Audio-Technica AT-VM740xML

AT-VM740xML

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.  

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 lightweight microlinear stylus of the AT-VM740xML allows it to trace the record groove with incredible accuracy, resulting in nuanced audio reproduction that elliptical and conical styli simply can’t match.

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.

Easy to Install & Use

Each AT-VMx cartridge body has threaded inserts, enabling it to be mounted to a headshell with just two screws – no nuts required. And the redesigned stylus protector now includes a V-cut for easy reference of the stylus’s position when lowering it onto a record.

Each AT-VMx cartridge body has threaded inserts, enabling it to be mounted to a headshell with just two screws – no nuts required. And the redesigned stylus protector now includes a V-cut for easy reference of the stylus’s position when lowering it onto a record.

Highly Efficient Generator

The paratoroidal coil construction of the cartridge’s generator – two PCUHD coils per channel, one stacked behind the other – greatly improves electromagnetic performance, while a slight reduction in coil turns* enhances transient response for clean, lifelike sound.*Compared to VM series cartridges.

The paratoroidal coil construction of the cartridge’s generator – two PCUHD coils per channel, one stacked behind the other – greatly improves electromagnetic performance, while a slight reduction in coil turns* enhances transient response for clean, lifelike sound.

*Compared to VM series cartridges.

Interchangeable Styli

Since all AT-VMx and VM Series cartridges share the same body design and have a removable stylus, you can use almost any AT-VMNx or VMN replacement stylus* with any VMx or VM cartridge for easy experimentation with sound characteristics.AT-VMN10xCB (conical/bonded/aluminum cantilever)AT-VMN20xEB (elliptical/bonded/aluminum cantilever)AT-VMN30xEN (elliptical/nude/aluminum cantilever)AT-VMN40xML (microlinear/nude/aluminum cantilever)AT-VMN45xML (microlinear/nude/boron cantilever)AT-VMN50xSH (Shibata/nude/boron cantilever)AT-VMN60xSL (special line contact/nude/boron cantilever)* Excludes mono models

Since all AT-VMx and VM Series cartridges share the same body design and have a removable stylus, you can use almost any AT-VMNx or VMN replacement stylus* with any VMx or VM cartridge for easy experimentation with sound characteristics.

AT-VMN10xCB (conical/bonded/aluminum cantilever)
AT-VMN20xEB (elliptical/bonded/aluminum cantilever)
AT-VMN30xEN (elliptical/nude/aluminum cantilever)
AT-VMN40xML (microlinear/nude/aluminum cantilever)
AT-VMN45xML (microlinear/nude/boron cantilever)
AT-VMN50xSH (Shibata/nude/boron cantilever)
AT-VMN60xSL (special line contact/nude/boron cantilever)

* Excludes mono models

All in the Design

The Vertical Dual Magnet (VM) design closely mirrors the cutter head used to make the vinyl master.

All in the Design

The standard cutter head (used to record the vinyl master) uses two transducer coils, mounted perpendicular to each other at 45° from horizontal, to cut the channel: one in each wall of the 90° record groove.

All in the Design

The AT-VMx cartridges use the same 90° V-Shape configuration as the cutter head. This way, the cartridge achieves accurate tracking, excellent channel separation, high definition of the stereo image and extreme clarity over the entire audio spectrum.

Premium Models

These Premium moving magnet cartridges feature die-cast aluminum housings which reduce vibrations and resonance as well as boron cantilevers (on 45xML, 50xSH, and 70xSL models) which more quickly transmit vibrations from the record groove.

Base Models

These VMx base models feature durable low-resonance polymer housings and aluminum cantilevers while delivering the AT-VMx expansive soundstage.

Mono Models

These VMx mono models feature durable low-resonance polymer housings and aluminum cantilevers while capturing the maximum detail from mono and 78 rpm records.

What Shape to Choose?

The purpose of a stylus is to ride along the record groove capturing movement, which is then transferred into an electrical signal within the cartridge. Audio-Technica produces styli in five different shapes (Conical, Elliptical, Microlinear, Shibata, and Special Line Contact) that make contact with the record groove and capture movement in different ways, creating unique sound characteristics.

Conical Styli

The conical stylus is the simplest and most widely used stylus. Its spherical tip normally touches the center of the record groove walls. A conical stylus works best for low- to moderately-priced turntables and audio setups. It is also ideal for mono (vinyl with one channel) and older 78 RPM records. However, its shape prevents it from making detailed contact with much of the record groove walls, resulting in less fidelity.

Elliptical Styli

The elliptical stylus has two radii, the front radius being wider than the side radius. The front radius rides in the center of the groove like the conical, while the smaller side radius makes more contact with the groove walls. More contact with the record groove walls delivers a higher level of fidelity.

Microlinear Styli

The Microlinear stylus almost exactly duplicates the shape of the cutting stylus that produces the original master disc (the disc used to create the pressed vinyl record). This likeness enables the Microlinear stylus to track portions of the groove other styli cannot reach, resulting in extremely accurate tracing of high-frequency passages and a flat frequency response within the audible range. The unique multilevel shape also wears more evenly, greatly extending record and stylus life.

Shibata Styli

The Shibata stylus was originally developed to play four-channel (quadraphonic) vinyl records. The Shibata stylus has two radii, similar to an elliptical stylus. However, the radii of a Shibata stylus allow for more surface contact and effective pickup of ultra-high frequencies with less groove stress and distortion.

Special Line Contact Styli

The special line contact stylus is shaped to track the record groove with the highest level of precision, resulting in excellent high-frequency response, low distortion and minimum abrasion. The special line contact stylus makes more surface contact than any other stylus shape. It should be noted that due to its high-fidelity, the line contact stylus may produce more noise on heavily worn records. The line contact tip is used on our higher-end cartridges.

Round or Square Shank?

The stylus shank is the piece that connects the tip to the cantilever. A round shank can be more difficult to align when it is affixed to the cantilever. Proper alignment is needed in order to position the stylus tip precisely in the record groove.

Square shank styli cost more to make than round shank styli, but mounting them in laser-cut square holes in the cantilever locks them in precise alignment with the record groove.

Bonded or Nude?

In a bonded (or jointed) stylus, a diamond tip is glued on a metal shank that is itself glued into the hole of the cantilever. While less expensive to manufacture, this construction may increase the mass of the overall tip and affect transient response compared with a nude stylus where the tip and shank are constructed from a single piece of diamond.

Nude styli, shaped from whole diamonds, are more costly than bonded styli. Their lower mass allows nude styli to track more accurately. Also, since our nude styli are grain-oriented, with their longest-wearing faces touching the record surface, they last longer.

Our Story

In the early 1960s at Tokyo’s Bridgestone Museum of Art, curator Hideo Matsushita hosted LP listening concerts, where people would experience vinyl records played on high-quality audio equipment. Matsushita was moved by the positive reactions guests had to the music, but was frustrated that the expense of high-fidelity listening prevented many people from experiencing it.

In 1962, Matsushita founded Audio-Technica with the vision of producing high-quality audio for everyone. And following this vision, he soon created the first truly affordable phono cartridge, the AT-1, in the company’s small flat in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

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