AT33PTG/II Coming Out

[MartinT]

Just as we were mourning the passing of the AT33PTG, it seems that a Mk.II is being released.

From Japan Direct shop ('scuse the Japlish):

Pursued sound quality and weight saving.
Improved boron pure tapered cantilever and lighter vibration system.
High performance and life long Micro linear stylus(average 1000hours) .
Dramatically increased magnetic energy for neodymium magnet and permendur york.
PCOCC(Pure Copper by Ohno Continuous Casting process) coil reproduces more purer sound.
High separation and wide response dual moving coil.
Anti-vibration designed Potassium titanate mixed rigid synthetic resin VC mold.
High rigidly body was designed aluminum alloy based rigid resin and anti-parasitic resonance.

[Marco]

Does any of that matter when you know that what your Dynavector needs is an SPU? :eyebrows:

;)

Marco.

[DSJR]

The PTG was regarded as one of the best value cartridges out there and rather better than the OC9ML apparently. If the PTG has been genuinely tweaked, it could be excellent for delicate tracing. Trouble is, new tweaked batches usually means a good excuse for a price increase, hence all the 10X variants over the years, so we'll see...

SPU, at Ortofon Owners' Pension Fund prices? All their stuff is ripoff prices these days - IMO...

[Clive]

The price has been tweaked....very significantly upwards.

[colinB]

Ive been looking at a stylus for my Ortofon 2m blue. The cartridge body is from a broken bronze so it can take the bronze or black stylus.
Ive found the bronze stylus at £175. The complete cart is £275 so quiet a saving but still pricey.
What with the vat going up im thinking of putting of the HD telly and going for broke.

[Ammonite Audio]

I'm glad that AT have brought it back, since it is possibly the best sounding MC cartridge that I have owned, by some margin. My AT33PTG should be back from Expert Stylus Company before Christmas, fitted with a new Paratrace tip, which I expect to sound different to (eg better than) the old ML tip that broke; maybe a "super" version of the AT33EV. This new AT33PTG does look a tad pricey, though.

[MartinT]

Does any of that matter when you know that what your Dynavector needs is an SPU?

I've been looking, Marco, but the SPUs are crazily priced with a lot of dodgy looking ones on the 'Bay. The 33PTG remains a superb cartridge with great performance for the price. Still, it's not something I have to hurry about.

[Marco]

Yep, I wouldn't buy an old SPU, as a) you don't know what condition it's likely to be in, and b) I'm not sure I'd like the rather warmer presentation of the older models.

Of course my remark was tongue-in-cheek... Your PTG is easily good enough to do the job until you can justify spending around £1200 on a new SPU and matching A23 SUT.

And besides, the SR5-21 is going to totally transform your vinyl listening experience! :cool:

Marco.

[DSJR]

I was told by John Burns of Pear Audio that the cartridge manufacturers in Japan are an honorable lot. Apparently, when a price is agreed and contracted, they'll stick with that price for eternity. Discontinuing a model and re-negotiating a new version is the main reason for the increase in prices. The "old" PTG had probably been price fixed some years ago (the 33EV has its roots going back 20+ years to the AT33) and this new model may not be hugely better at all (except in the extreme HF if the lighter moving parts has any effect). However, the newly agreed pricing is what would have caused a significant price increase.

As for Ortofon, they're a large concern with a huge DJ market. The OM series surely doesn't need to be so costly as the bodies are shared. Rega told me decades ago that different grades of tips/cantilevers don't cost much different in the quantites they buy/make them in and I suspect that development costs of the OM series was cleared many years ago. I just can't stand a stylus costing £125 which probably costs less than a tenner to make, including packaging, in the quantites they make them in. HiFi dave will confirm this track record I hope - he received an exchange expensive MC cartridge for nowt 'cos the packaging cost more than the product.....

[diebenkorn]

I have been looking into purchasing a 33ptg for kab 1210 technics, between not being able to find them and seeing prices 600 to 800$ including the new ptg2, I was wondering about some alternatives or if it is actually worth buying? Budget is somewhere around 500 (less is always better but am somewhat flexible). I have an ml440a and am just wanting to see what other cartridges sound like (I will be getting a trans fi arm soon or possible jelco as well) I am still new to the turntable world and have not heard many other modded technics so it is difficult to describe what I am looking for. I listen mostly to early prog, old reggae, bowie, drone/stoner rock, zappa, mew I don't really listen to classical and a very small amount of jazz. I have a lehmann black cube se and would like to hang onto it for a little while and take this route first before swapping it out. Help me reach sonic nirvana, thanks.

[Marco]

Hi 'diebenkorn',

Welcome to AoS :)

Before we answer your query, could you please pop into the Welcome area and introduce yourself to our community, by providing your real first name and basic location, system details and music tastes, as this is the required procedure for new members on AoS.

Cheers! :cool:

Marco.

[diebenkorn]

Thanks, Marco. The deed has been done.

[MartinT]

Hi Judd. The 33PTG is by far the best AT I've owned, having had a few such as the OC7 and OC9 in the past. It has a richer sound with more body and definitely more extended bass, while retaining the detail retrieval that the OC9 is well known for. It prefers a step-up transformer to an MC input stage and likes a 200 ohm load. I think it suits rock music very well and is particularly outstanding with voice.

[Slideshaker]

Hi Judd,

For info, J&R in NY have the AT33-EV priced within your budget.
Picked one up myself when I was there this week.

[diebenkorn]

Thanks for the replies. I was wondering if anyone could help me out with this http://www.pricejapan.com/front/e_good_info.php?code=1012&category=17 It says it is a ptg 2 but the price is so much lower than anywhere else, is this to good to be true (it's still around 550- 650) If it is true please don't buy them all (or at least save one for me :)

[Gerry]

Price Japan is a price comparison website and .murauchi.com is the lowest price. They are a shop.
However often in Japan they do not have the items in stock and order them in for you, so there is a delay. They are honourable and usually honour the price quoted.
In this instance the item is Toyo which means:


Our products and Toyo.
3 days until delivery six days - but a guide,
There may be around the delivery period due to availability of the manufacturer.
We will email you to take a long time stock.

[diebenkorn]

Thanks Gerry, Has anybody seen any comparisons of the 1 and 2? It would be nice to know that the second generation keeps up with or improves on the family name.

[diebenkorn]

Ok so I bent (accidentally) the needle on my at 440mla. I am somewhat leery of spending around 600 dollars for the 33 and then more for a sut at this particular moment (tomorrow may be different) So I am looking for a cart that would be around 500 USD (less is good as well). Good tracking is important. Don't know if i want MM or MC (my god this cartridge world is daunting). I wish I describe more of what I was looking for but have only had the 440. I am trying to get closer to the sound of my revox 215 (don't know if this possible) it is more airy and has more prat and live feeling to it then my vinyl (but the recordings are from the 440). Help is greatly appreciated.

[MartinT]

Hi Judd

Assuming you have the stock Technics arm, you can either stay with mm (in which case your AT440mla is probably the best bet) or go with a high output mc. I'd recommend the Denon DL-160 if you can still get one, a Benz MC Silver or a Dynavector 10X5 (this is a great cartridge). Use a better headshell for all of these, such as a Sumiko.

[DSJR]

The 10XV can be a bit lead-footed by comparison with the fragile Sumiko BPS, which to my ears will sound a bit more like an "upgraded" AT440MLa. Denon 160? According to those who've compared the 160 with 110 side by side, and also HiFi Choice who tested them both in the same issue, the 110 is at least as good, the tapered cantilever and possibly higher compliance of the 160 making naff-all difference in the sonic scheme of things. I still feel the 440 would be more delicate and less cloudy sounding than a DL110, which was always a bit of a "me too" cartridge compared to the likes of a Goldring 1012GX, which cost around the same at the time...

Just my usual tuppence worth of memories. I'll go away and finish my course assignment in a minute :D

[diebenkorn]

I am going to go with the benz silver and the sumiko or zupreme, do I need a counterweight with these?

[diebenkorn]

After a vicious battle of distortion and robotic vocals I finally tamed my Benz silver. It sounds really great. It demands much more cleanliness from my records than the 440 but it is deserving of a shinier black coat. Things have really opened up. Thanks again for the recommendations

[MartinT]

Glad the Benz worked out for you, Judd.

[Mike - H]

I googled this cart and came up with this thread, anyone able to report on the MkII?

Mike

[bigmoog]

buy decca:)

[Mike - H]

buy decca:)

At what price though? I found a guy selling a AT33EV and a AT33PTG MkII, at about 60% normal uk prices. The 33EV was already on my shortlist, just wanted to know if the PTG was worth the extra £30

Mike

[chris@panteg]

At what price though? I found a guy selling a AT33EV and a AT33PTG MkII, at about 60% normal uk prices. The 33EV was already on my shortlist, just wanted to know if the PTG was worth the extra £30

Mike

I have a AT33EV , it's lovely but I believe the PTG has a more advanced profile tip ? But I doubt you'd be disappointed with the EV , it needs a bit of running in before it starts to sing , tracking around 1.9 to 2 .

[DSJR]

buy decca:)

Jon, I now have it on VERY good authority sadly that Decca's in the hands of your average enthusiast are all but as unreliable as they always were... A new Gold I heard and loved in recent times failed shortly after being sold and a year old Jubilee went the same way. OK, I know that they're serviceable at reasonable prices and the standard of after sales care is excellent, but these things really are not for the faint hearted sadly...

The Rega Apheta is great fun if the rawness can be managed (oh gawd, I'll be accused of shilling again :() and I really need to get a listen to the new ortofon MC's, which are common as muck but should be as consistent and good as their predecessors were..

[MartinT]

The PTG is a really excellent cartridge and has a much better balance of attributes than the OC9, for instance. Good strong and tuneful bass, sweet vocal area and extended and reasonably detailed treble. It has no downside, just areas of omission and a still slightly cool side of neutral balance. For an alternative balance, a Shelter 501-II is warm and soaring and highly musical. Each has serious merit and each deserves a good step-up transformer for best sound.

[PLINIUS]

After a vicious battle of distortion and robotic vocals I finally tamed my Benz silver. It sounds really great. It demands much more cleanliness from my records than the 440 but it is deserving of a shinier black coat. Things have really opened up. Thanks again for the recommendations
Hi Judd, a really good choice. The Silver/ Gold does require very careful set-up,
VTA being the most critical. A sonic bargain:)