The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

We use the Tune Method to evaluate performance

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PerFlemming
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by PerFlemming »

This is an interesting thread.

Having had Ania on my P7, for reasons I just changed to my spare VM95E.
Its as expected quite good, looking at the asking price its a bargain.

Makes me wonder how the higher Audio Technica perform.
I've had OC9 years back and it was horrible.

Well I was thinking more in region of a VM750SH.
Those Shibata sort of get my attention and its not much more than one of my fave the Goldring G1042.

So many report great reviews with ML tip along with longevity, albeit at a slight expense of some analytically thinness.
if thats correct I'd choose a Shibata judging on its assumely fuller mids.

Mind you I'm just guessing here.
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Post by Ron The Mon »

PerFlemming wrote: 2020-11-14 16:18 Having had Ania on my Rega P7, for reasons I just changed to my spare AT-VM95E.
It's as expected, quite good; looking at the asking price it's a bargain.

Makes me wonder how the higher Audio Technica perform.
I've had OC9 years back and it was horrible.

Well I was thinking more in region of a VM750SH. Those Shibata sort of get my attention and it's not much more than one of my fave the Goldring G1042.

So many report great reviews with ML tip along with longevity, albeit at a slight expense of some analytically thinness. If that's correct I'd choose a Shibata judging on its assumedly fuller mids.

Mind you I'm just guessing here.
Per,
You are worse than assuming and guessing.

Owning a Rega P7 is very limiting; the only item you can change is the phono cartridge. My advice is upgrade your turntable to an LP12. You will get far more for your money with that platform with a lesser arm and cartridge.

The AT-OC9 is an odd product. It depends what you paid for it. Purchased at retail, it is not a good value. At a greatly reduced price (it was sold over a year at half-off), it was an interesting item. However, like any moving coil, if you trash it early in its' life, you are economically screwed.

My advice is simple; downgrade to an AT-VM95C. The AT-VM95 series needles take 18 hours to break in. If the conical stylus sounds as good to you as your elliptical, then that will be your lucky day. The benefit to an AT-VM95C is it allows you to upgrade a less consumable item such as a turntable or tonearm, with far less monetary loss. You also will be rewarded with more music.

I like the Goldring 1042, both old and new. I sold a lot of them in the '80s. I heard two recent versions over the past year and they were musically good. One was directly compared to an AT-VM95EN and was embarrassed. The 1042 sounds good and is a good compromise between musicality and hi-fi. However, why not buy a better turntable or arm and get much better?

Read my appraisal at the beginning of this thread. The Shibata needles (stock or after-market) are very detailed but destroy the music; both the tune and the rhythm. They are very short on longevity as well even though their specifications say otherwise. The AT Micro Line needles are almost as bad.

As mentioned above, try out a Conical needle on an AT-VM95 body. Let us know your opinion.

Also, buy a Sturtevant-Richmont 36/4 torque screwdriver. There are many here using Rega turntables and tonearms. Compare their torque values to yours. A good torque-driver and lesser cartridge is your answer.

My suggestion will cost you less than a hundred dollars and better your life. If you think I am wrong, message me and I will compensate you for your loss. Then disassociate yourself from this Forum as you do not believe in Tune-Dem.

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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by PerFlemming »

Thanks Ron
No harm getting a vm95-C stylus to try out.
Could be fun so will consider.

Had LP12 decades back, that chapter is closed, my P7 will be secondary after a SL-1200G or P8.
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by Cobra Dave »

Thank you Ron for all great information you have provided in this thread.

Inspired by you I have a AT-VM95C on my LP12 right now, and it sounds good.

Here is some more to read about the different stylus versions of AT-VM95 and other pickups.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/gra ... cartridges
LP12/Lingo2/Akito 3B/Adikt3/Gaio 2.4/Boazu 1.1/Harbeth P3ESR XD + REL T5i
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by John »

Does the VM95 stylus work on a Linn K9 body?
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by Tendaberry »

John wrote: 2022-09-12 23:30 Does the VM95 stylus work on a Linn K9 body?
Yes! Worst case, you have to strip some of the plastic with a carpet knife. Some users even report better sound quality than the K9 and K18 II with the SH stylus. I would not choose the SH but the ML or the basik E.
Some sellers even sell it officially as a replacement stylus for the K9: https://lptunes.com/products/at-vmn95ml ... 4440605731
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by Charlie1 »

I found the ML took a lot of running in before it started to sound very musical - I've just ordered my first replacement. The E is a bit more tuneful but I get annoying inner groove distortion on my pre-Cirkus Valhalla/Ittok deck. Another forum member has Cirkus/Ekos/Lingo and doesn't notice IGD when using a C so maybe it's my older spec deck. The ML is amazing on inner grooves and obviously sounds cleaner all round.

I also have the NE which is a bit more zippy than the ML but the bass seems slightly disconnected from the rest. Not tried the SH.
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by John »

Tendaberry wrote: 2022-09-13 10:39
John wrote: 2022-09-12 23:30 Does the VM95 stylus work on a Linn K9 body?
Yes! Worst case, you have to strip some of the plastic with a carpet knife. Some users even report better sound quality than the K9 and K18 II with the SH stylus. I would not choose the SH but the ML or the basik E.
Some sellers even sell it officially as a replacement stylus for the K9: https://lptunes.com/products/at-vmn95ml ... 4440605731
Thanks for the info. With the prices being almost the same between the full cartridge and stylus I wonder if my friend should just get the full cartridge. The integrity of the stylus/body interface might even be better with the VM along with the threaded inserts.
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by ThomasOK »

You can go through the early pages and probably find this better explained. Just look for the posts by Ron the Mon. But I believe he found the VM95E (and C) stylus and body were more musical than the new stylus on a K9 body.
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by John »

ThomasOK wrote: 2022-09-13 23:01 You can go through the early pages and probably find this better explained. Just look for the posts by Ron the Mon. But I believe he found the VM95E (and C) stylus and body were more musical than the new stylus on a K9 body.
Thanks Thomas, I’ll have a look.
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by Charlie1 »

Must confess that since getting the white Kans that I've realised how much music the VM95ML leaves in the groove, although I still maintain that with enough hours then it can be engaging. So I've been back to the 'mighty' VM95E (eliptical bonded) as a daily driver. Would love to know how it conveys so much more mood and meaning to the eliptical nude when they are so similar and yet the E is the less pure design.

Anyway, the black deck was fitted with a VM540 body to see how that compares to the VM95. Literally just took delivery of the EB stylus and recorded the following - basically it seems to me that it's very much like the VM95E but with better clarity which is what I was hoping for...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9ffuxu2adz419 ... 2.mp4?dl=0

I should add that Coin replaced the standard AT screws with better Linn ones cos he wasn't happy with them.

The VM540EB cart is £110 whereas the VM95E is £50.
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by beck »

I love that record and have it in my collection! :-)
Playing cd’s…………
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by Charlie1 »

Yeah, a bit underrated I think and hard to find original pressings hence my UK pressing is a bit crackly
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by Spannko »

Your most recent videos have been bang on the money charlie1. They’ve been fantastically coherent, natural and enjoyable, Yet, I don’t know if it’s the music I don’t like, or the way it’s presented, this latest recording just doesn’t do it for me I’m afraid. Sorry!
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by Charlie1 »

Really appreciate the honest feedback. Tx Spannko. Maybe it just needs running in or perhaps its a move in the wrong direction. Time will tell I guess but you guys are rarely off the mark, if ever

EDIT: you're right, I was just getting a 'Hi-Fi Hard On' instead of noticing the impact on the music.. I have one clip of the VM95E deck with this same setup and it's more musical. Hopefully just burn in but somehow doubt it
Last edited by Charlie1 on 2022-12-24 00:10, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by ThomasOK »

I'm not familiar with that piece either but I have to say I'm with Spannko, this latest clip just isn't doing it for me as much as the best of your more recent ones.
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by Charlie1 »

Thanks Tom.

I checked levels earlier and it had drifted miles off after setting it up last night, so that's helped, but I can now hear what you're reporting.
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by lejonklou »

I agree with Spannko and Thomas.

This latest clip doesn’t excite me at all.
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Re: The Mighty AT95E Becomes The AT-VM95E

Post by Charlie1 »

Tx Fredrik.

I put the VM95 deck back. Will run that one in from the office but probably end up swapping it out at some point.
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