Audio-TechnicaAT85EP Turntable Cartridge with Elliptical Stylus P Mount

Wow!!! I love it. The sound from my Technics is stunning. Clarity is superb and full. It's a strong set up and a great price. It was easy to install and I was up and going in no time.

I am a casual listener of music who is moving technologically backward to 1980s components. My purchases include a Technics SL-QD33 turntable with a badly damaged stylus. Looked at replacement cartridges which ranged in price from $30 to your kidding me, right?? Think I picked this one up for around $50 which, based on reviews, seemed fair. Ez to install, balanced out the arm, began spinning a record and was blown away. My ears have grown accustomed to a JBL speaker, (which, for what it is, sounds pretty good), or car speakers. No more. Now I sit down at night with glass of wine in hand, Dirty Heads, Lou Reed, and Stick Figure filling the empty space between my ears. Each record that plays surprises me with sound quality I have definitely missed out on. I highly recommend this cartridge if looking to replace an older or damaged one, unless you feel a need to pay big bucks.

Fits the application and should hyave a great sound.

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.

Good fit and good price!

We bought this to replace the one on a broken turntable. It is wonderful. Delivered on time and works beautifully.

You're limited on what cartridge you can purchase for a p mount. This one work great, not the quality of the original cartridge of the turntable, but works fine.

Bought this to replace an old Shure cartridge I mistakenly damaged. I like the sound. Seems brighter and more detailed than the Shure. However, as a result you also hear more imperfections in the vinyl. That is not an issue with the cartridge though just the nature of the format IMO. I would buy it again if needed. Do not like that stylus replacements are almost the same price as the cartridge.