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Audio Technica AT150MLX finally gets some respect

I've been at this audiophile stuff for over 40 years. At this point I'm pretty confident of being able to ignore preconceived notions and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a component in my system. Still, once in awhile it's nice to get some validation--a sanity check.

I've been using an Audio Technica AT150MLX MM cartridge for over 3 years. Since getting it I have improved the downstream components and cabling a few times, and each improvement, rather than revealing limitations of the cartridge, has shown it to have a great tonal balance, high resolution at its price point, excellent trackability, low level detail retrieval and excellent dynamics.

Still, when I opened my January 2012 issue of The Abso!ute Sound, I was pleasantly shocked to see that the $449 list AT150MLX had been named Cartridge of the Year! Given that the $5000 Benz LP-MSR and $13,000 Clearaudio Goldfinger were also mentioned on that page, it wasn't that the AT150MLX won in absolute terms, but for performance value.

It's as I suspected from my first listen. If you want to know where the threshold into a high end cartridge is, it's the AT150MLX. I got mine in 2008 when the dollar was strong and these things were going for $250. But even at the currently available $325 they are pretty unbeatable.

Back in the Spring of 2008 I asked the A-goners about what cartridge to move up to from the DL-160. I was considering the AT OC-9 or the Denon 301 II, but a number of A-goners made a compelling case for the AT150MLX. I took them at their word and have never regretted it.

If you want the best out of this cart, you *must* give it a capacitive load between 100 and 200 pF. In fact, my highly adjustable Jolida JD-9A phono stage indicates that the real sweet spot is right around 150 pF.

Anyway, thanks A-goners, and it's also nice to know that when the stylus wears down, I can just send for a replacement plug-in stylus $225.
johnnyb53
jedinite24's avatar
jedinite24
1,503 posts
 
Hi Johnny

Thanks for the prompt and detailed response. The guy I bought the AT150MLX from already mounted it onto the stock Technics headshell and I replaced the stock wires with aftermarket Litz wire from a vendor on E-bay. I'll give this a try first and keep my fingers crossed that it sounds good. Most probably I'll follow your lead and get ZuPreme or Sumiko headshell to mate along with the AT150MLX.

Also thanks for explaining the tonearm wrap and counting the revolutions. I think I didn't spread each wrapping of tape out far enough and I wrapped it too far. I went all the way past the tonearm rest. From the knurled headshell collar to as far as I can go I've got 28-29 revolutions.

Oops.

Thanks again for the help.
johnnyb53 OP
3,510 posts
 
Jedinite24: When I got my Sumiko and ZuPreme headshells in 2008, they were $40 ea. and OFC Litz wire cartridge leads were $20/set. The Sumiko and ZuPreme come standard with Litz leads, making the Sumiko-style headshells a bit of a bargain.

The Sumiko headshell has since gone up to $90 (including premium cartridge leads); separate premium cartridge leads are $27, but the LpGear ZuPreme (which I think is better than the Sumiko) has only risen to $54.95, again with $27 worth of premium wiring. So I consider it to be the bargain of the bunch.
dave_72
1,399 posts
 
The AT150MLX comes with PC-OCC cartridge leads, and I don't hear any problems with the stock headshell. So, imo, these aftermarket headhsells and leads are kind of a waste of money. But, if you think it will make a difference, go for it.
johnnyb53 OP
3,510 posts
 
The AT150MLX is internally wired with PC-OCC copper. Mine didn't come with any cartridge leads. I can't say whether I heard "problems" with the Technics headshell, but I certainly heard *improvements* with the ZuPreme. And if you haven't heard your rig with a Sumiko or ZuPreme headshell, then you don't know if they're a waste of money or not.

If nothing else, the Sumiko/ZuPreme headshells add about 5g effective mass to the tonearm, so it changes the range of cartridges that work well with the Technics. It puts the DL-160 and AT150MLX squarely at the 10Hz resonance sweet spot.
dave_72
1,399 posts
 
I know that regarding the internal wiring. That's odd, maybe they forgot to include it on the assembly line.

Ok, fair enough, no I haven't heard them.

I see, very well then.
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