Has anybody tried an AT95E with a shibata stylus?

danilo · 09-07-2016, 17:46

I recently bought the LP gear AT95VL Cart
http://www.lpgear.com/product/LPGAT95VL.html
Hey! at 100$.. not a big risk

10 min setup using a protractor etc...V easy actually.
Yess it works as advertised. Sounding better than my Old Shures: v15, 95he and Grados. By a lot actually.
Unlikely I will be refitting those again.. ever.
Good bass and genuinely extended highs, with detail / resolution that was Never heard.. previously.
I suspect that on an unbalanced system it could tend to bright.. not so on mine.. mercifully

Subsequently fitted my diy cobble up Phono. for another decided upstep in clarity.
Improbable that I will be buying /trying for 'better' sounds.. There is long history of the cleaning lady destroying cantilevers in my house.
Consequently 100$ is ALL I'm willing to sacrifice to neurotic cleaning.

danilo · 09-07-2016, 18:00

I recently bought the LP gear AT95VL Cart
http://www.lpgear.com/product/LPGAT95VL.html
Hey! at 100$.. not a big risk

10 min setup using a protractor etc...V easy actually.
Yess it works as advertised. Sounding better than my Old Shures: v15, 95he and Grados. By a lot actually.
Unlikely I will be refitting those again.. ever.
Good bass and genuinely extended highs, with detail / resolution that was Never heard.. previously.
I suspect that on an unbalanced system it could tend to bright.. not so on mine.. mercifully

Subsequently fitted my diy cobble up Phono. for another decided upstep in clarity.
Improbable that I will be buying /trying for 'better' sounds.. There is long history of the cleaning lady destroying cantilevers in my house.
Consequently 100$ is ALL I'm willing to sacrifice to neurotic cleaning.

**paulf-2007** · 09-07-2016, 20:03

The AT95 is astonishing at its price point there's no denying that. I fitted mine in an aluminium body but haven't potted it in resin yet so probably the reason it's not noticeably better. As I have a Benz word SL, lovely, Denon 103, the jury is still out, SAE 1000LT, very good when set up with the right step up etc and Victor Z1S, another budget cart that performs well I really don't want to throw money at a budget cart like an AT95 but it's interesting to read what you all think about the options available. I did buy a new stylus for my AT after bending the original and was probably 3/4 the price of a complete cart but the jico stylus is 4 and a bit times the price of the cart I think.

danilo · 09-07-2016, 22:35

Hmmm Although I don't own one Or intend to :-) I've been told that the SAS tip AT95 is of Arguably Identical performance to the LP gear VL version stylus one.
for Me the main inducement of the Vivid Line grind is it's 4X ! claimed lifespan over the pedestrian 95 stylus .

What is perhaps even more interesting is this thing :
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technic...ywords=AT92ecd
This almost certainly as good as a regular 95. Fair guess that only the externals differ.
However the pmount is it's Achille's heel.. it needs a diy solution.
I used Glaziers' double sided Foam tape to mount it. No screws.
Easy,as permanent as one wishes it to be, effective and also neatly decouples the cart from the headshell /arm. Lotsa bonuses.

20$ is even easier to 'risk'

**CageyH** · 13-07-2016, 20:07

Why not get a p-mount adapter?

After a hectic day trip to Hamburg (which involved me oversleeping and nearly missing the flight

) I am sat down relaxing, with the AT95SA doing the duties, and it is thoroughly enjoyable to listen to. The rest of the family is away, so I get a chance to wind the wick up a little, and I am not disappointed with the purchase.

**karma67** · 13-07-2016, 20:14

do you travel to germany a lot?

**CageyH** · 13-07-2016, 20:16

A fair bit, but don't have time to leave the company site.

**struth** · 13-07-2016, 20:18

Its a great pairing. Mine is only not currently being used as I am using my shure 55... I kept it over an ort 25fl

Had a holiday way back in Hamburg... although rebuilt, its a lovely, well orginised place.

**karma67** · 13-07-2016, 20:21

no worries,rumor has it that the turntable needles and lpgear stylus's are made by jico,if i remember correctly its the blue dot that gives it away.
just to add another option in the mix,before i went to the HE stylus i bought a replacement standard stylus from jico,that was also better than the AT bog standard stylus.i still have it if anyone's desperate.

**CageyH** · 13-12-2016, 06:44

Originally Posted by paulf-2007

The AT95 is astonishing at its price point there's no denying that. I fitted mine in an aluminium body but haven't potted it in resin yet so probably the reason it's not noticeably better. As I have a Benz word SL, lovely, Denon 103, the jury is still out, SAE 1000LT, very good when set up with the right step up etc and Victor Z1S, another budget cart that performs well I really don't want to throw money at a budget cart like an AT95 but it's interesting to read what you all think about the options available. I did buy a new stylus for my AT after bending the original and was probably 3/4 the price of a complete cart but the jico stylus is 4 and a bit times the price of the cart I think.

Paul,

Where did you get the aluminium body from?
I have just bought a Cocobolo body, as I am interested to see how far the humble cartridge can be pushed.

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