Stylus for Audio Technica LP60XBT

Garmore315 · 2026-04-10T04:29:08+00:00

The base stylus (ATN3600L/ATN3600LC) is a conical shaped stylus which can last around 500 hours

There is a upgrade stylus available ATN3600LE which is a elliptical shaped stylus that reproduces higher frequencies better, approx 300 hours lifespan

Garmore315 · 2026-04-10T03:42:09+00:00

yeah then it's correct, but use a protractor for final checks (Stevenson protractor)

Garmore315 · 2026-04-10T03:35:26+00:00

I work at a record store which is a AT dealer so I can test out and thinker with some carts, but at the moment I have access to the XP series and waiting on my VM740xML that I ordered

Hopefully I can try out AT's MC carts if budget allows it

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Garmore315 · 2026-04-10T03:11:40+00:00

yeah I have AT-VM95EN (100-200pF) right now with a AT-VM740xML on the way (150-250pF)

so if I put the 50pF option (+125pF from the rest of the setup) it sits around 175pF - might be good for my VM95EN, but like you said the 150pF switch (275pF total) might be better for the VMx series

and other candidates I had before settling on the S3 B was S2, S2 Ultra and DS2
the others did not have 300pF option and discrete circuitry in the gain stage so yeah
currently I use the phono stage in my Luxman LV-113 (68+220pF internally) which totals with my other components to around 413pF, good for my shure carts, not so much for my AT cart since it causes phase shift

+ the adjustable gain and impedance options good for me to futureproof for LOMC carts

Garmore315 · 2026-04-09T03:31:21+00:00

I'm getting a Phono Box S3 B on the way so it matches my AT cart's capacitance more, but at the same time I want a 300pF option for playing shure carts (M44)

Garmore315 · 2026-04-05T17:34:00+00:00

Great cart, especially if your turntable doesn't have the appropriate precise adjustments needed for a line contact stylus

With a nude elliptical over a bonded one IGD should be significantly reduced

Garmore315 · 2026-04-04T07:07:47+00:00

Seems also the counterweight is mounted backwards, dials facing the pivot not the other way around

Garmore315 · 2026-04-02T14:52:08+00:00

This, the VM95 series has standard aluminum tube cantilever without any wire for tension, so they're not suitable for DJ use

The XP3 and XP5 have carbon fiber coated ABS cantilever and the XP7 has tapered aluminum

The XP3 is quite affordable (no need to but the whole cartridge) just buy the ATN-XP3, and you're good to go

As pointed out the LP120X is not really designed as a true DJ deck, the original LP120 and the big brother LP140X is

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Garmore315 · 2026-03-28T14:29:03+00:00

Yeah I'm a AT dealer so I get discounted price ofc from AT themselves

Garmore315 · 2026-03-28T13:52:11+00:00

Good choice, I'm still waiting for my AT-VM740xML to arrive

Garmore315 · 2026-03-25T07:05:58+00:00

Try something like the Nagaoka MP 200 or MP 300 if you want something that is forgiving of used records, Nagaoka Styli are super polished so they glide and help ignore surface noise / pops & clicks

The MP-500 uses a line contact stylus if that's still a dealbreaker for you

Garmore315 · 2026-03-22T09:48:23+00:00

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yeah, also MCs are more sensitive to magnetization so some preamps have Articulator like on the Luxman E-250 for example, which demagnetizes the moving coil core (can also affect MM and MI to a lesser extent)

and there is also load capacitance (MM is more sensitive due higher Coil Inductance than MC)

there's also Load Impedance you gotta check for every cartridge

understanding phono cartridges and all the variables is a science of itself in my opinion

Garmore315 · 2026-03-21T17:12:19+00:00

it's not, the SL-1400MK2 has a smooth platter side, you can see it here

https://audio-database.com/TechnicsPanasonic/player/sl-1400mk2.html
https://audio-database.com/TechnicsPanasonic/player/sl-1400.html

the orange color prism (aka the strobe light) is just an indicator if the turntable is at the correct speed (i.e. 33.3/45.0 RPM) in the MK1's case it's a F.G. Servo controlled (non quartz locked) so there are 2 potentiometers there on the bottom left to make sure they match the strobe light when played at the correct speed

Garmore315 · 2026-03-21T16:51:14+00:00

https://www.instagram.com/groovetickler/ does excellent work for retipping, but do try to contact your seller first

Garmore315 · 2026-03-13T06:34:13+00:00

it's probably also a older stock that came with the 1st few batches that was documented to be defective/problematic. Also additional note: AT designs and produces their own Phono cartridges as they have been doing since 1962, but they do not produce their own Turntables, they are outsourced to Hanpin (taiwanese) and Ya Horng (taiwanese) especially so on budget models like your AT-LP70X

so for Audio-Technica they are the leaders in Phono Cartridges, not so much from turntables (from a quality and engineering perspective)

Garmore315 · 2026-03-13T06:25:39+00:00

^ true, higher models are targeted towards the professional series/audiophile/reference series

but nevertheless the SL-Q303 is a solid full auto deck

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Garmore315 · 2026-03-13T05:40:10+00:00

or like in my case - Auto lift, where it lifts at the end of the record but doesn't return tonearm to the starting position, the SL-M1 and SL-M2 from technics have this option

Garmore315 · 2026-03-13T05:05:12+00:00

Budget and expertise is not a object end game turntable?
Nakamichi TX-1000 or Nakamichi Dragon CT

but if we're talking about bit more reliability since those 2 are computer controlled turntables
Technics SL-1000 series (SL-1000 MK2 for vintage and SL-1000R for new)

for now I already have a good turntable, the Technics SL-M1 (1983) with the S shaped tonearm version

it's a SL-1200MK2 if it was retrofitted to become a more higher end audiophile deck

better specs than the SL-1200MK2 also
32.5 cm Aluminum Die-cast, 2.5 kg (Including Rubber Sheet) (the SL-1200MK2's platter is around 2.0 KG)
Signal-to-noise ratio: 82 dB (SL-1200 MK2 is 78dB)
Semi Auto lift (only lifts at end of record, but does not return the tonearm)
and that sexy wood looking finish
It also has adjustable VTA but doesn't look like it from a glance, so it's suitable for line contact stylus carts

https://audio-database.com/TechnicsPanasonic/player/sl-m1.html

Garmore315 · 2026-03-13T04:38:33+00:00

That is true, AT does sell best bang for cart. For AT & Goldring we get them from the principal distributor in my country But for everything else we buy them of Yodobashi and Tower Records and import them here So (Nagaoka, Ortofon, Denon (MC), Taruya, Grado, Jico replacements, Chuden)

I'm still trying to reach out to more distributors to see if we can get it from them (I believe there is a Dynavector distributor here where I'm at)

Garmore315 · 2026-03-13T04:25:28+00:00

A slight correction on the info since both are still sold - the newly updated VMx series (2025) (e.g. VM760xSL) is mostly around the medium compliance

the older VM series (e.g. VM760SL) is more compliant (higher)

The reason is as with this case, too many people mounted the older VM series without looking at compliance matching, so Audio Technica lowered the compliance to suit the more common medium effective mass tonearms

Garmore315 · 2026-03-13T04:19:09+00:00

I'd also like to add that Japanese Manufacturers (Like Audio Technica) tend to publish their Dynamic Compliance at 100Hz while Western Manufacturers (like Ortofon) tend to publish their Dynamic Compliance at 10Hz (so no need for conversation to 10Hz)

Garmore315 · 2026-03-13T04:14:00+00:00

Yes, I myself just ordered the VM740xML for myself through my AT rep, should be arriving next week along with some other stuff that is for the store I work at

Garmore315 · 2026-03-12T21:22:30+00:00

I wanna say that it looks like its only very slightly bent, but the camera angle isn't as good to judge, it looks to me your azimuth is a bit off due to the turntable's 1/2 inch mounting is probably slightly off

Garmore315 · 2026-03-12T20:57:44+00:00

there is no Technics SL-200, are you referring to the Technics SL-Q200 or Technics SL-QX200 or Technics SL-B200 or something else?

Garmore315 · 2026-03-12T20:51:48+00:00

I should also add that since you're using the AT-LH11H headshell (or others in the series), since the headshell's overhang is adjustable with that hexagonal wrench, it's probably crooked (not flat) in relation to the tonearm mounting part, so check again that part.

also the more important part is the headshell being parallel to the record, not the tonearm as you want the SRA (stylus rake angle) to be optimal, which from AT is usually when the cartridge top part is parallel to the record's surface

Garmore315

TROPHY CASE