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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
 
If you have the 180 generator then all you need is a better stylus/cantilever designed for this generator. 

I do not have my old AT-ML150 on hands now, but i have AT-ML170 and AT-ML180 - my top cartridges, i just love them, they do everything right compared to many other serious cartridges of much higher price. Last night i played records with AT-ML180 on Victor UA-7045 tonearm against FR-7f on Lustre GST-801 tonearm with Luxman silver SUT. I have not used AT-ML180 for a while, but the sound of than Audio-Technica is just spectacular! I can not say the same about AT-ML150, it was good, but not so impressive. Cartridges are impressive of not, but it's important to make comparison. Two days ago i just put together my new stands for 2 Luxman PD-444 aroung a rack with different phono stages, sut, headamp. Now i can use 4 tonearms, must be some fun for the winter.    
ateal OP
97 posts
 
Chakster, thanks for the reply. I will certainly keep a look out for an ML170 or ML180 stylus but for now I will probably hold off on rebuilding the damaged ML180 Cart as I do not think it will ever reproduce the sound like the original would. 


chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
You’re right, it will be a different cartridge anyway, but i will tell you that replacement styli for AT-ML170 and AT-ML180 are impossible to find even in Japan, i have never seen any of them in the past 3 years, only with used cartridges. That’s the problem, the stylus for AT-ML150 is easy to find, but the styli for higher AT models are impossible to find NOS or used.
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

The retip of the top AT carts ( top Signets included) make

only sense if the stylus only need to be changed. Either because

the stylus is lost or worn uit. The cantilever can't be changed

because those are fastened to the tension wire which is in

the tube behind the cantilever. One should use an cheap AT

stylus/cantilever combo to experiment. The whole combo can

be removed from the stylus holder by losening the small screw

on the inside of the stylus holder. Then one can see the whole

construction which is identical by all AT carts. From such experiment

one can also deduce if the reverse job can be done. If one is

not sufficient skilful for the job one should not try.

The suspension (aka ''rubber ring'') is just in front of the stylus

holder tube. Its hardness determine compliance. When the whole

cantilever/stylus combo is put back in the stylus holder the

mentioned small srew should be fastened after the centering of

the stylus is done.

For stylus only retip I can recommend Expert stylus (+/- 200GBP).

ateal OP
97 posts
 
Thanks for the explanation Nandric. 

Can I ask what determines the frequency range, for example 5 to 40,000. Is it the cartridge body/generator or is it the cantilever/stylus?
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