I didn't think a $100 cart could sound like this.

M

MusicDirector

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I just started breaking in my new AT 120E/T cart today. I have it on a legacy table hooked into my vintage system. Nothing special, just plugged direct into the receiver. This table had a AT95E cart on it before, but Mr Clean got rough with it one day.:lol: That $50 cart sounded good for what it was, no slouch by any means.

Now I set up this new AT120E/T cart using new set up tools and got it dialed in. I'm playing an America album, regular, no 180 grams or anything and this cart is blowing me away.:exciting: There is no extreme roll off at either end. The only thing I can say is that it's just a tad bright, if that. The vocals are very clear and the bass is punchy and crisp, lead and rhythm guitars sound fantastic right where they should be. The staging is very good with this cart. I did not think a $100 cart would sound like this. I was expecting similar to my AT95E and I would have been happy. However, with the new setup tools which I'm sure played a role and this dual MM cart it sounds near just as good as my Ortofon 2M Bronze.
This AT120E/T cart is the cart for this table from now on! I was thinking of picking up a spare AT95E, but forget it!:)

Just put on a Bread LP...gods, this is good! I am rockin out!:celebrate008_2:

~Eric
I know it's not a four digit cart most are used to around here, but I don't understand super expensive carts, plus it would be kind of silly to go that far on a stock legacy table anyway, in my opinion.
 
joeinid said:
Great news Eric!

I'm glad it's working so well.
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Thank you. I'm just amazed, it should not sound like this! Just goes to show, one never knows and shows what improved table set up can do.
I've never rocked out this hard to Bread before!
So let's see, I'm rockin out and your floating on the ceiling listening to those CDs.:celebrate008_2:
 
Good to hear! Isn't it great when the fruits of your labor pay off? I know I love my vintage Pioneer TT and my Audio-Technica cartridge. I have the AT440MLa which is known as being a bright cartridge. After about 4-5 hours of break in it settled in and sounds great to my ears. I would imagine yours will do the same.
 
Matt715 said:
Good to hear! Isn't it great when the fruits of your labor pay off? I know I love my vintage Pioneer TT and my Audio-Technica cartridge. I have the AT440MLa which is known as being a bright cartridge. After about 4-5 hours of break in it settled in and sounds great to my ears. I would imagine yours will do the same.
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Indeed.
Thanks Matt.Yes, it's on my Pioneer PL510A. I was thinking about getting the 440MLa someday. After this performance I will put the 440 on my bucket list, I've got to try it now. I might, down the road, get the 440 for my Denon table for when the Bronze is done, but it has a long time to go still. I will probably first try my Denon DL110 though, just because I got one for a song and I'm curious.
 
Eric

I've had the 95, 120, and the 440 in house. I sold the 440Mla. I am not an AT fan in general, but the 120 E/T to me is the sweet spot in their line-up. The 440Mla to me won't do anything the Denon won't do. To me the DL-110 is a little forward, but not as much as the 440Mla. They both have many fans so it is just my ears in my system. In my system the 440Mla needed to be loaded down to about 36 kohm.
 
Jack said:
Eric

I've had the 95, 120, and the 440 in house. I sold the 440Mla. I am not an AT fan in general, but the 120 E/T to me is the sweet spot in their line-up. The 440Mla to me won't do anything the Denon won't do. To me the DL-110 is a little forward, but not as much as the 440Mla. They both have many fans so it is just my ears in my system. In my system the 440Mla needed to be loaded down to about 36 kohm.
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I didn't think I'd be an AT fan, but while I've only had 2 AT carts, I think they work very well, better than their price point. That's more than I can say about Sumiko and Ortofon (MM carts anyway).
Yes, I guess it would depend on the load as well of course. The Pio TT is just straight to the vintage receiver and a phono preamp would only complicate things in my opinion for me personally. The phono stages in vintage receivers back then were built bomb-proof, the receivers were built around the phono stages.
On the other hand, my other system is modern and it requires an outboard phono preamp (which I have a very nice one) and I can change the loads on that one.
 
Eric

What I was trying to convey is that the AT-120 E/T is perfect for your vintage setup. Also that if you have the DL-110 you don't need the AT-440Mla.
 
Jack said:
Eric

What I was trying to convey is that the AT-120 E/T is perfect for your vintage setup. Also that if you have the DL-110 you don't need the AT-440Mla.
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Oh, I understand better now, ok. You make a good point. There is something else about the AT120 I need to check and read up on, if I saw it correctly.
 
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