Audio-Technica AT-VMx: 9 cartridges to enhance your vinyl collection

Audio-Technica, with over 60 years of expertise in phono cartridge design since its first creation in 1962, has just unveiled its new AT-VMx series. This range represents a complete overhaul of the previous VM500x, 600x, and 700x generation, offering significant advances both technically and sonically. The result of renowned Japanese know-how in the field of vinyl, these new cartridges promise richer and more faithful musical reproduction, while providing practical improvements for users, from the simply curious to the purist.

Oblique close-up of a black turntable, with a tubular black metal tonearm holding a rectangular black phono cartridge with silver screws and a bluish transparent section, lightly touching the grooves of a black vinyl record with a white center label

A Major Technical Evolution

The AT-VMx series continues a technical innovation developed by Audio-Technica in the 1970s: the dual moving magnet (MM) generator using VM technology. This design is based on a distinctive V-shaped magnet arrangement, which optimizes the cartridge’s magnetic performance. A strategically placed isolation plate between the coils improves channel separation while significantly reducing distortion.

The new generation retains these proven fundamentals while refining them further. The dual moving magnet system faithfully reproduces the geometry of the cutting heads used to create vinyl masters, allowing for more precise reading of the grooves. This V configuration ensures more accurate tracking, better channel separation, and significantly higher resolution across the entire frequency spectrum.

Audio-Technica’s engineers have also redesigned the generator’s motor, which now incorporates two coils per channel to improve the system’s overall efficiency. This enhanced architecture contributes to more detailed reproduction and increased richness of the sound.

Orange and black plastic phono cartridge, three-quarter view, with transparent protective cover, white logo, metal stylus, and four gold pins

Innovations at the Heart of the New Series

The most significant advance in this new generation lies in the introduction of PCUHD copper (Pure Copper Ultra High Drawability) as the conductor material for the coils in all models in the range. This high-purity copper, already used in Audio-Technica’s high-end audio cables, makes its debut in phono cartridges. Its exceptional properties deliver powerful bass response and greatly expand the soundstage.

This innovation is accompanied by an optimized coil structure, with a reduced number of windings. The combination of these two improvements gives each cartridge in the AT-VMx range a faster and more precise transient response, essential for faithfully reproducing the nuances and dynamics of music.

On a practical level, all cartridges in the series now feature two threaded inserts integrated into the body, greatly simplifying mounting on tonearms, especially integrated arms. Another ergonomic detail has been refined: the flip-down stylus guard now features a V-shaped notch that serves both as a reference for the stylus position and as a guide when lowering onto the record.

The high-end models are equipped with a new boron cantilever, a material that is both stiffer and lighter than traditional aluminum. This improvement allows for more faithful and faster transmission of the vibrations picked up by the stylus, significantly enhancing acoustic performance. These models also feature a die-cast aluminum alloy body that effectively eliminates unwanted resonances.

Close-up oblique view of a silver metal cartridge with a black insert and translucent orange base, mounted on the tonearm of a turntable, resting on a transparent record with iridescent grooves

A Complete Range for All Music Lovers

Audio-Technica’s new AT-VMx series includes nine distinct models, with seven stereo cartridges and two mono models, covering a wide range of needs and budgets, with prices ranging from €119 to €629. This diversity allows every vinyl enthusiast, from beginners to demanding audiophiles, to find the cartridge suited to their equipment and listening preferences.

Stereo Cartridges

The AT-VM510xCB is the entry point of the range, with a bonded conical stylus offering stable tracking performance. It’s an excellent introduction to the world of quality cartridges.

The AT-VM520xEB, equipped with a bonded elliptical stylus, reduces tracking distortion and allows for more precise extraction of musical information.

More sophisticated, the AT-VM530xEN features a lightweight nude elliptical stylus that reduces the effective mass of the vibratory system. Combined with a redesigned suspension wire, it offers improved musical expression.

The AT-VM740xML takes a qualitative leap with its Microlinear stylus, delivering a higher level of detail, wideband reproduction, and a rich soundstage, especially in the midrange and bass.

Its counterpart, the AT-VM745xML, combines the same Microlinear stylus with a solid boron cantilever, a rigid material that enables faster transmission of vibrations and more precise spatial representation.

The AT-VM750xSH/H stands out with its Shibata stylus, which excels not only in high frequencies but also in the rich reproduction of mids and bass. It particularly conveys the intensity of musical performances.

At the top of the stereo range, the AT-VM760xSL is equipped with a “special line contact” stylus that extracts all the information contained in the grooves. Its carefully polished tip offers exceptional high-frequency response and detailed spatial expression.

Close-up top view of a white vinyl record on a turntable, with a silver tonearm made of metal and carbon fiber, and a gold cartridge featuring the “audio-technica” logo

Mono Cartridges

For collectors of monophonic records, Audio-Technica offers the AT-VM610xMONO, featuring a conical stylus that delivers excellent performance for playing mono LPs and singles.

Even more specialized, the AT-VM670xSP is specifically designed for 78 rpm (Short Play) records. Its bonded conical stylus with a 3 mil curvature radius is perfectly suited to the wide grooves of these historic recordings, ensuring reliable sound reproduction.

Here is a comparison table of the different cartridges in the AT-VMx series

Model	Stylus Type	Cantilever	Features
AT-VM510xCB	Bonded conical	Aluminum	Entry-level model
AT-VM520xEB	Bonded elliptical	Aluminum	Reduced distortion
AT-VM530xEN	Nude elliptical	Aluminum	Lightweight vibratory system
AT-VM740xML	Microlinear	Aluminum	Detail and wideband
AT-VM745xML	Microlinear	Boron	Fast vibration transmission
AT-VM750xSH	Shibata	Boron	Excellence in high frequencies
AT-VM760xSL	Special line contact	Boron	Maximum information extraction
AT-VM610xMONO	Conical	Aluminum	Special for mono records
AT-VM670xSP	Conical (3 mil)	Aluminum	Special for 78 rpm

Product Options and Practical Considerations

Audio-Technica has developed a complete system allowing users to choose the configuration that best suits them:

Cartridges only (AT-VMx) for those who want to fully customize their setup
Replacement styli (AT-VMNx) to extend the life of a cartridge or change its sonic characteristics
Cartridges pre-mounted on a headshell (AT-VMx/H) ready to use for simplified installation

One of the major advantages of the AT-VMx series lies in its modular design, which makes progressive upgrades easy. Replacement styli start at €59, allowing music lovers to improve their cartridge’s performance without having to replace the entire system.

For those seeking a ready-to-use solution, three models (AT-VM520xEB/H, AT-VM740xML/H, and AT-VM750xSH/H) are available pre-mounted on a headshell, starting at €199.

These cartridges are highly compatible with most high-fidelity turntables on the market. Their standard MM (moving magnet) output allows them to be used with all conventional phono preamps without the need for a specific preamplification stage.

The new Audio-Technica AT-VMx cartridges have been available since May 15, 2025, with a starting price of €119 for the entry-level model, up to €629 for the most sophisticated versions. This pricing, which allows for progression within the range as your system and listening preferences evolve, positions the AT-VMx series as a particularly attractive option in the hi-fi turntable cartridge market.

Close-up, side view of a black plastic vinyl turntable cartridge with a transparent VMN70xSP cover and visible stylus, mounted on a silver metal tonearm above a record

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the specific advantages of AT-VMx cartridges compared to previous series?

AT-VMx cartridges improve upon the AT-VM series with the introduction of PCUHD (Pure Copper Ultra High Drawability) wire, offering better bass response and a wider soundstage. They also feature an optimized coil structure with fewer windings for improved transient response. Installation is simplified thanks to threaded inserts allowing mounting with just two screws.

How does the PCUHD material improve the sound quality of AT-VMx cartridges?

The PCUHD (Pure Copper Ultra High Drawability) copper used in the winding of AT-VMx cartridges is a high-purity material that delivers more powerful bass response while providing greater spaciousness to the sound. This material improvement, combined with the optimized coil structure, results in better transient response, thus enriching the overall listening experience.

What types of interchangeable styli are available for AT-VMx cartridges?

The AT-VMx range offers several types of interchangeable styli including: conical stylus (for entry-level models like the AT-VM510xCB), elliptical stylus, microlinear stylus, Shibata stylus, and Special Line Contact stylus (for the high-end AT-VM760xSL). Specific styli are also available for mono models, such as the conical stylus with a 3 mil curvature radius for SP record playback.

What is the difference between AT-VMx and AT-VMNx cartridges?

AT-VMx refers to the complete cartridge, while AT-VMNx refers only to the replacement styli for these cartridges. Audio-Technica offers these replacement styli starting at €59, allowing users to upgrade their equipment without changing the entire cartridge, making it easier for music lovers to move up in the range.

How does the simplified mounting of AT-VMx cartridges make installation easier for users?

Each AT-VMx cartridge features threaded inserts integrated into the body, allowing direct mounting onto the headshell with just two screws, without the need for additional nuts. This innovation greatly simplifies installation, making it more accessible for beginners and more convenient for experienced users when changing cartridges.

What are the differences between the stereo and mono models in the AT-VMx range?

The AT-VMx range includes seven stereo models for different budgets and two specialized mono models. The AT-VM610xMONO model is equipped with a conical stylus optimized for playing mono LPs and singles, while the AT-VM670xSP features a conical stylus with a 3 mil curvature radius specifically designed for Short Play (SP) records with wider grooves.

What are the advantages of the optimized coil structure in AT-VMx cartridges?

The newly optimized coil structure of AT-VMx cartridges reduces the number of windings, which, combined with the PCUHD copper wire, delivers better transient response. This optimization improves the accuracy of attack and musical detail reproduction, while retaining the benefits of the V-shaped magnet design that enhances magnetic performance and channel separation while reducing distortion.