AT85EP Turntable Cartridge with Elliptical Stylus P Mount

I installed the Audio-Technica AT85EP on my Technics SL-BD24 and the improvement was immediately noticeable. Installation was quick and easy — true plug-and-play with the P-mount design. Sound quality is a clear step up from my original cartridge. Vocals are cleaner, highs are smoother, and there is much better detail overall. I especially noticed reduced distortion toward the inner grooves, which was a pleasant surprise. Tracking is excellent and records sound more balanced and refined. For anyone with a compatible P-mount turntable, this cartridge is a fantastic value and a very worthwhile upgrade. Highly recommended.

Nice sounding cartridge for vintage turntables. Works great on my 40 year old Technics turntable. Easy to install.

Great replacement for the DR200E cartridge. Makes my old records sound clearer.

I've seen this exact cartridge/stylus on many turntables and I know why - easy to install cartridge, easy to replace stylus, and great sound dynamics. Having a good pre-amp is key to taking full advantage of this. It's not the top of the line (I couldn't justify spending $80+ for my first 'big boy' turntable) but it's definitely one of the best for the buck and the best I could find at this particular price point. Don't be tempted by the conical shaped stylus version of this (the one that looks the same but is black) - elliptical is the way to go for the best sound! I installed it on a Technics SL-Q30 with ease, although it will fit any p-mount tonearm. And because of its relatively universal weight, tracking will usually be accurate to the turntable factory setting - although you may want to pick up a tonearm scale to dial in the tracking to the recommended weight (I set mine to 1.5g but some like it at 1.25). If you're looking for quality sound, affordability and ease of use, and you aren't a hardcore audiophile, this is the way to go!

As anyone who listened to vinyl "back in the day" knows, in the 1990s and earlier, quality phono cartridges were generally much more affordable. Of course, there have always been premium options aimed at audiophiles but it wasn't necessary years ago to buy a pricey phono cartridge to experience solid audio quality. The Audio-Technica AT85EP is one of the few affordable name-brand cartridges on the market. The sound is well balanced and the cartridge is more forgiving than some on static and pops. (If your vinyl is in less than pristine condition this is the cartridge to get.) I can only compare this to a vintage GRADO ZC+ and the current GRADO Black3 cartridge, both of which per the specs go to 10,000khz vs. 20,000-20,000khz of the AT. The bottom end of this cartridge noticeably lacks the uber-low bass that the GRADO cartridges reliably reproduce. That said, there are other instruments that come through more clearly with this cartridge — i.e. cymbals and snare drums. GRADO brings vocalists forward more but not by so much as to make this AT cartridge inferior at approximately half the price. There are indeed pricier phono cartridges to be had, but this one gets the job done. In conclusion, my chief concern is that more and more P-mount cartridges seem to be discontinued or relegated to "New Old Stock" status with each passing year. Virtually all turntables manufactured today require standard mount — not this type. Personally, I wish audio component manufacturers would keep the plug-and-play option alive for those of us who would rather listen to music than nerd out. After all, many of us who came up through the 1980s and '90s have only ever known P-mount turntables. We simply want the nostalgia of dusting off our old vinyl collection — but want something better than a Crosley suitcase turntable to listen on. That is where P-mount comes in. There would be a future assured for P-mount phono cartridges if even a single manufacturer could be compelled to produce a P-mount compatible turntable. Will it happen? The audiophiles who have pretty much presided over the rebirth of vinyl in the past 20-some years would probably disagree but speaking as one who hails from the Old School, the market would be considerably greater among Boomers and Xers — old dogs who aren't particularly keen on learning new tricks what with declining middle-aged vision, fragile Standard Mount hardwired connections, Anti-Skate tweaks and a protractor! — if manufacturers would consider bringing back turntables with a few of the conveniences of old (beyond P-mount that would include semi- and auto-operation most of which are also absent on modern turntables). For now, thankfully, P-mount is still available thanks to AT, GRADO and a handful of others. My advice? Buy what you need to keep your vintage turntable going while you still can.

Perfect fit, perfect sound from my 60 year old vinyl 33's.

I am totally happy with the product. It works perfectly well with my old Technics SL-BD22.

Needed a new cartridge after resurrecting an old turntable. Sounds so crisp and clear. I am a budget audiophile, and this has the quality and durability for my needs. Great value for the money. I will buy these over and over.