Ortofon 2M Bronze vs Audio Technica VM760SLC Top Fine Line Phono Cartridges

The Fine-Lne or Hyper-Elliptical stylus s a good compromise between the elliptical and line-contact stylus shapes. First used in the Shure V15 Type IV, the hyper-elliptical stylus traced 80% more of the groove wall compared to the elliptical stylus resulting in less distortion and less record wear with greater detail and clarity. While Shibata and other line-contact shapes have longer tracing edges, they can also pick up more noise from the groove wall, especailly if the record is less than pristine. Although both the Ortofon 2M Bronze and Audio Technica VM760SLC are still in production, they can't be considered new designs: The VM760SLC was released in 2018 but still uses the para-toroidal coil technology and pure copper casting from 1980 and the Ortofon 2M Bronze's design is from 2007. The cartridges are premium models that feature Fine-Line stylus tips that also come with a premium price. The Audio Technica is 30% more expensive that the 2M Bronze and almost as expensive as the 2M Black.