What's a good price for an AT440Mla + are they as good as all that?
Hey peeps,
Just wanted to get everyone's opinion on this Audio technica Cartridge and whats a good price to pay for one. There's someone on ebay selling them at £125 and another at £150 and i'm sorely tempted. I'm new to the vinyl game and I've heard lots of good things about this particular cart, alot of the reviews pointing out the Microline stylus tip for it's ability to "track like a champ", but i'd like a second opinion before parting with my readies.
Also i'm using my dad's old technics sl-q210 deck which uses a p-mount so does anyone know if the at440mla will fit? and is it worth splashing out for this cart with this deck? will all the detail revealed by the cart be lost through the deck, amp and speakers? ( cambride azur 640a amp, 640p pre-amp and B&W 601 s3 speakers)
Any help before the auction ends in the next 3 days will be great!
A very good cartridge. Excellent in fact. Wonderful tracker and does everything else well. In the wrong system you run the risk of the aforementioned excessive brightness, but with the right kit, it will sound vivid, full of life and detailed as well as musical. One you could listen to for hours IMO (I should know, I have one on my P3!).
Make sure you check out Mantra Audio in Selby and Ian Harrison near Derby, both of whom also stock the 440MLa...might be able to get it a bit cheaper. £150 is too high, it had been £90 and went up to £125 at the turn of the year. That price ought not to have jumped again I think plus there will be plenty of New Old Stock, so I'd forego the dearer option - just too pricey for what it is. You are getting towards Goldring 1042 territory then.
Absolutely.
IF it were available in a P-Mount/T4P mount.
As it isn't, it's rather a moot point.
Are you determined to carry on with the Technics?
As good as some of these vintage turntables are, you are 'hedged in' with a very limited choice of P mount cartridges or £7 replacement styluses of indeterminate quality.
You have a budget of £125 - £150 (what you were prepared to pay for an AT440MLa or similar) plus whatever you can sell the Technics for on ebay.
I think - with that money - you should be able to do quite well on ebay with a better turntable (one that has a standard 1/2" mount headshell.)
You are also not far off being able to afford a brand new Rega P1 (£194 with factory fitted Ortofon cartridge included) which will give you plenty of scope to upgrade the cartridge later on. (And it will have a 3 year warranty.)
Thanks everybody for the input, I am young grasshopper and have much to learn.
Looks like i'm gonna have to sort a turntable before looking for a cart, I was using it purely because it was already here but now seems time to move on up.
speaking of rega are they much better than Project decks? i know superfi support them with ortofon carts fitted and if i remember right they are about the same sort of money as the aforementioned P1.
Thanks again for the swift feedback, now i'm going to play with my newly arrived disco anti stat! 
cookiemonster:speaking of rega are they much better than Project decks? i know superfi support them with ortofon carts fitted and if i remember right they are about the same sort of money as the aforementioned P1.
You are probably never going to get an unbiased Project vs Rega answer. The Project users will tell you how good theirs are and the Rega users the same. A Technics SL1200/1210 owner will occasionally appear and tell us we're all idiots and John will tell you to buy a used Systemdek for £17 11s 6d from ebay (they are more like £200 - £300 depending on type, arm and condition.)
Sorry but I don't have a clue what any Project deck sounds like. I have used Rega since 1983.
I am sure Project are fine though. Just make sure you don't throw the set-up instructions away. There is some 'force' which makes new Project owners throw all their turntable documents straight into the recycling bin then come on here and ask for help.
Don't forget me with my Pioneer PL-12d recommendations Chebby...!
Get thyself to a dealer and try to compare the Project to the Rega.
Personally, if buying new, I would go for the Rega - they just seem better made.
But secondhand......the Pio...I'll get my coat.
Beleive it or not my grandads got a pl-12D and he said i could have it if i wanted. not so sure myself though, look almost prehistoric tech!
I think the rega is the way I'm gonna go, been rooting around ebay and there seems to be fair number of P1's, 2's and 3's although what the difference between them is I'm stumped. I nearly got a nearly new P2 for £130, since when did you have to confirm a bid!!!
Anyway, if someone could humour me further as to what earthly difference there is between the rega P's I'd be greatfull. I may even buy you a cookie, (probably not).
Try the PL-12d with a new stylus. I think you might just be surprised. Not a lot you can do about the 70s vibe though...
I would plump for a Rega, if only for the arm. I owned a Pro-ject Xpression too. Well not a two, it was the first version but you get my drift. (Now where did I put that bloomin manual?)
chebby:
cookiemonster:speaking of rega are they much better than Project decks? i know superfi support them with ortofon carts fitted and if i remember right they are about the same sort of money as the aforementioned P1.
You are probably never going to get an unbiased Project vs Rega answer. The Project users will tell you how good theirs are and the Rega users the same. A Technics SL1200/1210 owner will occasionally appear and tell us we're all idiots and John will tell you to buy a used Systemdek for £17 11s 6d from ebay (they are more like £200 - £300 depending on type, arm and condition.)
Sorry but I don't have a clue what any Project deck sounds like. I have used Rega since 1983.
I am sure Project are fine though. Just make sure you don't throw the set-up instructions away. There is some 'force' which makes new Project owners throw all their turntable documents straight into the recycling bin then come on here and ask for help.
They shouldn't be on here, they should be talking to us! We've always got manuals available and they are also on our siteb as downloads.
Henley:We've always got manuals available and they are also on our siteb as downloads.
Which is where I have always linked to when answering Project owners.
good point wont sound like a rega but still an excellent turntable also not as position sensitive as regas arefatboyslimfast:Try the PL-12d with a new stylus. I think you might just be surprised. Not a lot you can do about the 70s vibe though...
youve inspired me to dig mine out and put it back in the system
chebby:Henley:We've always got manuals available and they are also on our siteb as downloads.Which is where I have always linked to when answering Project owners.
Good man, it always amazes us how many folks lose their manuals and power supplies! Oh, and there's bias weights.............
Sorry I've not replied for a bit, just had the mother of malware viruses on my pc and had to eventually reinstall windows, get Malware bytes before u get one too trust me!
OK so money is not as flowing as I once thought so I think the rega will have to wait a bit.
Anyway I'd like to do something to help the system I've got now so what do u guys think about getting a new stylus for the cart I've got now? (it's a cheap Audio Technica, can't remember the exact name but allong the lines of at 1110ep, bought for £20) I'm pretty sure it's got a conical stylus which I've heard are not good for keeping vinyl in good condition so would it be worth getting a new stylus for this cart or would it be pointless?
On the Pioneer pl-12D front, i do know what cart is on that, It's a shure m75ed type 2 with an ed t2 stylus. Now would you suggest just getting a new stylus on that in stead? a quick look around the intertubes tells me that this was a couple steps below the "legendry" v-15.
What to do sensei?
a) Lovely cart, if a little bright for my system.
b) No, it won't work. P-mount carts can be used with an adaptor to fit 1/2" mounts, but not the other way around AFAIK.
Audio-Technica and Shure still produce P-mount carts IIRC...
Sources: Technics SL1210Mk2 with Denon DL110/AT-95E, Mac Mini, Virgin V+.
Amplification: Cyrus 2.
Speakers: Mordaunt Short MS20i Pearls with Fisual Super Pearl 2.5mm cable.
Other kit: More than I should have. My loft is creaking.