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Help me decide: Grado Gold or AT440ML

I am about to change the needle in my Grado Gold cartridge (about $90) but I heard the AT440ML (about $90 for cartridge) might be a better tracking cartridge. I read someones comment that Grados and Shures do not tract so good on inner groves. I have an AR-XA turntable with at REGA RB300 arm. Which way should I go, buy a new needle for the Grado Gold or by a new AT440? Thanks.
128x128hifier
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
I haven't used either cartridge; I used a Grado Z2+ or similar many years ago and loved it; the Gold stylus is its recommended replacement.

However, here are 3 user reviews for the AT440ML.

And here's a thread about the AT440MLa on Steve Hoffman's website: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/archive/index.php/t-80334.html

You are familiar with the Grado Gold; maybe the AT440ML reviews will help you decide which performance parameters are more important to you.
chadnliz
3,736 posts
 
For a few more dollars I use the AT ML150 on my Rega 300 arm and it is a super good sounding combo, I have a couple other carts.both coli and magnet from Clear Audio and Dynavector and have no reason to mess with the table.
(other catrs are Clear Audio Beta S and dyna 20L)
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hifier's avatar
hifier OP
6 posts
 
Thanks for the responses. It looks like the AT440MLa is a nice cartridge but I don't know if I can align the VTA on my Rega RB300 (by the way I did not install it, it was installed by Merrill Audio, I bought the whole unit on eBay. At the time it had a Nagatron 350E cartridge, which I never heard of, so I installed the Grado Gold.) I am still not sure which way I should go. I'm thinking! I'm thinking!
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