Audio-Technica VM750xSH Cartridge (Shibata/nude/boron cantilever)

The AT-VMx series brings new warmth and realism to Audio-Technica’s premium dual moving magnet (MM) cartridge line, delivering an expansive soundstage that’s alive with musical detail.

Like all our MM cartridges, this updated design closely mirrors the cutter head used to make the vinyl master. It utilizes two magnets, positioned to match the left and right channels in the stereo record groove for outstanding channel separation and extended frequency response. But the new VMx series also introduces material and design changes to further refine the sound, offering responsive playback that is especially sensitive to the dynamism of musical expression.  

All VMx cartridges feature a generator with paratoroidal coil construction: two coils per channel – one stacked behind the other – for greatly improved efficiency. A center shield plate separates the left and right channels to reduce crosstalk and maintain a clear stereo image. The copper wire used for the coils has been upgraded to PCUHD® (Pure Copper Ultra High Drawability), resulting in richer, more nuanced audio reproduction. The number of coil turns has also been slightly reduced to improve transient response, allowing the cartridge to react more quickly to signal changes for stunningly clean music with lifelike immediacy.

The new, lightweight Shibata stylus of the AT-VM750xSH provides greater surface contact with the record groove than an elliptical stylus does, resulting in the pickup of ultra-high frequencies with minimal abrasion and distortion. This nuanced audio reproduction is further enhanced by the adoption of a solid boron cantilever, which transmits signals about 2.5 times faster than the previous model’s aluminum pipe, resulting in more accurate reproduction of dynamic musical passages.

We’ve also added threaded inserts to the die-cast aluminum body of each VMx cartridge, making it easier to mount (just two screws required), especially to the integrated tonearms common on high-end turntables. And a new V-cut in the stylus’s flip-up protector provides quick reference of the stylus position, serving as a guide when lowering the stylus onto a record.

 The three premium VMx models (AT-VM760x, AT-VM750x, AT-VM745x) feature a solid boron cantilever. Naturally lightweight and rigid, boron transmits signals from the record groove faster than an aluminum cantilever. The result is more accurate sound reproduction that’s particularly noticeable on dynamic musical passages. The die-cast aluminum body reduces vibrations and resonance.