The AT-ART1000 (“ART” for Audio-Technica Reference Transducer) is Audio-Technica’s new flagship phono cartridge, handmade in Japan. Leveraging Audio-Technica’s more than 50 years of experience in phono cartridge design, the new AT-ART1000 introduces an innovative, audiophile design heretofore unseen in mass-produced cartridges. The cartridge’s direct power system places the dual moving coil directly on top of the stylus tip, ensuring that the audio quality does not suffer the negative effects normally introduced by the cantilever’s length and material type. Having the coils move in such close proximity to the stylus tip allows the cartridge to vividly render even the most subtle sonic details and provide superior transient response, with a wide 15 - 30,000 Hz frequency response.
Each of the cartridge’s two coils is constructed of 20 μm diameter PCOCC (Pure Copper by Ohno Continuous Casting) wire, wound eight turns to a diameter of 0.9 mm to create a non-magnetic core coil. The 3-ohm coils are placed in an extremely small (0.6 mm) gap of a powerful magnetic circuit, enabling them to generate an 0.2 mV (millivolt) stereo audio signal. The assembly procedure requires extreme precision and must be performed by Audio-Technica’s most skilled technicians.The AT-ART1000 features the same high-performance line contact stylus and solid boron cantilever found in the AT-OC9/III, enabling the cartridge to faithfully trace the record groove and reliably transfer the signal to the coils. The base that supports the specialized magnetic circuit and vibration system is made from titanium. This sturdy base is instrumental in providing consistent playback, and works in combination with the cartridge’s hard plastic cover and aluminum housing to disperse resonance that negatively affects the sound quality.
“The AT-ART1000 represents a significant sonic and technological advancement not just for Audio-Technica but for the entire field of phono cartridge design,” says Crystal Griffith, Audio-Technica Marketing Manager. “By placing the moving coils, which convert the motion of the stylus and cantilever into electrical signals, directly on top of the stylus rather than at the base of the cantilever - the way it’s done with conventional cartridge designs - the negative sonic effects of the cantilever are eliminated, resulting in pure, more accurate audio reproduction.”
The ART1000 is the ideal complement to the finest turntable setups and analog playback systems. The stylus assembly is not field-replaceable, but Audio-Technica offers a fee-based Cartridge Rebuild Program. Under this program, Audio-Technica will replace all assembly parts, including the stylus tip, cantilever, coils, and rubber dampers.
The Audio-Technica AT-ART1000 Direct Power Stereo Moving Coil Cartridge will be available at US$4,999.00. Because each cartridge must be individually handmade, tested and verified to ensure optimum performance and long-time listening satisfaction, worldwide availability will be limited.
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