I also think you are correct to conclude that this is likely to have been caused by stitching or non-fills. Use an external preamp, a powerful 2-channel power amplifier and a set of good quality loudspeakers. In the measurements section, we will show direct comparison between the AT440MLa and the replacement VM540ML.

Though these observations were more subtle than it sounds (except the issue with the S-consonants, which was really disturbing) , I thought about how to improve my system. To my eyes, this means that the actual azimuth is way off and I think this is causing the stylus to ride the very top of the outside groove and to pick up any, however minor, surface imperfections there might be between the grooves to produce a crackling noise in the righthand channel only. The styli are easily interchangeable so one could conceivably convert a VM540ML to any of the other three models in the line with a simple change of the replacement stylus, should you prefer the sound of a different tip. Considered to be a replacement for the well regarded AT440MLb, the new VM540ML matches many of the outgoing models specifications, albeit with a modestly higher recommended tracking force (2. This is consistent with measurements made in Audio, High Fidelity and Stereo Review magazines when the Micro Ridge (Line) first arrived in the 80s.Listening to Carmen Lundy’s album “Soul to Soul”, I first noticed the superior exactness of the micro-linear stylus. With the VM540ML I just want to keep on listening to records, whereas the Ortofon 2M Blue becomes to crisp and analytical for my taste and/or system.

The low frequencies are very present after the break-in, you do feel them but they are so well balanced with the rest of the music. The line of contact is the vertical dimension that indicates how much of the groove is being traced by the stylus. Now, when I play this record on my Rega P10/Apheta 3 combination the background is silent, there's no crackling at all. I do like the flip down stylus protector a whole lot more than the slide on protector of the VM95ML series!

Paired with Hodgson’s tasteful and detailed guitar work, the song came across as the proper tour-de-force that it is. The CBS Technical Labs (STR 112) test LP was used for high level THD and two-tone intermodulation distortion tests. Likely a pressing fault, namely ‘stitching’ or ‘infill’, which are both issues with heavyweight vinyl and are caused by a less than perfect heat or pressure (it is harder to press 180-200g than the traditional 140g). IIRC stitching is a pressing temperature issue where the lifting press lifts some vinyl, infill is a temperature/pressure issue where the vinyl doesn’t adequately fill the grooves.