Signet belongs to the Audio-Technica USA
Audio-Technica U.S., Inc. is established in Akron, Ohio.
Address:
Signet Division // A.T.U.S. (Audio-Technica United States), Inc.
4703 Hudson Drive, Stow, Ohio, 44224
As i said Signet Cartridges (or Precept) catridges has NEVER been available in JAPAN ! Why? For Japanese they are NOT a premium line.
Audio-Technica top of the line Moving Magnet cartridge in Japan is AT-ML180 LC-OFC (Gold-Plated Boron / Micro Line) and later PC-OCC version (Gold Plated Beryllium / Micro Line). For the Japanese this is a "premium" cartridge made from 1987 till mid 90s.
For US and Europe there was a Signet and Precept division by Audio-Technica USA for a limited time only. This is all about marketing. I don’t think that Signet brand was available till the mid 90s.
All Japanese cartridges are signed and comes with individual test results.
There is ZERO information about Signet or Precept "premium line" on Audio-Technica website in the history section. Many cartridges were manufactured by AT for different companies under different names, Signet is nothing but the quality AT made for USA and Europe, but not for Japan for some reason. Signet cartridges are not even listed on the Japanese high-end historical sources where all the premium (made in japan) products are listed.
The answer to all the competitors in the golden age of analog in Japan was not the Signet/Precept division for overseas market, but a genuine Audio-Technica models released for the Japanese market.
Audio-Technica U.S., Inc. is established in Akron, Ohio.
Address:
Signet Division // A.T.U.S. (Audio-Technica United States), Inc.
4703 Hudson Drive, Stow, Ohio, 44224
As i said Signet Cartridges (or Precept) catridges has NEVER been available in JAPAN ! Why? For Japanese they are NOT a premium line.
Audio-Technica top of the line Moving Magnet cartridge in Japan is AT-ML180 LC-OFC (Gold-Plated Boron / Micro Line) and later PC-OCC version (Gold Plated Beryllium / Micro Line). For the Japanese this is a "premium" cartridge made from 1987 till mid 90s.
For US and Europe there was a Signet and Precept division by Audio-Technica USA for a limited time only. This is all about marketing. I don’t think that Signet brand was available till the mid 90s.
All Japanese cartridges are signed and comes with individual test results.
There is ZERO information about Signet or Precept "premium line" on Audio-Technica website in the history section. Many cartridges were manufactured by AT for different companies under different names, Signet is nothing but the quality AT made for USA and Europe, but not for Japan for some reason. Signet cartridges are not even listed on the Japanese high-end historical sources where all the premium (made in japan) products are listed.
The answer to all the competitors in the golden age of analog in Japan was not the Signet/Precept division for overseas market, but a genuine Audio-Technica models released for the Japanese market.
