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| Model: | AT150mlx |
| Category: | Phono Cartridge |
| Suggested Retail Price: | $499 |
| Description: | Audio Technica AT150mlx Moving Magnet Cartridge |
| Manufacturer URL: | Audio Technica |
| Model Picture: | View |
| Review by zomax on January 29, 2008 at 15:35:44 IP Address: 207.38.172.40 | Add Your Review for the AT150mlx |
This cartridge may not be fully broken in yet, but I thought I'd post my impressions and possibly get some feedback for further tweaking now.
Previous cartridge for about 2-3 years was a Shure V15VXMR and, prior to that, a Goldring 1012. I was looking for a more lively sound than the Shure, i.e., more attack and sparkle, without too much brightness. So far so good.
Set-up on the RB250 was fairly simple. Basically put it at the end of the headshell, tightened the screws, checked the alignment using a Turntable Basics protractor, made a couple of minor adjustments, set the VTF for 1.25 and was off. So far no signs of mis-tracking. No audible inner-groove distortion either.
The AT150 shares a similar diamond design, and as far as I can tell, is about equal (perhaps slightly better) than the Shure in minimizing the pops and clicks. This is the main reason I decided to stick with MM rather than go for an entry-level MC design with a lesser stylus. Without the brush of the Shure, the needle picks up more crud -- thankfully the microscopic cantilever makes it easier to tell.
I always thought one of the Shure's strengths was in the bass, but I think the AT150 has just as strong bass but is more refined. In retrospect, the Shure was probably a bit wooly in the bass. Midrange is not necessarily lush, but still full and detailed.
Regarding the treble, I calculated the capacitance of my Rega RB250 tonearm cable and interconnects from the phono-pre to the amp as 146pF. I set the Vanguard at 47 pF, so if my calculations are correct, this is just under the recommended capacity of 200 pF. So far only one recording (Bob Mould's Workbook) sounded too bright (the cymbals particularly) at this setting. Most others seem to have the top-end sparkle I felt I was missing with the Shure, without sounding overly brash or fatiguing. However, I would be open to suggestions regarding either lowering the capacitance or upping the VTF to take a tinge off the top and perhaps add some emphasis to the other mids.
It has been repeated elsewhere, but one of the strengths of this cartridge is the ability to present complex passages without making them muddled or congested. I felt the Shure was letting me down on some of the more climactic rock tracks, but the AT150 delivers these with detail and pace.
For the cost of this cartridge (app. $240 less than the MSRP), I feel I've made a good upgrade from the Shure without an upgrade in price.
| Product Weakness: | cuing difficult due to hard to see cantilever |
| Product Strengths: | excellent tracking, low-noise level, smooth yet lively presentation |
| Amplifier: | Onkyo A-9555 |
| Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Trigon Vanguard II Phono Pre-amp |
| Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Nottingham Horizon |
| Speakers: | Audio Physic Sparks |
| Cables/Interconnects: | Tara Labs Prism 11 |
| Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Rock/Jazz/Classical |
| Time Period/Length of Audition: | 20 hours |
| Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
and haven't mounted it yet due to my quite excellent experience with a fairly low hrs Linn K9 MM. Supposedly, the latter's sound is like an AT 95 souped up or like that Clearaudio Aurum Beta woodbody.
If you were me, would yuo sell the Shure on ebay or AgoN and go with the new AT, or try the Shure?
also, please play some classical music with large orchestral massed strings and get back with me/us.
FWIW, I've had both the Shure V15VxMR and the earlier V15V-MR and I prefer the AT150MLX to either of them. It's a very accurate cartridge when loaded properly i.e. 100 - 200 pF of capacitance. Wider, deeper soundstage than the Shures. Silky, precise treble. I love it.
go with AT OC9/II, Denon DL 103x, or something like a Sumiko BPS Evo III?
I would use my old PS Audio IV as pre for MC or MM. Right now, my integrated only handles MM or MI or HOMC.
Hi -
I've got an AT150MLX (in a ReVox B791 Linear Tracker) and also think it is a great cartridge. I would do some more work on the loading though to get the most out of this setup. Audio Technica suggests 100-200pF for TOTAL capacitance and I think you would be better off lowering it as far as possible - if you can remove ALL capacitance from the preamp I would do that (I've got 115pF with tonearm and ICs with no input capacitance in the preamp with my setup). You definitely need to consider other resistive loadings going into the preamp (just like with a MC) and I would suggest 220k Ohms and 100k Ohms as two possible values to initially parallel with the normal 47k Ohm that I assume your preamp has. See the answer I posted to OldDude's question about how to do this in last week's posts for further info on how this is done. You may even have to go lower with the parallel resistance depending on how bright your system is - I'm using 71k Ohms in my system but I've got "bright" NS-1000M speakers to drive.
Hope some of this helps, and it really is a great cartridge - enjoy.
Dale
Thanks. Regarding capacitance, I'm somewhat confused by my preamp's instruction manual. Right now, I have it set to 47pF as the "entrance capacity." The other options are 100pF and 147pF. It says that "the entrance capacity without connected capacity amounts to approx. 60-100pF." I'm not sure if this means that the 47pF is in addition to the 60-100pF or if by selecting the 47pF setting it is reducing the capacity.
I'll switch the 47pF switch off and try it there for a while...
I use an AT440MLa now, considering the 150MLx in the near future.
_
Everything's nice when you're covered in ice...
For the money you would spend on a 150MLX, you should consider AT-OC9 - a much better cartridge than a 150MLX.
I prefer MMs. Don't particularly care to mess with a SUT again.
Actually, I sent a Grace F9 Ruby up to Soundsmith and it's in the queue, should have it back around the beginning of March. If the Grace will track as well at the AT440MLa I'm using now but give me a more accuracy in the upper-mids, then it'll serve just fine
I haven't totally ruled out another LOMC, just would prefer not to go back down that road._
Everything's nice when you're covered in ice...
That is understandable. I have owned both AT-150MLX and AT-OC9 (as well as AT-440ML, AT33PTG and AT-ML150) and between the two cartridges, AT-OC9 is so much better sounding. AT-150MLX has some high end glare and is somewhat fatiguing. I would say that it is not worth the extra money compared to AT-440ML (the new MLa is supposed to be even better).
best tracking cart I've ever used.
It has a wide soundstage and lots of detail. But it is bright. Not eardrums-bleeding bright, but when I compare it to something like the old Sonus Dimension 5, the AT is not as accurate.
I kind of suspected that the 150MLx wasn't going to be a huge jump over the 440MLa; that's why the Grace went to Soundsmith first.
Another thing--the 150MLx stylus fits the 440MLa body. If there's anything to be gained by a gold-plated boron cantilever, it can be had for less than the cost of the entire cartridge. The stylus shape is the same as the 440MLa's.
I still have a Cinemag SUT that I built as well. It's currently wired for a DL-103 but can easily be changed to match the OC9, so AT's LOMC isn't totally out of the picture.
_
Everything's nice when you're covered in ice...
a classic product, and a great deal
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