Audio T Verdict
The Audio-Technica AT-VM745xML takes the already excellent Microlinear formula of the AT-VM740xML and upgrades the part connecting the stylus to the cartridge generator: the cantilever.
Both cartridges use the same nude 2.2 x 0.12mil Microlinear diamond, but the AT-VM745xML replaces the 740's tapered aluminium-pipe cantilever with a 0.28mm solid Boron design.
Boron is exceptionally hard and light, making it particularly well suited to transferring the minute movements of a record groove into the cartridge generator. Audio-Technica states that the solid Boron cantilever transmits vibrations around 2.5 times faster than the aluminium pipe used by the previous design, helping reproduce fast dynamic changes with greater precision.
The result is not simply another stylus shape further up the range. This is still Microlinear, so you retain the narrow tracing radius, excellent inner-groove performance and extended groove-wall contact that make the profile so useful. The upgrade is in how quickly and accurately those movements are communicated from the stylus to the generator.
Behind it is Audio-Technica's current VMx architecture with dual moving magnets, para-toroidal coils, PCUHD copper conductor, reduced coil turns and a central shield plate between the stereo channels.
The cartridge body is die-cast aluminium, providing a rigid, resonance-controlled platform for the generator, while threaded M2.6 inserts mean mounting requires only two screws and no tiny cartridge nuts.
Output is 3.7mV, making this a conventional moving-magnet cartridge designed for a 47k-ohm MM phono stage. Audio-Technica recommends total load capacitance of 150–250pF.
The direct replacement stylus is the AT-VMN45xML. Audio-Technica also specifically lists that stylus as compatible with the older VM540ML and VM740ML, making it a particularly interesting upgrade for owners of those cartridges who want to move from an aluminium to a Boron cantilever without replacing the cartridge body.
If Microlinear is already your preferred stylus profile and you want to take that design further rather than switching to Shibata or Special Line Contact, the AT-VM745xML is arguably the sweet spot in the upper VMx range.
Audio-Technica AT-VM745xML Boron Microlinear Moving Magnet Cartridge
The Audio-Technica AT-VM745xML is a premium VMx Series dual moving magnet cartridge combining a nude Microlinear diamond with a solid Boron cantilever, die-cast aluminium housing and Audio-Technica's latest PCUHD generator architecture.
Available Options
This Audio T page currently provides two choices:
AT-VM745xML Cartridge
The complete VMx cartridge body supplied with the AT-VMN45xML nude Microlinear stylus and solid Boron cantilever.
Choose this if you require the complete cartridge.
AT-VMN45xML Replacement Stylus
The complete 2.2 x 0.12mil nude Microlinear stylus assembly with solid Boron cantilever.
Choose this if you already own a compatible VM or VMx cartridge body and only require the stylus assembly.
No Factory Headshell Version
Audio-Technica does not currently offer an AT-VM745xML/H factory headshell combination in the UK range.
The cartridge uses standard half-inch mounting and can be fitted to a suitable compatible headshell if your tonearm uses a removable headshell system.
Contact Audio T if you would like advice on choosing and fitting a suitable headshell.
Nude Microlinear Stylus
The AT-VM745xML uses a:
2.2 x 0.12mil nude Microlinear diamond.
Microlinear is an advanced fine-line profile designed to trace extremely small modulation within a record groove.
Its narrow front-to-back tracing radius allows it to follow high-frequency and tightly packed groove information more accurately than conventional conical and elliptical designs.
Why Choose Microlinear?
When correctly aligned, Microlinear geometry can provide:
- Excellent fine-detail retrieval
- Accurate high-frequency tracing
- Reduced tracing distortion
- Strong inner-groove performance
- Extended groove-wall contact
- Stable contact geometry as the stylus wears
Inner-Groove Performance
The innermost tracks of an LP are particularly difficult for a cartridge to reproduce accurately.
As the stylus moves towards the centre of the record, the same musical information is physically compressed into a progressively shorter distance of groove per revolution.
This makes the groove modulation increasingly difficult for a broad stylus profile to follow.
The narrow tracing radius of the Microlinear diamond is particularly well suited to these conditions.
Inner Tracks Sounding Harsh?
If otherwise clean records become noticeably more congested, sibilant or distorted towards the end of each side, both stylus geometry and cartridge alignment are worth investigating.
A correctly aligned Microlinear cartridge can provide a considerable improvement in inner-groove tracing.
Solid Boron Cantilever
The major step up from the AT-VM740xML is the cantilever.
The AT-VM745xML uses:
A 0.28mm diameter solid Boron cantilever.
Boron combines very low mass with extremely high rigidity, allowing vibrations generated by the stylus to travel rapidly towards the cartridge generator.
Audio-Technica states that the Boron cantilever transmits signals approximately 2.5 times faster than the aluminium-pipe design of the previous model.
Why Cantilever Material Matters
The cantilever sits between the stylus and the cartridge generator.
Every movement the stylus makes within the record groove must travel through the cantilever before it can be turned into an electrical signal.
An ideal cantilever therefore needs to combine:
- Low mass
- High rigidity
- Fast mechanical transmission
- Controlled resonance
Solid Boron is widely valued for providing a particularly useful combination of these properties.
AT-VM745xML or AT-VM740xML?
AT-VM740xML
- Nude Microlinear stylus
- 2.2 x 0.12mil profile
- Tapered aluminium-pipe cantilever
- 3.2mV output
- 20Hz–25kHz response
- 25dB channel separation
- 1.0dB output balance
- 7 x 10-6cm/dyne dynamic compliance
- 8.8g aluminium body
AT-VM745xML
- Nude Microlinear stylus
- 2.2 x 0.12mil profile
- 0.28mm solid Boron cantilever
- 3.7mV output
- 20Hz–27kHz response
- 26dB channel separation
- 1.0dB output balance
- 7 x 10-6cm/dyne dynamic compliance
- 8.8g aluminium body
The groove-contact profile itself is identical.
The most significant mechanical change is therefore the move from tapered aluminium to solid Boron.
The 745xML is also specified with slightly greater output, wider frequency response and an additional 1dB of channel separation.
Compare the Audio-Technica AT-VM740xML at Audio T.
Same Stylus Shape, Faster Mechanical Transmission
The choice between the 740xML and 745xML is therefore particularly straightforward.
If you want Microlinear and are happy with an aluminium cantilever, choose the AT-VM740xML.
If you want to retain the same Microlinear groove geometry but move to Audio-Technica's solid Boron cantilever, choose the AT-VM745xML.
VMx Dual Moving Magnet Generator
The AT-VM745xML uses Audio-Technica's dual moving magnet architecture.
Two moving magnets are positioned to correspond with the left and right walls of a stereo groove, closely reflecting the V-shaped arrangement of the cutter head used to produce the record master.
This allows movement from each groove wall to generate the corresponding stereo channel.
Para-Toroidal Coil Construction
The VMx generator uses a para-toroidal coil structure with:
Two coils per channel, one positioned behind the other.
Audio-Technica uses this arrangement to improve generator efficiency while supporting channel separation, output balance and transient response.
PCUHD Copper Coil Wire
The VMx Series uses:
PCUHD - Pure Copper Ultra High Drawability.
This high-purity copper conductor is used throughout the current VMx generator range.
It replaces the 6N-OFC coil wire used in the previous-generation VM cartridges.
Reduced Coil Turns
Audio-Technica also reduced the number of coil turns compared with the previous VM generation.
The aim is improved transient response, helping the generator respond more quickly to changes in the signal produced by the stylus.
Centre Shield Plate
A shielding plate separates the left and right generator channels.
This reduces electrical crosstalk between them and helps maintain accurate stereo imaging.
Die-Cast Aluminium Housing
The AT-VM745xML uses a die-cast aluminium body.
The rigid metal housing is designed to suppress unwanted vibration and resonance around the generator.
This aluminium construction is shared by the upper VMx 700 Series models.
3.7mV Moving-Magnet Output
Audio-Technica specifies:
3.7mV at 1kHz, 5cm/sec.
This is firmly within conventional moving-magnet territory and is designed for a standard MM phono stage.
Use an MM Phono Input
If your phono stage provides selectable MM and MC modes, use its moving-magnet setting.
A conventional low-output moving-coil input will normally provide inappropriate gain and electrical loading.
47k-Ohm Recommended Loading
Audio-Technica specifies:
47,000 ohms.
This is the standard input resistance used by most moving-magnet phono stages.
150–250pF Recommended Capacitance
Audio-Technica recommends total load capacitance of:
150–250pF.
The total capacitance seen by the cartridge can include:
- Tonearm internal wiring
- Turntable phono cable
- Additional interconnects where applicable
- Phono-stage input capacitance
Where your phono stage provides selectable capacitance, Audio-Technica's stated range provides a useful target.
Generator Electrical Specification
The internal generator is specified at:
- Coil impedance: 3.2k ohms at 1kHz
- DC resistance: 750 ohms
- Coil inductance: 480mH at 1kHz
These figures describe the internal cartridge generator and should not be confused with the external 47k-ohm load supplied by the phono stage.
20Hz to 27kHz Frequency Response
The AT-VM745xML is specified at:
20Hz–27kHz.
This extends 2kHz beyond the headline upper-frequency specification of the AT-VM740xML.
26dB Channel Separation
Audio-Technica specifies:
26dB at 1kHz.
This is 1dB greater than the AT-VM740xML specification.
1.0dB Output Balance
Left-to-right output balance is specified at:
1.0dB at 1kHz.
Close channel matching helps preserve stable stereo positioning and a well-defined centre image.
1.8–2.2g Tracking Force
The recommended tracking-force range is:
1.8–2.2g.
Audio-Technica gives:
2.0g as the standard setting.
Do Not Track Too Lightly
Operating below the manufacturer's recommended range does not automatically reduce record wear.
Too little tracking force can allow the stylus to mistrack and lose stable contact with the groove.
20-Degree Vertical Tracking Angle
Audio-Technica specifies:
20 degrees.
Where tonearm height is adjustable, vertical geometry can be considered after overhang, offset angle and tracking force have been correctly established.
Static and Dynamic Compliance
The AT-VM745xML is specified at:
- Static compliance: 20 x 10-6cm/dyne
- Dynamic compliance: 7 x 10-6cm/dyne at 100Hz
Compliance describes the flexibility of the stylus suspension and forms part of the mechanical relationship between cartridge and tonearm.
8.8g Cartridge Weight
The AT-VM745xML weighs:
8.8g.
This is the same body weight as the AT-VM740xML and should be checked against the cartridge and counterweight range of your tonearm.
M2.6 Threaded Mounting Inserts
The cartridge incorporates:
Two M2.6 threaded mounting holes.
This allows it to attach directly to a standard half-inch headshell or suitable integral tonearm using only two screws.
No Tiny Cartridge Nuts
The threaded VMx body provides several practical benefits:
- Easier physical installation
- No separate mounting nuts
- Simpler alignment adjustment
- Reduced chance of dropping mounting hardware
- Secure cartridge-to-headshell coupling
Three Screw Lengths Supplied
The cartridge includes three pairs of M2.6 mounting screws:
Two washers, a non-magnetic screwdriver and stylus brush are also supplied.
Keep the 5mm Screws
The supplied 5mm screws are used to secure the cartridge inside its packaging.
Keep them after removing the cartridge from the box.
V-Cut Flip-Up Stylus Protector
The VMx Series uses a redesigned flip-up stylus protector with a V-shaped cut-out.
The cut-out provides a quick visual guide to the position of the stylus when lowering it towards a record.
The guard also provides useful protection during cartridge installation and alignment.
AT-VMN45xML Replacement Stylus
The direct replacement stylus is:
AT-VMN45xML.
It retains the original cartridge's:
- 2.2 x 0.12mil nude Microlinear diamond
- Solid Boron cantilever
- 1.8–2.2g tracking-force range
- 2.0g standard tracking force
The replacement assembly can be fitted without removing the complete cartridge body from the tonearm.
Upgrade an Older VM540ML or VM740ML
Audio-Technica specifically lists AT-VMN45xML compatibility with:
- AT-VM745xML
- VM540ML
- VM740ML
This means owners of those previous-generation cartridges can add the current solid-Boron Microlinear stylus without replacing their cartridge body.
A Particularly Interesting Upgrade for VM540ML Owners
The original VM540ML uses a tapered aluminium cantilever.
Fitting an AT-VMN45xML retains the Microlinear groove-contact profile while upgrading the stylus assembly to Audio-Technica's current solid Boron cantilever.
The generator itself remains the original VM540ML generator.
VM and VMx Stylus Compatibility
Audio-Technica states that its current VMx and previous VM Series share the same removable-stylus body architecture.
Current stereo VMx stylus options include:
- AT-VMN10xCB - Bonded Conical, aluminium cantilever
- AT-VMN20xEB - Bonded Elliptical, aluminium cantilever
- AT-VMN30xEN - Nude Elliptical, aluminium cantilever
- AT-VMN40xML - Nude Microlinear, tapered aluminium cantilever
- AT-VMN45xML - Nude Microlinear, solid Boron cantilever
- AT-VMN50xSH - Nude Shibata, solid Boron cantilever
- AT-VMN60xSL - Nude Special Line Contact, solid Boron cantilever
Dedicated Mono Models Are Excluded
The dedicated mono VMx cartridges are excluded from Audio-Technica's general stereo stylus interchangeability system.
Check exact compatibility before mixing stereo and mono components.
AT-VM745xML or AT-VM750xSH?
AT-VM745xML
- Nude Microlinear
- 2.2 x 0.12mil profile
- Solid Boron cantilever
- 3.7mV output
- 20Hz–27kHz response
- 26dB separation
- 1.0dB output balance
- 8.8g aluminium body
AT-VM750xSH
- Nude Shibata stylus
- Solid Boron cantilever
- Advanced line-contact geometry
- VMx dual magnet generator
- PCUHD coils
- Die-cast aluminium body
- Threaded M2.6 mounting
- Different groove-contact profile
The move from 745xML to 750xSH is therefore primarily a change in stylus geometry rather than cantilever material.
Both use solid Boron cantilevers and the aluminium-bodied VMx platform.
Compare the Audio-Technica AT-VM750xSH at Audio T.
Microlinear or Shibata?
Microlinear and Shibata are both sophisticated line-contact stylus profiles, but their geometry is different.
Microlinear uses an extremely narrow tracing radius designed to closely follow the shape of the cutting stylus and is particularly highly regarded for inner-groove tracing.
Shibata provides a long vertical contact area and was originally developed to recover very high-frequency information from discrete quadraphonic records.
The choice is therefore not simply one of price or hierarchy. It is also a choice between different groove-contact geometries.
What About Special Line Contact?
The AT-VM760xSL sits at the top of Audio-Technica's current stereo VMx range.
It retains the solid Boron cantilever while moving to Audio-Technica's nude Special Line Contact stylus.
Compare the Audio-Technica AT-VM760xSL at Audio T.
No Dedicated AT-VM745xML/H Package
Audio-Technica's current UK VMx range does not include a factory AT-VM745xML/H cartridge and headshell bundle.
The factory headshell combinations are offered with selected VMx models rather than every cartridge in the range.
The AT-VM745xML itself accepts standard half-inch mounting and can therefore be fitted to a suitable compatible headshell.
Want a Removable Headshell?
Speak to Audio T about a suitable headshell for your turntable and tonearm.
Final cartridge overhang, tracking force, bias and counterweight compatibility should still be checked after fitting.
A Moving-Magnet Phono Stage Is Required
The normal signal path is:
Turntable ? MM phono stage ? amplifier line input.
If your amplifier already provides a suitable moving-magnet phono input, an external phono stage is not necessarily required.
Browse phono stages at Audio T.
Professional Cartridge Fitting
Correct AT-VM745xML installation can involve:
- Checking turntable and tonearm compatibility
- Selecting the correct M2.6 mounting screws
- Connecting the cartridge leads correctly
- Setting overhang precisely
- Setting offset angle precisely
- Setting 2.0g tracking force
- Setting bias or anti-skate
- Checking azimuth where adjustable
- Checking tonearm height where adjustable
- Checking MM phono-stage compatibility
- Checking load capacitance where adjustable
If you would rather not carry out these adjustments yourself, speak to your local Audio T store about professional cartridge fitting and setup.
Who Is the Audio-Technica AT-VM745xML For?
Well Suited To
- Customers wanting a premium Microlinear MM cartridge
- AT-VM740xML owners considering the Boron upgrade
- Existing VM540ML and VM740ML owners
- Customers wanting a solid Boron cantilever
- Good-quality turntables and tonearms
- Systems with conventional MM phono stages
- Customers wanting strong inner-groove performance
- Listeners with large record collections
- Customers who prefer Microlinear over Shibata
Check Before Buying
- Choose complete cartridge or replacement stylus
- No factory AT-VM745xML/H version currently offered
- 3.7mV moving-magnet output
- 47k-ohm load impedance
- 150–250pF recommended capacitance
- 8.8g cartridge weight
- 2.0g standard tracking force
- Microlinear stylus rewards precise alignment
- Dedicated mono VMx models use different compatibility rules
Key Features
- Audio-Technica AT-VM745xML
- Audio-Technica AT-VMN45xML
- VMx Series
- Dual moving magnet design
- Nude Microlinear stylus
- 2.2 x 0.12mil stylus profile
- 0.28mm solid Boron cantilever
- Para-toroidal coil construction
- Two coils per channel
- PCUHD copper coil wire
- Reduced coil turns
- Centre channel shield plate
- Die-cast aluminium body
- 3.7mV output
- 47k-ohm load impedance
- 150–250pF recommended capacitance
- 3.2k-ohm coil impedance
- 750-ohm DC resistance
- 480mH coil inductance
- 20Hz–27kHz frequency response
- 26dB channel separation
- 1.0dB output balance
- 20-degree vertical tracking angle
- 20 x 10-6cm/dyne static compliance
- 7 x 10-6cm/dyne dynamic compliance
- 1.8–2.2g tracking-force range
- 2.0g standard tracking force
- 8.8g cartridge weight
- M2.6 threaded mounting inserts
- V-cut flip-up stylus protector
- Interchangeable VM and VMx stylus platform
- VM540ML and VM740ML stylus compatibility
Frequently Asked Questions
What options can I buy on this page?
You can choose the complete AT-VM745xML cartridge or the AT-VMN45xML replacement stylus.
Is there an AT-VM745xML/H headshell version?
Audio-Technica does not currently list a factory AT-VM745xML/H combination in the UK range. The cartridge can be mounted to a suitable compatible half-inch headshell.
What stylus does the AT-VM745xML use?
A nude 2.2 x 0.12mil Microlinear diamond.
What cantilever does it use?
A 0.28mm diameter solid Boron cantilever.
What is the main difference between AT-VM740xML and AT-VM745xML?
Both use the same nude 2.2 x 0.12mil Microlinear stylus profile. The AT-VM740xML uses a tapered aluminium cantilever while the AT-VM745xML uses solid Boron.
Does the AT-VM745xML have different output from the 740xML?
Yes. Audio-Technica specifies 3.7mV for the AT-VM745xML and 3.2mV for the AT-VM740xML.
What is a Microlinear stylus?
Microlinear is an advanced fine-line profile designed for accurate tracing of small groove modulation, extended groove-wall contact and strong inner-groove performance.
What does nude stylus mean?
The diamond itself forms the groove-contact tip and supporting shank rather than being bonded to another supporting material.
Why use Boron for the cantilever?
Boron combines very high rigidity with low mass, allowing groove vibrations to travel rapidly from the stylus towards the cartridge generator.
How much faster is Boron than aluminium?
Audio-Technica states that the solid Boron cantilever transmits signals approximately 2.5 times faster than the aluminium pipe used by the previous model.
Is the AT-VM745xML moving magnet or moving coil?
It is an Audio-Technica VM dual moving magnet cartridge.
What output does it produce?
3.7mV at 1kHz, 5cm/sec.
What phono stage does it require?
A conventional moving-magnet phono stage with 47k-ohm input resistance.
What capacitance does Audio-Technica recommend?
150–250pF total load capacitance.
What is the frequency response?
20Hz to 27kHz.
What is the channel separation?
26dB at 1kHz.
What is the output balance?
1.0dB at 1kHz.
What tracking force should I use?
Audio-Technica specifies 1.8–2.2g with 2.0g as the standard setting.
What is the static compliance?
20 x 10-6cm/dyne.
What is the dynamic compliance?
7 x 10-6cm/dyne at 100Hz.
How much does the cartridge weigh?
The AT-VM745xML weighs 8.8g.
Does it need mounting nuts?
No. The aluminium body has integrated M2.6 threaded inserts.
What is the direct replacement stylus?
The direct replacement is the Audio-Technica AT-VMN45xML.
Will AT-VMN45xML fit my older VM540ML?
Yes. Audio-Technica specifically lists VM540ML compatibility for the AT-VMN45xML.
Will AT-VMN45xML fit VM740ML?
Yes. VM740ML is also explicitly listed as compatible.
Does fitting AT-VMN45xML turn a VM540ML into an AT-VM745xML?
No. The stylus and Boron cantilever change, but the original VM540ML generator and cartridge body remain unchanged.
Can I use other VMx styli?
Yes. Audio-Technica states that almost any corresponding stereo VMx or previous VM stylus can be interchanged between the compatible cartridge bodies. Dedicated mono models are excluded.
Can I fit the Shibata stylus?
Yes. AT-VMN50xSH is the current nude Shibata stylus with solid Boron cantilever.
Can I fit the Special Line Contact stylus?
Yes. AT-VMN60xSL is the current Special Line Contact option with solid Boron cantilever.
What is the difference between AT-VM745xML and AT-VM750xSH?
Both use solid Boron cantilevers and the aluminium-bodied VMx platform. The main difference is stylus geometry: Microlinear on the 745xML and Shibata on the 750xSH.
Can Audio T fit and align the AT-VM745xML?
Yes. Contact your local Audio T store to discuss tonearm compatibility, professional cartridge fitting, Microlinear alignment, tracking force and phono-stage matching.
Related Audio-Technica Products and Audio T Guides
Why Buy From Audio T?
- Turntable and cartridge matching
- Microlinear cartridge advice
- Boron cantilever upgrade guidance
- VMx stylus upgrade advice
- Previous VM Series compatibility advice
- Replacement stylus guidance
- Headshell compatibility advice
- Moving-magnet phono-stage matching
- Load capacitance guidance
- Professional cartridge fitting
- Precision Microlinear alignment
- Tracking-force setup
- Bias and anti-skate adjustment
- Tonearm compatibility checks
- Stylus-care advice
- Turntable setup and optimisation
- Part-exchange options
- Ongoing after-sales support
Contact your local Audio T store if you are unsure whether you need the complete AT-VM745xML cartridge or AT-VMN45xML replacement stylus, or if you would like advice on upgrading an existing Audio-Technica VM or VMx cartridge to a Boron Microlinear stylus.