Audio-Technica AT-VM95E Dual Moving Magnet Cartridge with Elliptical Bonded Stylus,Green

Product Information

Elliptical diamond stylus follows the groove modulation with greater precision compared to a conical stylus, offering improved frequency and phase responses whilst reducing distortion. No use of nuts

I don't have an attitude; I was merely stating fact. It seems silly to suggest to someone that their stylus is wearing down because of misalignment when completely ignoring the possibility that someone is seasoned enough to understand that styli wears down after time. Is that not a confirmable fact? Regarding your turntable, personally I would sell it and get a more substantial equipment if funds/wife permits. And, I have to say "Wow!" The sibilance is gone. The inner groove distortion is gone. The sound quality has gone up pretty dramatically. Jico Shibata also has an audio 'hardness' but also the high frequencies seem to perceptively lag behind the rest of the music. The number one criteria I adopted here was how easy it was to follow the tune however it is only my opinion and people listen for different things in their music.Around 500 hours for a conical stylus, 300 hours for an Elliptical stylus, 1000 hours for a Microlinear stylus, and 800 hours for a Shibata stylus. The VM95EN nude elliptical had plenty of body and drive with Alison Goldfrap’s Lovely to CU, making the ripping synth sound big and meaty. There was some softening of images across the sound stage and a de-focussed effect was apparent, especially on inner grooves with the Trondheim Soloists behind Marianne Thorsen; here the ML and SH kept them all well separated but the EN introduced blur. All the same the ‘95EN survived all the test LPs and gave a lively sound with good tonal balance. Can't sleep, so just having fun with cost and stylus life. AT gives stylus life as "Around 500 hours for a Conical stylus, 300 hours for an Elliptical stylus, 1000 hours for a Microlinear stylus, and 800 hours for a Shibata stylus." Assuming that's accurate, a typical 2-hour listening session for me would have a stylus life cost (rounded to the nearest tenth of a cent) of: AT themselves never marketed any upgraded styli for the AT95 leaving other companies to take on the task including LP Gear, Jico and The Audio Files, who’s 95P Paratrace is considered by many the best of the bunch. The VM95 Range The stylus is a shaped piece of industrial diamond that is affixed to the end of the cantilever. The shape is the point of differentiation. At the simplest level, it is a cone shaped tip that moves through the groove of the record responding to the information that is contained therein. By increasing the length of the tip and decreasing the width, it is possible to make the stylus sit deeper in the groove of the record and extract more information - the conical tip becomes an elliptical one.

Elliptical diamond stylus follows the groove modulation with greater precision compared to a conical stylus, offering improved frequency and phase responses whilst reducing distortion. Preassembled With AT-HS6BK Headshell The VM-95 body is an example of Audio-Technica’s dual-magnet design and in the 95E is partnered with a bonded elliptical stylus that is mounted on an aluminium pipe-style cantilever. This borrows from the special EX version of the AT-95 that comes fitted as standard to the company’s LP5 turntable ( HFC 405). The body has been designed to reduce resonance and feels a whole lot more substantial than the original AT-95E. To give you a good view of how the Ortofon 2M Red and AT VM95E differ, here’s a side-by-side comparison of their specs: SPECIFICATIONS Quoted from a post in Linn Forum ( https://forums.linn.co.uk/bb/showthread.php?tid=31475) which is no longer running.Jico HE, VL and SE have a family sound. Quite musical but the audio is represented by a certain 'hardness' with a somewhat 'staccato' type nature to the sound. After reading about the compatibility between AT styli and the K9, I wanted to put a couple of things to the test recently. There's also a number of aftermarket non AT styli available for the AT95. The couth and unflappable nature of its presentation is instantly recognizable from the blueprint set out by the 39 year old progenitor. We’re here to report that the (green) King might be dead, but long live the new (green) King. The VM95 Series suspension design and compliances of VM95 Series have been designed for optimum audiophile reproduction. The better tips progressively improve high frequency retrieval and imaging, especially on inner grooves, but they don’t alter basic presentation: look to tapered aluminium pipe cantilevers of AT’s more expensive moving magnets (AT530 upward) for a punchier and less bland lower midrange.

If you want a brighter sound than the 95EN, then the 540, 740, 750, and 760 will deliver that. You could also just turn up the treble control if you have one.The VM95ML Microlinear gave a reasonably bright tonal balance with delicious retrieval of fine high frequency detail that came across with firm confidence. With Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Couldn’t Stand the Weather (45rpm LP 180gm re-master) his guitar strings cut out with speed, there was no muddle when the mix got complex. This quality remained right through to inner grooves where on Time to Say Goodbye (Two Countries One Heart, 180gm, 33rpm) singers Cheryl Porter and Roselle Caporale were kept well apart, as only this tip and the Shibata could do. Surely they’ll never do it? But by golly, after an extended late night listening session in a secret Derbyshire ‘test laboratory’, with men of a certain age stroking audiophile beards and using highly contrived and specialist language to illustrate sonic intangibles, like some kind of mutated Vinyl version of those impenetrable Wine Bores, we strove to explain and justify the impossible, how does one stylus profile sound any different to any other?

Chris: Not anymore. I.e., if you compare the specs for their more recent models (e.g. VM740ML and VM750SH), you'll see, that AT's newer MLs no longer are r/R 2.5/75 µm (= 0.1/3.0 mil), as formerly specified in their older tip shape comparison charts, but 0.12/2.2 mil vs. 0.26/2.7 mil for their current Shibatas. So their new MLs merely still have a smaller, still very sharp minor radius, but the major radius shrunk below the major radius of their current Shibatas. Another striking quality that makes it stand out is the way it delivers female vocals. It’s generally better than the Ortofon 2M Red, which has a sibilance issue. All styli will fit the K18 once modified. The front mount containing the threaded hole on the K18 needs reducing by 1mm on its sides, face and bottom. The 95 type styli need a 2mm hole drilling into their front face. With the popularity of vinyl growing on what seems to be a daily basis, it’s unsurprising that you’ll see more and more content online featuring those wondrous discs that many of us cherish above all other possessions. Social media is rife with record players in almost all advertisement, whether it be a boutique hotel chain or a popular wine merchant, it would appear that vinyl records are the hottest appurtenance. As with any trend, comes a wave of younger and uninitiated enthusiasts, eager to get their hands on the latest buzz items…

Quoted Specifications

Furthermore, Audio-Technical recommends the VMN510CB Conical stylus for vintage mono long-play (LP) records. My conclusion, for the moment, is that I'm using a 20 year old K18 generator with a latest spec AT95e stylus. It's a real shame Linn parted company with AT. Anyone else tried any similar experiments? https://www.thakker.eu/en/needles/atn-95-e-stylus-for-audio-technica-at-95-e-generic-stylus/a-5369/