Short answer: if your turntable has a removable half-inch-mount cartridge, the Audio-Technica AT-VM520xEB is the simplest first upgrade, the Ortofon 2M Red is the pick if you want a later stylus-only step to the 2M Blue, and the AT-VM740xML is the step up for detail. Fixed-cartridge turntables, such as the AT-LP70X, can only take a new stylus.

If your turntable lets you change the cartridge, the Audio-Technica AT-VM520xEB is the simplest first upgrade: a bonded elliptical stylus, threaded mounting holes, and a body that takes every stylus in Audio-Technica’s VMx range later. The Ortofon 2M Red has the highest output of these four and a one-step stylus upgrade to the 2M Blue. The Goldring E3 is designed to fit most budget and mid-price turntables, and the Audio-Technica AT-VM740xML is the step up for detail, with a nude MicroLinear stylus that Audio-Technica says wears slowly.

All four are moving magnet designs with a 47 kΩ recommended load. Audio-Technica calls its version dual moving magnet (VM), and Goldring uses a dual-magnet generator it calls Magnetic Duplex.

Quick comparison

Pick Stylus (maker) Output at 5 cm/s Tracking force Cartridge mass
AT-VM520xEB Bonded elliptical, 0.3 × 0.7 mil 5.0 mV 1.8 to 2.2 g (2.0 g standard) 7.2 g
Ortofon 2M Red (Amazon search) Elliptical diamond, r/R 8/18 µm 5.5 mV 1.6 to 2.0 g (1.8 g recommended) 7.2 g
Goldring E3 Bonded elliptical 3.5 mV 1.75 to 2.25 g (2 g nominal) 6.8 g
AT-VM740xML Nude MicroLinear, 2.2 × 0.12 mil 3.2 mV 1.8 to 2.2 g (2.0 g standard) 8.8 g

Audio-Technica AT-VM520xEB: best first upgrade

The AT-VM520xEB is the bonded elliptical model in Audio-Technica’s AT-VMx series, the first renewal of its VM700, VM600 and VM500 lines since 2016. Audio-Technica says the elliptical tip reduces tracing distortion and pulls information from the groove more accurately. Output is 5.0 mV, and Audio-Technica recommends a 47 kΩ load with 150 to 250 pF of capacitance.

The VMx bodies now have threaded mounting holes (two M2.6), which Audio-Technica says makes fitting easier on integrated tonearms, and the stylus guard has a V-shaped cut to show where the tip is when you cue a record. The replacement stylus is the AT-VMN20xEB , and Audio-Technica says replacement styli are common across the whole AT-VMx series, so you can move to a different tip shape later without changing the body.

Who it fits: owners of a turntable that takes a standard cartridge who want a clear step up from a stock conical stylus.

Trade-offs: at 7.2 g it’s heavier than the Goldring E3 (6.8 g), so check your tonearm’s cartridge weight range.

Ortofon 2M Red: best for a stylus upgrade path

Ortofon calls the 2M Red the entry-level cartridge in its 2M series and describes an open, dynamic sound with a slight touch of warmth. It’s a half-inch-mount moving magnet cartridge with an elliptical diamond on an aluminum cantilever, and its 5.5 mV output is the highest of these four. Ortofon recommends a 47 kΩ load with 150 to 300 pF.

The upgrade path is the main reason to choose it. Ortofon calls its Stylus 2M Blue (Amazon search) a natural upgrade for the 2M Red, so you can move to a nude elliptical tip later by swapping only the stylus. Victrola fits the 2M Red to its Stream Carbon and Hi-Res Carbon turntables; our replacement stylus chart covers those models.

Who it fits: a listener who wants a half-inch-mount cartridge with a clear next step.

Trade-offs: no new, in-stock exact listing was available when we checked, so the link is a labeled Amazon search.

Goldring E3: best for budget and mid-price turntables

Goldring says it designed its E series to be simple to fit to most budget to medium-priced turntables, and the E3 is its bonded-elliptical option. The E4 is now the E-series flagship. It has an aluminum cantilever and a bonded elliptical stylus. Goldring says the stylus angle is pre-set at the factory with an adjustment screw, for consistent channel balance.

Goldring publishes a recommended tonearm effective mass of 10 to 30 g, which makes it easy to check against your tonearm’s specification. Output is 3.5 mV, the load is 47 kΩ with 100 to 200 pF (150 pF nominal), and the mounting holes sit on a 12.7 mm (half-inch) fixing center. Goldring lists a 24° vertical tracking angle.

Who it fits: an owner of a budget or mid-price turntable who wants a cartridge its maker designed for that class of deck.

Trade-offs: its output is lower than the AT-VM520xEB’s (3.5 mV vs 5.0 mV), so it sends a lower signal level to your phono stage.

Audio-Technica AT-VM740xML: best for detail and stylus life

The AT-VM740xML uses a nude MicroLinear stylus on a tapered aluminum cantilever. Audio-Technica says it combines the MicroLinear tip’s detail and wide-range playback with a full, powerful midrange and bass, and that the tip’s large contact area with the groove makes it wear less and last longer. Audio-Technica lists a 20 to 25,000 Hz frequency range.

Output is 3.2 mV, the lowest of these four, with the same 47 kΩ and 150 to 250 pF load as the AT-VM520xEB. It shares the VMx body features: threaded M2.6 mounting holes and the V-cut stylus guard. The replacement stylus is the AT-VMN40xML .

Who it fits: a careful listener with a well-set-up turntable who wants more groove detail and a longer-lasting tip.

Trade-offs: at 8.8 g it’s the heaviest pick and its output is the lowest. A line-contact tip also reveals dirty grooves and setup errors more readily, so clean records and accurate alignment matter more with this pick.

How to choose an MM cartridge upgrade

  • Check that your cartridge can be changed. Some turntables have a fixed cartridge. Audio-Technica says the AT-VM95C (Audio-Technica AT-VM95C ) on its AT-LP70X can’t be removed, so only the stylus can be replaced; see our replacement stylus chart and our chart by cartridge model .
  • Check the weight range. Turntable makers list the cartridge and headshell weight a tonearm can balance. Audio-Technica, for example, lists 14.0 to 20.0 g (cartridge plus headshell) for the AT-LP8X (Search Amazon for Audio-Technica AT-LP8X ) with its standard counterweight. The picks here weigh 6.8 to 8.8 g before the headshell.
  • Match compliance to tonearm mass. Ortofon’s rule of thumb is that a high-mass tonearm needs a low-compliance cartridge, and a low-mass arm can benefit from a high-compliance one. Goldring’s 10 to 30 g effective-mass figure is a direct way to check this.
  • Set the tracking force to the maker’s figure. Ortofon names incorrect tracking force and misalignment as causes of distortion. Our cartridge alignment guide covers setup.
  • Use the MM phono input. Ortofon advises checking that the turntable is on the right amplifier input and that any MM/MC switch is set correctly. Our guide to phono preamp loading explains the 47 kΩ and capacitance settings.
  • Rega owners, check height. Ortofon notes that Rega tonearms are set for Rega’s lower-than-standard cartridge height, and recommends spacers under the arm base for its cartridges other than the 2MR models.

Ortofon 2M Blue or Audio-Technica AT-VM95ML?

These two come up often as the next step after a starter cartridge. The 2M Blue uses a nude elliptical diamond on the same body as the 2M Red, so a 2M Red owner can fit a Stylus 2M Blue (Amazon search) without replacing or realigning the cartridge. The AT-VM95ML puts a MicroLine stylus on the VM95 body, and the VM95 family lets you change between several stylus profiles later. Choose the 2M Blue route if you already own a 2M Red; choose the VM95ML if you are starting fresh, your records are clean and you can set alignment carefully. Our replacement stylus chart by cartridge model lists the maker-approved styli for both families.

Sources

Product details and Amazon sellers were checked on October 9, 2026. Nobody tested these cartridges for this page.