeed have a slight edge on the top of the line VM series cartridges, but nowhere near large enough to justify the amount of time and effort required to get hold of them.

The AT-ML 180 OCC is NOS condition went for over $2500+ last year, and the NOS stylus for this model went for $900+ even in Japan where domestic cartridges are cheaper. Nobody would pay that much if those cartridges are not significantly better than cheap AT line of modern MM cartridges you’re talking about. The AT-ML180 with its gold-plated hollow pipe Boron cantilever (there is a beryllium version of AT-ML180 too) has one of the lowest moving mass among the MM cartridges ever. This is one of the best MM in existence. It was reference AT Moving Magnet cartridge.

If you never owned this model then do yourself a favor and find it, it is well worth the effort even if it will take several years, you may never heard anything better than this. It is a much better cartridge than Technics P100 mk4 which goes for the same price, but with elliptical tip and with softened suspension that no one can repair even for very high cost, however, people are buyin’ it. Made in the mid 80’s - early 90’s the AT-ML180 OCC does not have any problem with suspension/damper.

Moving mass is the key for live sound of Moving Magnet, it is critical aspect of design. There was a serious competition between Audio-Technica and Technics in the 70's and in the 80's. It was like the battle of the titans of the industry in Japan. Who cares about moving magnet cartridges now in the digital era ?

I will repeat again that all information from many owners of the AT-ML180 is on this forum, anyone can search and read feedbacks from users who actually compare many AT Moving Magnet cartridges. Everyone can hear the difference between then, even AT-ML170 is not as good as AT-ML180. And there was an AT 50 Anniversary model in comparison too, modern AT just loose the contest (even if they are good), we’re talking about some exceptional MM cartridges, not an average working horses. And people who invented AT-ML180 are retired long time ago. New people making new cartridges. There are no connection between old and new, it’s different generation.