A Cartridge Built for a Very Specific Job
Most phono cartridges are designed to trace the fine grooves of a modern 33 or 45 RPM microgroove record. The Audio-Technica AT-VM670xSP exists for a different mission entirely. It is purpose built to play 78 RPM shellac records, and that single focus shapes every design decision behind it. If you have inherited a collection of vintage 78s, or you actively collect early jazz, blues, big band, and pre war recordings, this is the cartridge Audio-Technica made with you in mind.
The key detail is the stylus. The AT-VM670xSP uses a 3 mil (0.0025 inch) conical diamond, which is dramatically larger than the tips found on standard microgroove cartridges. Vintage 78 RPM records were cut with much wider grooves, so a modern fine stylus simply rides at the wrong depth, picks up excess noise, and can miss the musical information sitting on the groove walls. The larger 3 mil conical tip sits correctly in a 78 groove, tracing the recorded signal while riding above the worn bottom where much of the surface noise lives.
The Audio-Technica VM Design
The AT-VM670xSP is a VM type cartridge, which is Audio-Technica's dual magnet moving magnet design. Two tiny magnets are arranged in a symmetrical V configuration that mirrors the 45 degree cut of the record groove. This layout is aimed at balanced channel performance and stable tracing, and it is the same core architecture that runs throughout Audio-Technica's respected VM line.
Being a moving magnet cartridge, the AT-VM670xSP delivers a healthy 4.0 mV output at 1 kHz, so it plays nicely with any standard MM phono input. It follows the familiar loading targets of 47k ohms resistance and 100 to 200 pF capacitance, which keeps setup straightforward. The cantilever is aluminum, and the whole assembly uses the industry standard half inch mount, so it drops onto conventional headshells and tonearms without special adapters.
Key Specifications at a Glance
- Type: VM (dual magnet) moving magnet
- Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz
- Channel separation: 18 dB at 1 kHz
- Output voltage: 4.0 mV at 1 kHz, 5 cm/sec
- Stylus: 3 mil (0.0025 inch) conical
- Cantilever: aluminum
- Tracking force range: 1.5 to 4.0 g (recommended 3.0 g)
- Recommended load: 47k ohms, 100 to 200 pF
- Coil impedance: 3.3k ohms at 1 kHz
- Mount: half inch standard
Sound Character and Use Case
The AT-VM670xSP is voiced for the material it plays. A 3 mil conical stylus and a recommended 3.0 g tracking force give this cartridge secure, confident contact with heavy shellac records that can be warped or worn. That extra downforce, well within its 1.5 to 4.0 g range, helps it stay planted through the physical realities of vintage discs. The result is a solid, full bodied presentation of period recordings, with the goal of pulling music out of the groove while sidestepping the worst of the surface noise you would get from an ill suited microgroove stylus.
To be clear about scope, this is a specialist tool. It is meant for 78 RPM shellac, not for your modern 33 and 45 RPM vinyl. Many collectors keep the AT-VM670xSP mounted on a dedicated headshell so they can swap it in whenever a stack of 78s calls, then swap back to a microgroove cartridge for everyday listening.
Where It Sits in the Audio-Technica VM Range
The broader VM700 family is best known for its high performance microgroove models, and it is worth understanding that those cartridges serve a completely different purpose from the AT-VM670xSP. If your listening is centered on modern LPs rather than 78s, the microgroove members of the line are the ones to look at.
Within that microgroove group, the range climbs through progressively refined stylus profiles. The AT-VM740xML and the flagship AT-VM745xML use a Microlinear stylus, the AT-VM750xSH uses a Shibata profile, and the AT-VM760xSL uses a Special Line profile, each a design aimed at deeper groove contact for microgroove records. Audio-Technica also offers headshell mounted versions such as the AT-VM740xML/H and the AT-VM750xSH/H, which make swapping cartridges even easier if you plan to keep a separate setup for 78 playback.
The takeaway is simple. If you play shellac 78s, the AT-VM670xSP is the correct tool for the job. If you play modern vinyl, look to the microgroove models. Many enthusiasts happily own one of each.
Building a System Around the AT-VM670xSP
Because 78 playback benefits from turntables that offer the correct speed and flexible setup, a few Audio-Technica decks make natural companions. The AT-LP120XUSB and its Bluetooth equipped sibling the AT-LP120XBT-USB are direct drive designs that include a 78 RPM speed setting, which makes them a sensible foundation for a shellac focused rig. The professional AT-LP140XP is another direct drive option with the durability and speed flexibility that vintage collectors tend to appreciate.
If you prefer a belt drive presentation, the AT-LPW40WN and the AT-LPW50PB in piano black are refined manual decks that pair well with the VM design. Whichever turntable you choose, confirm it can spin at 78 RPM before committing to a 78 focused cartridge.
On the electronics side, the AT-VM670xSP feeds any standard moving magnet phono input, and its 4.0 mV output makes it easy to drive. If you want a dedicated outboard stage with room to grow, the Parasound XRM Phono Preamplifier is a clean, capable option to build around.
A Note on Cartridge Choice
Shoppers cross shopping cartridge technologies sometimes look at moving coil designs such as the Ortofon MC X10. That is a different design goal and a different playback purpose. The MC X10 is a moving coil cartridge for microgroove records, while the AT-VM670xSP is a moving magnet cartridge dedicated to 78 RPM shellac. They are not really rivals so much as answers to different questions. Decide first what records you are playing, and the right category becomes clear.
Come Listen
AEA is an authorized Audio-Technica dealer with a showroom in Timonium, Maryland. Our demo units rotate and not every model is always set up at a given moment, so if you would like to hear the AT-VM670xSP or compare turntable pairings for your 78 collection, please contact us and we will arrange a listen for you.