AT95 styli

[rynnox]

Any recommendation from forum member regarding replacement styli to AT 95E cartridge ?

Thakker and LPGear have AT95HE and AT95SA. In the same price leage there is also a cart named Deft 2

[dlaloum]

I think the Deft2 has greater potential ultimately, as it can be upgraded with a SAS stylus.

Tha AT95 has a big reputation, but my gut feeling is the Deft is probably the better cartridge - but I have tried neither!

[lazycat]

I used a HE for a year. Much more refined than the original with no loss of musicality. I recommend it.
At SA prices there are a lot more carts worth considering. I bought an Ortofon Blue, which has lots of bass in my system - not always the case.

[Whitneyville]

I've used and installed lots of AT-95E's because of the price/performance you get from them, and I've installed a few stylus "upgrades" for people. At some point, nearing the HE, VL and SA stylii, I'm not sure "the book is worth the candle". At $100-150 there are other options that start looking good. For a while, I could get the AT-95 with a .2x.7mil "generic" elliptical for $75, which performed outstandingly for the price. The motors of the AT-95 become a limiting factor at some point.

[rynnox]

Interesting Whitneyville, do You have any further recommendation.

[hesson12]

I'm not sure "the book is worth the candle".

What a great expression. And to think I've been on this planet just over 60 years and have never heard it. Thank you!

-Bob

[Whitneyville]

Bob, that's from Rudyard Kipling.("The Light that Failed"-a novel)
Rynnox, it depends on it depends! Turntable, tonearm, budget, type of music, tastes. I'll assume a bunch of things and see if they apply. A decent but not "high-end" TT, with a stock arm that's medium light, $150 price point, and "all kinds of music" but good LP's and no trash. We have the Shure M-97xE ~$80.The AT-120E~$95. The Ortofon 2M Red~$100. The Ortofon Super OM-10~$70, but upgradeable with OM20, OM30, OM40 stylii for $$$.The Nagaoka MP-100~$80, the MP-110~$100. To go up $50 is tough. The real "standard" is the AT-440MLa ~$155, but not every arm or ear will like it, and a replacement stylus is expensive, so no OOPS! Any or all of these are good or very good or excellent. They all sound different. Any one of them could make your TT "SING" or not and darned if I know HOW to tell which one is "best"! It's like tires for your car, or running shoes, or boxers vs: jockey shorts. Oh, I forgot the Deft 1 and 2 from LP Gear, $80 and $100 each. The worst thing is not every cartridge is universally available either. Several of the Japanese makers keep some items for "home market only", like the AT MC cart that sells for Y365,000. What's that in US Dollars now? About $35,000? I'll take two: They're small!