Home » Audio » Source » After almost 40 years, I'm going to try another Audio Technica
After almost 40 years, I'm going to try another Audio Technica [message #13704] Sat, 26 July 2008 23:15 Go to next message
Bill Epstein is currently offline  Bill Epstein
Messages: 1088
Registered: May 2009
Location: Smoky Mts. USA
Illuminati (2nd Degree)
Been hearing good things about the newer AT 440 MLA and that it likes lower mass arms like my SME III. LP Gear has it for $90. It should be here in a few days, let you know.

Re: After almost 40 years, I'm going to try another Audio Technica [message #13705 is a reply to message #13704] Mon, 28 July 2008 11:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18670
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Please do, I'm interested. I still have an Audio Technica AT20SL that I've always liked a lot. I listen to a Rega Super Elys most of the time now, and rarely swap the Audio Technica in place. But I do like it.


Re: After almost 40 years, I'm going to try another Audio Technica [message #13707 is a reply to message #13705] Mon, 04 August 2008 04:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bill Epstein is currently offline  Bill Epstein
Messages: 1088
Registered: May 2009
Location: Smoky Mts. USA
Illuminati (2nd Degree)
Whilst waiting for the glue to dry yesterday, I spun a few albums with the 440MLA. It may be true that 40 hours minimum is needed for suspension break-in but the general character won't change, IMHO.

Listening to Eva Cassiday, Songbird, I noted that her upper register was sweet and clear, her almost screaming crescendos a little less raucous. There was something about the sound, whether I used the Classe amp, or, later, the 45, that put me in mind of listening to records way back when clear and loud were my only benchmarks.

That led me to play CS&N first album, immediately followed by the second; just the thing for a hot Sunday afternoon in a cottage in the woods. The first time I heard the former was when a friend brought it back from Chicago along with the very first Sansui transistor receiver for himself and a pair of Fisher XP-? (8" 2-ways, 100 bucks) speakers for me. That particular afternoon is a technicolor memory and took place in the ca. 1900 farmhouse my new bride and I rented my senior year. The 440 really took me back; the sound evocative of the way we listened to just the music in those days.

I played the first album twice, once with the 70 watt solid state and again with the 45. In both cases, the close harmonies were a tad confused and the imaging blurry. There was good delineation of the electric bass but the lowest notes were lost in the way people tend to swallow the last few digits of a phone number as they recite it to you.

There was definitely some SET Magic with the 45, some of that sharing the room with the performers, but overall, the AT-440MLA is an 'exciting' sounding cartridge with a 'presence bump'; not particularly high-end-giant-killing but fun to listen to and miles ahead of the dreadful Grado Black.

Perhaps another 37 albums will cure some of these ills but I can't imagine it replacing the low output Grado Sonata or the Benz Ace.

BTW, I finally remembered that the armwand of the SME III is removable. Boy, does that make changing carts a breeze and did I ever feel foolish for previously removing the entire armboard and tonearm for previous swaps!

Re: After almost 40 years, I'm going to try another Audio Technica [message #13708 is a reply to message #13707] Mon, 04 August 2008 12:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18670
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

Good memories on the Crosby, Stills and Nash albums. Kind of reminds me of the first Moody Blues albums I had.


Re: After almost 40 years, I'm going to try another Audio Technica [message #13709 is a reply to message #13707] Tue, 05 August 2008 10:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
SteveBrown is currently offline  SteveBrown
Messages: 330
Registered: May 2009
Grand Master
Great review, Bill! Guess I'll spend my $$ on something else.

Re: Suitable for framing [message #13712 is a reply to message #13708] Mon, 11 August 2008 15:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bill Epstein is currently offline  Bill Epstein
Messages: 1088
Registered: May 2009
Location: Smoky Mts. USA
Illuminati (2nd Degree)
Can I get an 8X10?

Re: oops! That belongs under 'digitally calibrated' [message #13714 is a reply to message #13712] Tue, 12 August 2008 20:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bill Epstein is currently offline  Bill Epstein
Messages: 1088
Registered: May 2009
Location: Smoky Mts. USA
Illuminati (2nd Degree)


Re: oops! That belongs under 'digitally calibrated' [message #13717 is a reply to message #13714] Thu, 14 August 2008 18:21 Go to previous message
Wayne Parham is currently offline  Wayne Parham
Messages: 18670
Registered: January 2001
Illuminati (33rd Degree)

There's lots of those funny little pictures and cartoons in the images directory here. Feel free to use 'em! If you find some others like that, please let me know and I'll upload them there.


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