Audio Technica 440MLa review

How are those clips coming along Joe? I'm eager to hear how the "a" revision sounds.

 

I've been living with the 440MLa for a little over a month now.

I like it - It's lively and exciting, very unlike my M97xE. It IS pretty bright at first, but it relaxes very quick. I'd say it actually melted like butter after about 10 hours.

But here's where I find the trade off:
The AT tracks inner grooves better.
The Shure is more forgiving of the occasional click and pop.

 

Yeah

 

Sorry, I have not had a chance to do needle drops yet. It is finals week, and I am really busy with exams, and audio work. I will be done with this semester at the end of this week, so next week I will have a chance to do some drops.

Also, I am waiting for the cartridge to break in some more. I have about 10 hours on it right now, and it has really improved dramatically. It was a bit bright out of the box, but after about 3 hours (when I started this thread) the brightness went away, and the detail arrived! Now it is really getting good. I would like to get around 20 hours on it before I make the needle drops.

 

Could it be that the the new Audio Technica is bright, but people believe it gets better only because they become used to that brightness? And, words like "exciting" and "lively" tell me that the frequency response is not flat. Those are red flags to me.

Another thing i'm wondering is if this brightness out of the box and after the "burn-in" time can be, and has been measured.

 

You should be able to tell on your high end system. So after you do some listening tests, let me know too.

But I think it is a combo of both. Carts do relax a bit, and also ears tend to adjust.

 

No biggie...just checking.

 

Is the 440ML a universal mount? If so can it be replaced as needed with one of the AT conical shaped universal mount styluses?

 

I went to the AT site.

http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/site/b535f9ffd4a85477/index.html

The 440ML is a 1/2" mount. These 2 conical styli are 1/2" mount as well. CN5625AL & AT70L

Once again, would swapping one of these out do the trick for styrene 45s?

 

No, the mount type has nothing to do with what styli fits a particular cartridge. Some cartridges are suitable for different styli types, usually specified by the manufacturer.
The AT site there gives the stylus no. and which cartridges they will fit(each group separated by lines).

 

Joe's phono preamp has a low capacitance of 65pF. That's what Audio-Technica recommends for most of their moving magnet cartridges and probably the 440MLa although that hasn't been confirmed yet. In his system, the 440MLa is probably quite flat. Interestingly, the low capacitance that tames the treble of the 440ML has the opposite effect on the Shure V15VxMR and M97xE: it brightens them up. If you run a V15VxMR and a 440ML into a preamp (and cable) that has a high capacitance, the Shure will be rather dull and the AT will be overly bright. I'm referring to the old 440ML and not the 440MLa which I haven't heard yet although it seems that it might be closer to neutral than its older brother.

 

Should've said, go to the styli page for the info on compatibility.

 

I play most styrene 45s with my V15V-MR and have nearly zero damage in almost 20 years. Not much with my m97xe either - they're about the same in that regard. I'm like to think I'm particular about distortions, and I'm not "missing" it. It's just not happening in most cases. One disc in 1000 might show problems.

My 440ML, on the other hand, has eaten everything Columbia I threw at it even while trying different VTF, VTA, etc., to see if there was a secret - I tried to get it to track those cheaper styrene pressings with no luck. But it will play styrene 45s from the 80s on Warners and other labels with tighter groove pitch without a problem. Fascinating.

I have several conical styli, none very expensive, and all show a lot of tracing distortion near the label. If I can play a 45 with a microline, I do, since far and away the performance is much better.

Just my two cents worth.

 

Starting at about 1977, many record companies used pressing plants that created fragile, wide-grooved styrene 45s. Among the worst offenders in my collection are from CBS and Polygram. The styrene may be fragile/brittle, but they still sound quite good to this day.

Could it be that people with shredding issues on styrene use heavier than recommended tracking force settings? With previous carts, I always used slightly heavier than recommended settings. With my current Shure M97xE, I keep it right on the recommended setting, no more, no less, using the Shure tracking force gauge.

I have been ovserving turntable users over the last few years, and notice that when they frequently switch out headshells, they do not carefully adjust the tracking force. They just make a couple of quick turns until the arm doesn't fly up, and then and just play the record. This is wrong! Some people just set the force way too high to prevent skipping. This is also wrong.

 

So, it sounds like this conical, all or nothing thing is one man's opinion, not a carved in stone fact.
I have a Shure V 15 Type IV, NOS. What do you think? Its a hyperelliptical stylus.

 

That's 99.9% of all the members on this board!

 

Yeah, its hyperelliptical.

 

Thanks Joe. I stated my question poorly. I meant to ask is it ok to use, because it is a hyper elliptical stylus. The conical thing sounds like an opinion that you hold, but maybe its not necessarily carved in stone or styrene?

 

Yeah, it should be safe.

I first heard about the dangers of using a micro line stylus with styrene 45's from a radio DJ that I know. Then a while back there was a thread about this, and Steve said that it was best to use conical styli with styrene 45's. I trust what he says.

Here is a link to his quote http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=904012&postcount=7

And here is the entire thread http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=46533&highlight=styrene

 

I've played styrene pressings for 25 years with nothing but elliptical styluses with no audible evidence of damage.

 

It is certainly safest to use conical with styrene from my experience, but that doesn't mean that all elliptical or microline profiles will eat every styrene disc - I think that's the impression that's been floating around, and it's not my (nor Grant's, nor other people's) experience apparently. As always, just my opinion.

 

There must be more to this "styrene shredding" than it just happening willy nilly.

 

My V15VMR has never eaten a styrene 45. Ever. In fact, it's the only cart I've ever used that can play 45s cleanly. I've had conical (Shure M44) and elliptical (Grado, Dynavector) styli that just distort like a mother on those tight grooves. Only use 'em on my beater table these days.

 

I've wondered if it's the polish on the tip - better done, no shredding.

Or, since the tighter groove pitch on the discs that I haven't had trouble with the 440ML on could mean the stylus rides higher, perhaps it's the shape of the profile coupled with the depth of the groove.

I'm like you; there has to be an answer but nobody really seems to know why it happens.

 

That was my theory - if it's riding on the groove walls, it won't bottom out, and thus not dig out the groove.

Just a theory, though.