ATN160ml Beryllium MicroLine Stylus on AT150e body

westcoastaudiophile

Thanks for sharing your knowledge about these wonderful cartridges. You didn't mention but obviously know about their wonderful sound, and I assume also value the light tracking, this AT150e body/ATN160ml beryllium/microline stylus combo happily tracks at only 1.25g.

I joined the forum, got a lot of help here, and began changing things just before Covid in late 2019, ended up completely revising 3 systems: Main (back to tubes); Office; Garage/Shop. Then, after creating my 3 arm TT, and finding a great Sony SACD Player xa-5400ES recommended here, I restored 2 pairs of AR-2ax speakers. Had 2,500 then Inherited over 4,000 lps, mostly Jazz played once or twice, much great Mono content prior to Stereo LP's in 1958. Gave away/sold over 2,000 LPs, more need to go.

Lately I have been assembling a small collection of alternate cartridges.  

My 'long in memory' reference favorite is the Shure V15Vxmr, MicroRidge on Beryllium Cantilever that tracked at only 1.0g. I used it (until I broke the beryllium cantilever) in my SME 3009 II Arm (which I renewed with help from SME) on my Thorens TD124 TT (which I renewed with help from Thorens).

All correspondence by mail in those days. I'll never forget the reply letter from SME: expecting a price quote, SME simply trusted me to pay, and shipped me the parts with an invoice here to the USA. Made me feel like a trusted gentleman.

@elliottbnewcombjr you’re welcome! I run those ATs at 1gf without problems, after tonearm maintenance complete..

How do you know when a cartridge is "happily tracking"?

listen jazz, piano, voice etc, or use Ortofon Test Record Vinyl LP if you’d prefer adv. measurements! 

Dear @westcoastaudiophile   " AT150E/Ea/......"

I'm sorry but you have a misunderstood about that those ones are a little " better " than the 160ML, let me explain it:

the 150E was designed in November 1979, the 150Ea in April 1983 and the 160ML in December 1982. 

The inductance is the same in the 150E and the 160ML and a tiny lower in the 150Ea however the Frequency Response in the AT 160 ML is way better than in both 150E/Ea: 5hz to 35khz in the 160ML against 10hz to 23khz in the 150EA.

Now, those cartridges came with the same cartridge body shape but the cartridge motor in the 160 is way better and with higuer quality level performance.

I owned all those models and still own the 160, even the 150MLX can't outperform the 160 and its spec is short to: 10hz-30khz.

In many ways the 160 can even and beats the 170/180ML that I still own too.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.