Jimbos Audio ramblings

[Jimbo]

I think the MP500 has a boron cantilever!

[Macca]

I don't know how clumsy you would need to be for it to be a problem. Somewhere between 'Very' and 'Clouseau'.

[Macca]

I'm pretty cack handed and never wrecked mine. Even after a few ales.

[Ali Tait]

I remember hearing that Gullwing on I think it was your Mission 774 tonearm sometime back Ali.

Very nice but ouch very expensive!

Yeah used a 774. Still can’t believe I trashed it lol.

[Barry]

I have about 30 cartridges, many of which have a boron cantilever but I confess I have broken one. Not by doing something stupid with cleaning the stylus, or 'back-cueing', but putting the cartridge/headshell back in its box. The cantilever was very long and I caught the stylus on the edge of the polystyrene box. An aluminium cantilever would have bent, but boron is brittle and the cantilever snapped.

[CageyH]

I think another potential contender is the VM760SLC.
The price of the Stylus puts me off trying one, but I think it is cheaper than the MP500 stylus.

I will also add a left field suggestion - the Vertere Sabre. Another high end MM.

[Jimbo]

I think another potential contender is the VM760SLC.
The price of the Stylus puts me off trying one, but I think it is cheaper than the MP500 stylus.

I will also add a left field suggestion - the Vertere Sabre. Another high end MM.

Have you heard the VM760SLC Kevin? My only concern would be that it may not have the heft of an MP500. AT cartridges seem to excel at the top end and I have yet to hear one with a rich, full bass.

[CageyH]

I have not heard the SLC, but do run several other cartridges similar.
If you are finding that AT do not give you a rich, full bass, you may have a capacitance loading issue, so you can cross my suggestion off the list.

[CageyH]

HiFi world said this in December 2017:

They track well, produce far less distortion than all rivals and sound sparklingly clean, clear and forthright. Differences between them are, surprisingly, minimal – being only tip profile, which in use introduces subtle sound quality differences best spotted by aficionados. That makes the least expensive ’740ML easily best value. The ’750SH had a tad more ability and would be my choice, whilst the ’760SLC is more for those that want its top end brightness – but it doesn't justify its price differential.

So please ignore the suggestion of the SLC.

[Jimbo]

HiFi world said this in December 2017:

They track well, produce far less distortion than all rivals and sound sparklingly clean, clear and forthright. Differences between them are, surprisingly, minimal – being only tip profile, which in use introduces subtle sound quality differences best spotted by aficionados. That makes the least expensive ’740ML easily best value. The ’750SH had a tad more ability and would be my choice, whilst the ’760SLC is more for those that want its top end brightness – but it doesn't justify its price differential.

So please ignore the suggestion of the SLC.

Thanks for that Kev, saves me trawling round the net.

Just whilst your there, can I ask do you use a valve preamp with your 686?