The new AT-ART1000X is Audio-Technica’s most advanced cartridge for vinyl record playback.
If you had said twenty years ago that vinyl would make a comeback and rival the Lazarus revival, I wouldn’t have believed you. Today, vinyl is extremely popular, despite the high media costs and the need to invest in a turntable. The revival of the medium has breathed new life into the design and production of record playing equipment.
One company that has never given up on vinyl is Audio-Technica. The Japanese premium brand has been making vinyl cartridges for 60 years and the latest premium model is the AT-ART1000X. Audio-Technica says this is the company’s most advanced yet and the result of 60 years of cartridge design experience.
Developed and manufactured in Japan, the AT-ART1000X is designed to extract the maximum analog signal from vinyl. Audio-Technica has focused on achieving a more refined direct-power system that delivers improved efficiency and better bass response.
The AT-ART1000X is designed to extract the maximum analog signal from vinyl. Audio Technica has … [+]
Like its predecessor, the AT-ART1000X’s direct power system positions the dual moving coil directly above the stylus tip. The result, says Audio-Technica, reproduces even the subtlest details in the music and ensures that the audio is not compromised by the length and material of the cantilever.
The newly developed coils for the AT-ART1000X are rectangular in shape instead of round. They are positioned so that more of their surface area lies within the magnetic field. The result is improved output voltage and an extended low-frequency range that reproduces more powerful and accurate bass.
Each non-magnetic core coil is made with 20 μm (0.79 mil) diameter PCOCC (Pure Copper by Ohno Continuous Casting) wire, which is hand-wound exactly eight times to create an innovative rectangular shape .
The coils used in the AT-ART1000X are small and require precision manufacturing in Audio-Technica’s … [+]
The coils are wrapped in an ultra-thin special 25 μm (0.98 mil) film and placed in the tiny 0.5 mm (0.020″) aperture of a powerful magnetic circuit. This design allows each coil to produce an output voltage of 0. Generating 22 mV and a coil impedance of 3.5Ω, despite a non-magnetic core.
The AT-ART1000X has the high-quality line contact stylus and solid drill cantilever from the previous generation. A sturdy titanium base ensures consistent playback and works with the cartridge’s rigid cover and aluminum body to disperse any resonance that could negatively impact sound quality.
Finally, Audio-Technica says the new cartridge is designed to last longer thanks to a special coating that protects the magnetic circuit from corrosion, providing stable performance throughout the life of the cartridge.
Prices and availability: The Audio-Technica AT-ART1000X cartridge is available from today, priced at $5,000 / £4,700 / €5,500.
More information: www.audio-technica.com
Functions:
- Direct power system.
- Rectangular coils for improved efficiency and longer low frequencies.
- Threaded mounting holes.
- Special line contact needle and solid drill cantilever with a diameter of 0.26 mm.
- Non-magnetic core coils.
- Titanium base for the magnetic circuit.
- PCOCC coil (Pure Copper by Ohno Continuous Casting).
- Protective coating against corrosion.
- Developed and produced in Japan.