Audio-TechnicaVMN95ML VM95 series Microlinear replacement stylus Red

Silly good for the money.My VM95ML tip wore out ALOT faster than i expected and i also had a nagging feeling on quite alot of records that it sounded too clinical and top end focused. But i wanted to keep the VM95 cart going so i can at least listen while i ponder an entire change and thought for £20, how bad can the conical be? Well, the new VMN95C needle replacement has me instead pondering how such good sound can be had for so little? It doesnt have quite as defined imaging or top end extension as the ML tip but by being more rolled off up top the bass and mids are not trying to be over-ruled by the 4khz and up region. With alot of my music this is a bonus. Its got a solid, rounded, but not dull sound. The VM95 cart is a total bargain and you can think of the needle choice as an equalizer when it comes to sound. Where its more objective is the lifespan/record wear and alignment factor. This thing requires next to no alignment bar overhang and setting the VTF. It should wear out alot quicker than the ML and i hope it lasts longer frankly as i was probably 250hrs tops before the ML tip looked mangled. There is also the dreaded IGD and sibilance. Its ahain far better than i expected. Its far better than the 2M Red i had. Its better than the VMN95E as well i feel. Im starting to think the range has three winners... the 95C for those on a budget. The 95EN who want better sound and tracking but not crazy outlay and the 95SH which is the EN but cleaner and sweeter and juicier with ML rivalling inner groove perfomance. I do feel the E is the weakest of the lot and the ML has its selling points but the sound quality is touching on being too digital esque at times and theres no point trying to get vinyl to sound jist like digital as it will require £10k minimum spend.

This stylus is one I always wished for, but could never bring myself to pay a great deal for ever since reining in a mad mad spree by spending a full years salary on one system in the 70's. 68 years total buying hifi. What a waste of time! Wasted time searching for the Holy Grail, but not enjoying simply superb reproduction, from the highest to the lowest notes on any and all LP records. And not one note emphasised more than the next. Since I took the plunge, I have been REALLY appreciating every one of my record collection, some dating back to the early sixties, by hearing nuances never heard before, even with a total roster of 45 cartridges over those 68 years. The nearest cart I can remember giving me so much enjoyment was with a Koetsu Black moving coil back in the 70's - and that cost over £400 at that time. Advice? Buy yourself an AT Shibata now, and don't quibble about the cost and wait for your Audio Nirvana....

All the reviews are right, this is a worthwhile upgrade if you're currently running a conical or elliptical variant.I just came here to state that you CAN fit these directly to a Goldring E series cartridge without any modifications to the housing. I'm fact there appears to be some strategic cuts in the bracing to allow you to do so 😁 (Goldring use the AT95 cartridge body).While it doesn't keep the original outer fit lines or maintain the original look of the E3 cartridge, it doesn't look ungainly either. See photo.Considerably cheaper model for model than the Goldring styli too!

The AT VM 95 is a very good starter cartridge and comes with different stylus types, elliptical, nude elliptical (a little better than elliptical), micro linear (much better). The ML is an improvement in sound and tracks nicely. The only gripe is that surface noise is a bit more noticeable in the quieter passages in between tracks so clicks and pops are a bit more obvious. Overall, it’s a good cartridge and still worth a listen. Good value too.

I bought this stylus to see what all the fuss is about regarding ML (Microline) styluses. It was easy to fit. I just removed the AT-VMN95C (Conical) stylus from its cartridge body and replaced it with the AT-VMN95ML (Microline); easy peasy. I then compared the sound quality against the AT-VMN95EN( Elliptical Nude). I used the LP "Anne Sophie Mutter Live From The Yellow Lounge". The sound quality of the LP itself is excellent and the recording was probably made on digital recorders. The music is excellent and really tests sound reproduction equipment to the full. I was not really expecting too much difference in sound quality but I thought I heard a marginal and noticeable difference but from an unexpected direction. As far as the music was concerned there was no difference. But with the ML stylus I heard some slight extra noises compared to the EN stylus whilst the audience was clapping. I thought that the ML stylus was not performing better than the EN. As an extra comparison I listened to the CD quality digital version of the same performance after I had balanced the volume. The extra resolution of the digital recording meant that I could put my finger on the background noise from of audience, which the ML was picking out but which the EN wasn't. The digital version of the recording is much better than the LP for obvious reasons - no pops and clicks and LP surface noise, and better dynamic range and frequency response - but the LP version came close with both the ML stylus and the EN one. Even the Conical stylus did well on an old VM cartridge.My conclusions are thus:For classical and acoustic folk music, well mastered CD digital recordings are superior.My humble analogue equipment does get close to CD quality, if I can ignore the pops and clicks etc.If my humble analogue equipment can get close to CD quality, why do I need to spend thousands on turntables and cartridges which are only going to give extremely marginal improvements?Beware of "expectation bias" and "feeling left behind" when making A and B assessments and only trust genuine blind test trials.I won't be buying the AT-VMN95SH (Shibata) stylus, as the ML is more than good enough.Its my opinion that the AT-VMN95ML stylus is excellent, but so is the AT-VMN95EN and the even AT-VMN95C holds its own. LPs are OK for pop music and Jazz, but for classical music CD quality sound recordings cannot be beaten.PS,I just pulled out a 1974 Black Lion recording of Stephane Grappelli playing with the Hot Club of London with Dis Dizley (Guitar) and Denny Wright (Guitar) and Len Skeat (Bass). Grappelli is a music genius, but his fellow musicians are virtuosos in their own right. The album was produced by Alan Bates, and was recorded by Robin Sedgley live at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. This is a brilliant analogue recording which fully brings out the quality of the musicians and the atmosphere of the crowd. My LP has survived very well with just a few crackles on the quiet bits of the album.I noticed a marginal improvement of the ML stylus over and above my EN stylus. I can't put my finger on it but I felt that I was closer to the musicians and I felt the atmosphere of the audience on the live recording. Perhaps, the stylus is able to bring out the best of older LPs or perhaps the recording is just plain better than the Anne-Sophie Mutter recording. LPs are very variable in quality and that's one of the reasons why I prefer CD.The ML stylus tracks perfectly on my equipment as it has been aligned well but I don't use anti-skate. The LP played without sibilance, with a very good sound stage and without extra so called "inner grove distortion". It is an excellent stylus and cartridge combination and well recommended.

Loud rich tones from thes stylus.I always used the green stylus but a DJ mate told me to move to these. Im glad i did.Love the lod rich tones and warm tunes that come out of these conical needles.