Ouch!! I was just replying to someone that didn't have a CD4 setup, are people reading the context plus attempt at humour ?
I have had fully working Quad setup since around 1972, first hafler type setup then built my own SQ and QS decoders and 4channel pre amp. During 1974-1975 I had added 4DD5 CD4, Marantz 4100, marantz SQ 1a then when it came out a SQ2B followed by 4 huge IMF TL monitors
I had various CD4 capable cartridges from Jvc 4mdxxx, victor X1,X2 various Audio technica's, latterly tried a Sonus blue label (ugh!) as well as early unsuccessful attempts with Shure V15 etc.
My Quad collection is somewhat over 100 records mainly CD4 and the rest SQ. Compared to the rest of my collection that is pretty small, I would like more but they were not made in CD4. I have not bothered with later formats, I would if truly new recordings were released and reasonably modern music e.g. Kings of leon, Kasabian, Interpol etc even Adele for my wife!
All my CD4 records play well, none suffers from carrier dropout or splashing or "sandpaper" if played with a proper CD4 capable cartridge the best I have used are the 4md20x Victor X1, Victor X2 ( the stylus would last about 250-350 hours then splashing and distortion would start) back then that was about 8-10 weeks, expensive!
The AT440mlb is probably better than the X1 stylus but heavier cantilever, and seems to be lasting well, about 250 hours so far with no problems.
I have just bought a AT5V body to mate with a 150MLX stylus (Boron cantilever) assembly to build a modern X1, IE: Inductance around 350mh, low resistance and a better stylus than a Shibata.
With around 60-70 Pf of capacitance this should put the inductance, capacitance,resistance peak nicely in the supersonic CD4 frequencies with the 100k of the 4dd5.
I anyone is interested i'll post my results when I've Finished