Review on 🎧 AT33PTG/2 Dual Moving Coil Cartridge by Audio-Technica for Turntables by Krista Mitchell

This is the best cartridge I have ever heard and tested. Comparable to Soundsmith Hyperion MK II, Lyra Delos, Dynavector 17D3, Audio Technica ART9, Sumiko Blackbird, Audio Technica OC9II, Audio Technica AT150MLX, Ortofon 2M Black, Shure V15V-MR, Shure V15VxMR, Shure M97xE, Sumiko Blue Point No. 2, Audio Technica At440MLa, Audio Technica VM540ML. In my experience, Audio Technica has the best build quality of any brand I've tried, including their budget models. The booms are always parallel to the bodies, the needles are perpendicular to the boom (when viewed through a microscope), and the azimuth is always close to ideal, and this cartridge is no exception. This is by far the best tracking cartridge ever. It tracks the most difficult vocal sibilances near internal grooves that others can't, and I have an old Shure test record with a very loud live kick drum hit that only the AT33PTG/II can track (at 2.1g ). It uses a MicroLine stylus with the smallest scanning radius available. It is about twice as narrow as the best catenary probes and distorts the least. This tracks the highest frequencies and causes the least amount of wear on your records when properly adjusted and replaced after 500-600 hours. It also has the same flat frequency response you can get from a pickup these days (none are truly flat). Only the Dynavector 17D3 was flatter. Frequency deviations are about 1.5 dB. So it does NOT have the exaggerated highs of the cheaper Audio Technicas that many are familiar with (e.g. VM540ML). It's smooth but rich, nothing over the top but not boring either. As with all Audio Technicas I've used, the stereo separation and width is noticeably better than other brands. This is as close as possible to hearing what's recorded on the disc without hearing the "voice" of the pickup. I can't help but notice the effectiveness of the tracking. This is the best of the best. I'm tracking to 2.1g, charging to 100 ohms. Anti-skating must be adjusted by dropping the needle (with cue arm) between the grooves at the very end of the side (in the dead wax) while the record is spinning so that the needle does not point towards or away from the label moved away. . Don't worry about markings on the anti-skating scale. This works for any bogie, with any output. This pickup is quite short so you may have trouble getting the top of the carriage parallel to the record depending on your arm height setup options and/or the height of your disc mat. I use a lightweight 4mm thick acrylic spacer with a Technics head. This is parallel to the record in the middle arm height range of the Technics SL-1210M5G with a combination of 3mm rubber mat and 2mm felt mat. Carefully align with the protractor and it's good. If you like exaggerated bass, understated or boosted highs, this cart isn't for you. But if you're looking for a top-of-the-line, tonally accurate pickup that will get the most out of your recordings, then look no further. For the price, this is a miracle. I'll buy more if they hire them.