2. analog
  3. 131997-74046

Audio Technica AT ML-180 Cartridge Advice

Just acquired an Audio Technica AT ML-180 cartridge with broken cantilever and was looking for advice on where to get a new cantilever rebuild and what material to choose from. My preference is a new Boron cantilever but was not sure who, apart from Soundsmith, offers this service.

Also would like to know which is the best tonearm to use for this cartridge once it's fixed. It can either go on my Audiomods Series 5 (eff. mass approx. 11g) or the arm on my Yamaha GT 2000 which has an effective mass of approx. 20g.

Thanks in advance.
ateal
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
I just want to add one very important thing you have missed. The generator of your AT-ML180 is electrically different from all previous models, so it is not designed to use styli from lower models. Most likely those styli will never sound correct with such a different generator. The inductance of AT-ML180 is different than AT-ML170, 160, 150, 140.

If your generator is AT-ML180 the replacement stylus must be ATN180ML.

But if your generator is not the AT-ML180 then you don’t have any problem to chande the styli, because 170,150,140 generators are the same (electrically). However, for the same reason you can't use ATN180ML stylus from AT-ML180 cart on any other cartridge in AT-ML line. 

So i think the only option is to refurbish your existing stylus by someone who understand that at-ml180 is very special cartridge.
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

My dear Slavic brother. For this kind of money I can buy a new

car. Your Lada. You deed not ,alas, grasped my offer. My proviso

was that you should pay postage of my AT 160 both ways (grin).

Your theory about dependance of cantilevers from cart inductance

is very curious. If the stylus holder does not fit the body of the

AT 180 than I hope that ateal can transplant the cantilever/stylus

combo from AT 150 to AT 180. The needed practice should be

done with cheap AT styli. I described the ''procedure'' elsewhere

(MM thread).

Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
13,106 posts
 
Dear @ateal: I can't understand why you are taking so much trouble with that AT. If I was you I just put on sale and at the same time look for other MM alternatives that can be vintage or today ones that are very good performers.

If you insist in your cartridge refurbish then Northwest named by @chakster  is the better quality option to do that work.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@rauliruegas  well, it's not easy to sell broken carts even if the repair service available, to find MM cart equal to AT-ML180 is not easy, especially for the price for repair (about 350 pounds).I'm not sure why do you think one service in UK is better than other. Personally i have never use repair service in UK. But Nordwest Analogue ignored by request made with his contact form on their website. But Exdpert Stylus repliad to all my messages immediately. As far as i know the Expert Stylus is manufacturer with 40 years of experience in refurbishing. Not sure how old is Dominic (Nordwest Analogue), but what is good is that anyone can see his portfolio, i believe his service is very good, but for premium prices. 

@nandric playing re-tippers by ourself is not for everyone to transplant the cantilever from one to another cart. I think @ateal looking for easiest solution. But the manufacturer voiced their top model with their top generator, there are many internal difference in the generator, but even vertical tracking angle of the cantilever itself is different. Swapping 170 styli with 180 styli is not a good idea. But no problem to swap 170 and 150/140. Anyone can find comparison chart of data for AT-Ml series in the gallery here.  
ateal OP
97 posts
 
It appears you can use the ML 150 on the ML 180. 

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/re-tip-or-transplant-audio-technica-ml180-occ-w-broke...
More to discover