These sound clean and controlled. The response is as neutral as a CD. No extra bass or treble, just reproduced as the record was mastered. This is the "standard" broadcast and DJ cart. If you want more bass, get the Groovemaster II. If you want more bass and highs, get the Whitelabels. Somewhere in there are the Nightclubs. Supposedly the Elektro's have even more highs and lows, for people who need extreme punch. But for good quality neutral sound, you can't go wrong with these. They are very tolerant of a variety of tracking forces from 2-5, depending on if you're doing broadcast (2), mixing (3-3.5) or scratching (4-5). If you scratch and are experiencing skipping even at 4-5g, then you probably need to adjust your anti-skate. If you think the sound is bland, it's either your mixer or your sound system. Most phono gain stages are designed to work with the 500AL's standard output, so don't just assume you need some 7mV cart to get enough volume. You'll get about the same gain control ranges on the 500AL into a normal DJ phono stage as you will with a pro nominal output DJ CD player into a proper pro line level gain stage. And you can replace the stylus every 6 months for very cheap when you buy the replacement stylus packs. I really don't see the point of worrying about spending 3-5 times more for a cart, when it's really only the audiophile elliptical carts that start being worth their high prices.