An amazing experience
Friday, 29 August 2025
Before the AT
A while ago I had an unfortunate accident with my highly rated Benz Micro SL Glider, a stunning low output moving coil cartridge. While I contemplated what I was going to do next, there followed weeks of audio silence, other than a few attempts here and there at playing CD. One option is to send the Benz to Australia for a cantilever and stylus replacement. I am fortunate to have access to enthusiasts who regularly travel to the land down under and so shipping becomes less of a pain. However, the cost, while not prohibitive, is out of my league at the moment. In the long term it is essential for me to have this beauty fixed though.
Finding a replacement
Searching for replacements, even just for the interim, I returned to an option that I actually had before I got the Benz – the very competent Audio Technica VM95 series of moving magnet cartridges. I had a VM95E for about a week and then was gifted the Benz. The AT quickly found a new owner. This time I figured I should go a few steps up in the range, and settled on the VM95ML, Audio Technica’s Micro Line version. Most probably the best buy in the series, it costs less than the Shibata profile unit, the supposed top of the range unit, but is rated at some 200 hours longer playing life.
Right out of the box the ML proved to be an excellent purchase. Now we know that “audiophiles” can sometimes rightly be accused of snobbery, which is why I hate the term. The more expensive an item is, the better it is supposed to be, or is it? I am of the opinion that if this cartridge was priced at around 500 USD instead of a mere 175 USD, it would have been considered one of the finest moving magnet cartridges. Here, in my assessment, is proof that ‘excellent” does not have to partner “expensive” in the same sentence. Fitting the cartridge could not be easier. No more fiddling with little nuts and bolts. The AT allows a direct screw-in into the body of the cartridge. Aligning it on my Ittok tonearm was a breeze. Tracking weight and force was set at two grams.
Initial impressions
My immediate thought was that this cartridge was ready to extract much more from the groove than its price would suggest. Reading about its amazing tracking ability prior to purchasing it, one of the first tests I did was on my pristine 2003 30th anniversary copy of Dark Side of the Moon. Now even after putting it through a wet suck and scrub as well as an ultrasonic cleaner, there has always been distortion on the last track of Side One. I have come to accept it although other versions of the record I owned previously did not have the same problem. The ML simply sailed through it without ever stepping out of line. Claire Torry’s voice on The Great Gig in the Sky sounded flawless. I tried other records to see if this was a fluke. Even on records with an already very low surface noise level, the cartridge made spaces now appear silent. Older records have definitely received a new lease on life with a noticable decrease in surface noise. I had previously read that this cartridge can be harsh with noisy records. The ML traces the groove much deeper than its lesser brothers and one would therefore think that it would pick up more noise from debris in the groove’s bottom. Not this guy.
The cartridge has now done about 12 days’ worth of play and just keeps getting better. Of course, it sounds different to the Benz Micro, and it should, given the huge price difference. I guess it performs better than it would on other turntables. The LP12 and Ittok tonearm form a formidable platform and allows the AT to excel where it may have struggled somewhat in other combinations.
What does this tell me? That a MM can sound as good as a MC when set up correctly and partnered with the right equipment. I have had a number of excellent moving coil cartridges in my time, notably three Ortofon units – a Kontapunkt a, Jubilee, and Cadenza Blue – and the Benz Micro SL Glider. As such I think I have a good idea what to expect from a decent moving coil cartridge. Is the AT a step down? Not in the least. If you are in the market for a replacement cartridge without breaking the bank, the VM95 series should be on your shortlist. It offers a great upgrade option too. You can purchase the entry-level 95C and upgrade by simply replacing the stylus unit with a different model. The VM95 cartridge unit accepts the 95C, 95E, 95EN, 95ML, and 95SH without requiring any changes to the cartridge body, tracking weight, or tracking force. This allows for greater versatility as you can enjoy and compare different stylus profiles without having to remount cartridges all the time.
Equipment used
- Linn Sondek LP12 (1982) with Ittok tonearm
- iFi Zen MM/MC phono stage
- Valve Audio Predator integrated amplifier
- B&W 703 loudspeakers
Getting a unit
Interested in finding out more? Contact Dewald Visser at Adinotech on adinotechza@gmail.com for excellent prices on the Audio Technica and other manufacturers’ range of cartridges.