Audio-Technica AT-ART1000

BRAND NEW
The AT-ART1000 cartridge ("ART" for audio-technica's reference transducer) is Audio-Technica's new flagship phonographic cartridge, handmade in Japan. Born from the pursuit of audio excellence that has motivated A-T for more than 50 years, the AT-ART1000 introduces an innovative audiophile design never seen before in series production cartridges. The cartridge's direct drive system places the two moving coils directly on the tip of the needle, ensuring that audio quality is not affected by the negative effects typically presented by the length and type of cantilever material. By allowing the coils to move so close to the tip of the needle, the cartridge is able to perfectly reproduce even the subtlest sonic nuances and provides an unsurpassed transient response.

Each of the two coils of the cartridge is made of PCOCC (pure copper by Ohno continuous function process) cable of 20 μm in diameter, wound from eight turns to a diameter of 0.9 mm to create a non-magnetic core coil. The 3 ohm coils are located in the tiny 0.6 mm space of a powerful magnetic circuit, allowing each of them to generate an output voltage of 0.2 mV.

The AT-ART1000 features the same high-performance line contact needle and solid boron overhang as the AT-OC9/III model, allowing the cartridge to faithfully follow the disc groove and reliably transfer the signal to the coils. The base that supports the specialized magnetic circuit and vibration system is made of titanium. This solid foundation plays a critical role in providing consistent reproduction, and works in coordination with the cartridge's rigid plastic cover and aluminum housing to dissipate resonance that negatively affects sound quality.