2. analog
  3. 152336-117192

shibata or microline, pls respond ONLY if you specifically have tried both.

I only want to hear FIRST hand experience, not lecturing please.

These two seem too confusing to me.  I have a VM540ML AT cartridge and cannot decide whether Shibata or Microline is better.  AGAIN, PLS DO NOT LECTURE ME ABOUT **OTHER** EXPENSIVE CARTRIDGES.

To me obviously the music quality matters.  However, I also give a lot of importance to how durable one stylus over the other one is AND very importantly, which one is easier (less finnicky) to set up.  Also, it is important that the stylus does not degrade the vinyl excessively.

If you tell me an elliptical is easiest to set up but is 10% less musical, I would probably go with that too.

So.... any ACTUAL experience with either of these two styli ?

Thanks

128x128cakyol
cakyol's avatar
cakyol OP
940 posts
 
Maybe I am not using the terminology right here....
By azimuth, I meant looking at the cartridge head on, NOT from the side.  My armplate has caused the arm to be leaning (only a few degrees) to the right.  This can be fixed by 'twisting' a movable headshell but not doable on the Rega (Audiomods) head.  

Is this not called the azimuth (or rake angle).  Audiomods have a micrometer with which the VTA can be adjusted.  That is not the issue.

Thanks

lewm
12,537 posts
 
I think mijostyn et al are saying that azimuth changes when you adjust VTA. If not, please someone correct me. Yes, I think it would change by a very little bit, but one does not have free choice in setting VTA; VTA first and foremost has to be set to achieve the desired tonal balance and also to adjust SRA (whether one likes it or not, changing VTA is the way most of us change SRA). Thus, the final choice of VTA is very restricted by these other primary goals and would be a poor way to change azimuth. (In fact, I never heard of such a thing, so maybe I misunderstand what mijostyn and larryi are saying here.) But I do see their point that azimuth is secondarily slightly affected by VTA.
analogluvr
859 posts
 
Imo one should never buy an arm without adjustability in all parameters. That’s why I am not a fan of Rega. 
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
I know only one tonearm with adjustable everything, even azimuth on the fly, this arm is Reed 3p and related models. 
vegasears
1,173 posts
 
I have an AT-150MLX and have used both the Shibata and MicroLine stylus. I can't decide which I like more.  Currently my 150 has the ATN150Sa(Shibata) on it. I enjoy it most with newer digital sourced records. The original 150 MicroLine stylus is used more for 60's and 70's records because it seems to pickup less surface noise. I enjoy having the options.
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