Ortofon 2M Bronze vs Audio Technica VM760SLC Top Fine Line Phono Cartridges

[@JWD1992]

I have been using that Audio-Technica VM760SLC since August. It is great in of itself. I upgraded to it from the Audio-Technica VM540ML, which is less than half the price. To be honest, it wasn't worth it. The SLC is not so much better as to warrant paying that more than double. The ML is also much more forgiving on records that are not very, very clean. This is especially apparent on the inner grooves. The ML performs like a stylus/cartridge from a parallel universe where inner-groove distortion just isn't a thing.

[@suleymancakr6724]

You know. I like shibata to but i like most Nagaoka Mp500 it is between the shibata and the ml. It has also boron cantilever darks much more distorsion out

[@tomwebb7091]

​@@suleymancakr6724your MP500 sounds WAAAAY better than these AT carts. Richness, tonality, soundstage depth.... just three things the AT carts lack. The microline carts in particular are clean and undistorted to a fault. They sound like a CD. Can be very nice but no romance or involvement with 80% of ones collection because the bulk of ones music isnt audiiohile demo recording level stuff!

[@fanlaz959]

Do you think nagaoga 300 or even 500 worths it?

[@boardertrashtv8638]

I went from the Red on a Project Debut Carbon to the AT VM Shibata on a Clearaudio Concept. Even with the price difference taken into account I was genuinely astonished at the step up in sound quality. I’m very much a sceptic and like value for money, there really is additional detail hidden in these old records, who’d have thought it 😂

[@VoiceofFox]

I've had the VM760SLC for a few years now and it's wonderful. It's pricey but I'm still yet to replace the stylus. What's also neat with it is is that I can swap out the VMN60SLC stylus for the cheaper VMN40ML stylus easily, if I'm playing records in the background, as opposed to properly listening, or playing something that might not be in great shape.

[@bpioger]

en attente de la 760sh, on verra a l'usage. (mon premier diamant shibata )

[@longde]

I love your videos, these are great comparisons. Just note that neither is an Hyperelliptical stylus. The 760SLC has what appears to be a Van Den Hul tip shape, and the 2M Bronze has what appears to be an Ogura Vital shape. "Hyperelliptical" is not a generic term (like "line contact", which is an umbrella term for many different styli). "Hyperelliptical" is a specific type of cut used by Shure, which is different to the ones presented.

[@younghifi]

Ortofon's Fine Line stylus profile is just a smidge younger as it debuted in 1977 with the M20FL Super and the Shure V15 IV got it's debut in 1978.

[@VinylComeback]

I'd love to see a freq. response graph of each one, because they're probably quite different, but I think I prefer the Ortofon

[@riccardotartaro]

The Audiotecnica VM760SLC is scratchy and less detailed. This can be seen well in the portion of the piece of Antonín Dvořák's 9th Symphony in which the sound of the triangle emerges from the orchestral forte. The Ortofon 2M Bronze is definitely on another level!

[@Duggar200]

I don’t think KZbin has high enough quality to do a really good comparison.

[@bkatbamna]

Both sound excellent. I'd pick the one that was cheaper.

[@igorb2908]

Have them both, AT is sounding much more clearer and detailed, the Bronze has very good mids.

[@rockinsergio4969]

I think I hear more surface noise with AT

[@kicksNCY]

hard to see it in the comparison but on other I feel like the AT have incredible trebbles in general but the basses are a bit shy. So more a bright signature, what do you think ?@@igorb2908

[@roward48]

They sounded more alike than different, but I lean towards the bronze, because it just seemed morenatural in it's presentation of the Dvorak.

[@gaborozorai3714]

To be fair to AT in the price comparison, the SLC is the most expensive out of the 3 line contact styli in the lineup. Below the SLC there's the Shibata and below that there's the Micro Line. Below the 2M Bronze there's only the Blue with its nude elliptical stylus.

[@longde]

"below that there's the MicroLine" only in price, because technologically it's the best tip shape of all you've mentioned

[@gaborozorai3714]

@@longde The point I was making was specifically about pricing, to show that AT has some much better value line contact alternatives, competitors to the 2M Bronze. It could be argued the the ML is technically superior due to that "ridge" and the longevity it provides. But, in our analogue audiophile world it's difficult to view the objective technical element without the subjective. Admittedly, marketing and pricing does play a role in the latter.

[@longde]

@@gaborozorai3714 fair enough

[@budsmoker4201120]

To my ears the Bronze 🎉

[@omartrejo6397]

The biggest difference to me is in the low-mids on the Bronze. That boost makes the rest of the sound fuller, even if the AT otherwise is just as accurate in the highs. Torn between this or the Black Orto and the AT33PTG/2.

[@bkkersey93]

The PTG/2 is very nice!

[@tomwebb7091]

While id take rhe Bronze over the 760Slc here that would reverse with a PTGii vs a 2m Black HOWEVER low output MC's need top notch phono stages to work their best and ideally with SUT. When both can perform their best the PTGii trumps the 2M black as that particualr AT actually goes against their house sound and puts more meat on the bones while still offering the benefits of microline over shibata.... ie much lower groove noise, longer life from cart and LPs and even better tracing. That its cheaper and better specced is a real bonus. The 2m Black is good in terms of sound being 10% better than the Bronze but its too pricey and too noisy for what it is. Id soomer buy a VM530EN (another AT cart with the less surgical sound of their others)

[@ПолётШмеля-ь7ъ]

AT is very similar to CD. Bronze is exciting vinyl!

[@farchmarch7043]

You said it!👌😏👏🏻

[@javierdario4792]

No

[@tomwebb7091]

Yes, AT house sound has often been bright, lacking in stage depth and tonal colour so very much as close to digital as vinyl replay gets.​@@javierdario4792

[@bossoli60]

I have made my own test with the same track with my 760 VLC …it tracks just deeper so much deeper

[@No_Way67]

The Ortofon head shell is so close the the record that it looks like its suspension has collapsed.

[@PhonoDirect]

I have installed around 60-70 2M cartridges to various tonearms over the period of 15 years. What you see is absolutely normal.

[@budsmoker4201120]

They be low-riders😎

[@dazed-and-discombobulated]

AT was richer and more liquid to my ears.

[@igorb2908]

AT rules

[@trondam]

I did go for the 2M Bronze. I liked the sound better on that one.

[@josephfuller7008]

The Bronze gives instruments the body they actually have. The AT thins all of that out. This has been my experience with every AT I’ve owned. IMO the Bronze is better by a wide margin.

[@Scguitarguy]

What’s the song? Loved this.

[@vinyltranslators3730]

Dvorak's Symphony No 9 "New World Symphony" End of the first movement.

[@deathmeowtal1503]

Ortofon had WAY less surface noise, I don't get why everyone is picking the AT....

[@budsmoker4201120]

It is the AT click lol😂

[@javierdario4792]

It has less surface noise because Ortofon is simply more opaque.

[@tomwebb7091]

Eh???? listen to the same parts in quick succession the vinyl noise is the same on each one lol

[@owlnswan4016]

AT for sure...

[@elettromarag4485]

AT forever

[@gsherlock]

The Ortofon has wider dynamic range.

[@javierdario4792]

No

[@mariocassar3117]

You should equate the AT with the 2MBlack LVB, and still it will win hands down at 1/2 the price.

[@iant7964]

I can hear more surface noise on the AT cartridge but BOTH give stunning sound, subtle but definate differences. I am using the 2M Black at the moment but want a different cartridge so I have choice as the mood takes, we shall see.

[@Sergoriys]

Ortofon!

[@balleclorin2804]

The tracks are not at the same speed/rpm. The AudioTechnica has a higher pitch

[@riccardotartaro]

La audiotecnica VM760SLC è graffiante e meno dettagliata. Ciò si coglie bene nella porzione di brano della 9* Sinfonia di Antonín Dvořák in cui il suono del triangolo emerge tra il forte orchestrale.?decisamente un’altro livello quello della Ortofon 2M Bronze!

[@sergnevzorov8166]

2M Bronze