Field coil dava cartridge

Dear @mikelavigne ​@bonzo75 : Here it’s an Audio Technica cartridge design celebrating the 60th AT Anniversary . I know that for both of you and several audiophiles AT could means almost " nothing " but I have a deep and wide first hand experiences with almost all the AT MM and LOMC designs because I owned and still own some of them in the same that with the AT Signet division models that are even better than the AT ones.

Things are that the AT design 60th anniversary they decided to make only 60 samples and guess what: in less than 10 days disappeared/sold and unfortunatelly I arrived just late to own my sample.

All the owners not even have the opportunity to listen it they just bougth because is AT ( I never listened an AT cartridge that sounds bad including its AT95 with a price tag of 120.00 that’s better that you can imagine. ) and because is great design where they really are celebrating when choosed that the diamond cantilever and stylus be builded from ONE diamond piece where the stylus is not attached to the cantilever but is integral part with the cantilever and this is UNIQUE today for say the least and an achievement.

I hope that AT can decide to build a new set with at least 500 cartridges.

Last time the audio world seen a cartridge with one diamond cantilever/stylus one piece was in 1980 and that kind of challenge was made it by Sony with it 88D model and I’m almost sure that both of you never had the opportunity to listen it or even know Sony as a top LOMC manufacturer. I still own two Sony different models and are great performers.

Anyway here it’s the Audio Technica that was mentioned in other thread. Only for your records Nagra designed a cartridge with a price tag over 18K ( the Audio Technica is only: 9K. ) but Nagra gentlemans are not specialist in cartridges and choosed not diamond or boron as the cantilever but Ruby/titanium where that sole characteristics for the gentlemans that know about cartridges makes not even turn their face to see the Nagra that between other things has around 14.5grm. on weigth so figure. Btw Nagra comes with the same stylus shape that top Ortofon and VDH.

Other true advantage with the Audio Technica is that’s a very good tracker, here there are " no errors ". @mijostyn I don’t think AT will buil that cartridge with low internal impedance as you like but it’s not necessary for maybe no other gentleman but you.

R.

@rauliruegas , The vapor deposition prosses they use to make the cantilever is not easy and requires very special and expensive equipment. I can not believe they would use it for only 60 examples. There will be more to come and probably at an even lower price. If they can get an output of 0.55 mv out of a cartridge with a 12 ohm impedance they can certainly get over 0.2 mv out of a cartridge with a 6 ohm impedance. 

Granted I have not had enough experience driving current mode phono stages with many assorted cartridges to be absolutely sure. What I have heard so far is two very expensive cartridges perform better in current mode. A third will be listened to shortly. Three strikes and you are out.  

Dear @mijostyn : Sure Audio Technica can do that. As a fact this is not its first diamond cantilever model, many years ago I owned the AT 1000 ( in the 70’s. ) that had a very low output level of 0.1mv with very low internal resistance even at the same time AT developed a dedicated SUT ( t1000 ) that I owned too and was really good with 8kg. on weigth. AT is second to none but a very low profile in the high-end and with to low true price tags in its models. The AT came wit its dedicated headshell and that " dedicated " is something real because that headshell you can't use with any other cartridge due that the AT1000 top plate was shaped not flat ( the Ortofon dedicated headshells in some of its models are just universal headshells, not like the AT 1000).

Just imagine if that 60th anniversary model instead AT manufacture came with the Nagra name, you can be sure that its price tag will be at least around 30K-40K.

R.

@rauliruegas , if not more!

I have heard, compared, and liked various audio technica from AT33, Art 9, to Art 1000. They are nice cartridges, very average compared to DaVa.

@rauliruegas  seems to assume and state other people’s preference without knowing their experiences to suit his theories.

on the discussion of air bearing linear trackers, my article on Vyger is here