Heard the DS Audio W3 at a NY Audio Show on a VPI Avenger table.
Backert Optik Phono. All VAC tube amplification chain driving Acora Acoustics MRC3 speakers. Don’t know how much the cartridge contributed to the overall sound but the system as a whole sounded fantastic. Not having a lot of people there helped enjoy that system. I’d love to try DS Audio at some point but buying a special phono stage is not appealing to me at this point.
What innovative, unconventional cartridge designs can you recommend?
Most cartridges have a stylus and cantilever where the transducer (magnet, iron or coil) sits on the far end of the cantilever. What other designs are there?
I am mindful of two designs which put the business end right on top of the stylus. The first is the moving coil (MC) Audio Technica AT-ART1000 which places two tiny coils, each 0.9-mm diameter, with eight turns of wire directly above the stylus. Australian price is about AUD-7000 and there apparently is a newer model, slightly less exxe. the ART1000X. This has square coils for a bit more output, and threaded mounting holes.
A downside is that stylus replacement involves a factory maintenance program and the Australian website page describing this service does not exist.
Another design is optical, exemplified by DS Audio's range. While these still need a stylus to trace the groove, the signal is produced by reading the intensity of light produced by a Light Emitting Diode (LED) hitting two sensors. Between the LED and the sensors are two 'shades' mounted above the stylus which change the amount of light as the stylus vibrates. These cartridges need a special "photo-stage" to replace the conventional phono-stage which is an additional expense.
Australian prices including photo-stages range from AUD-2,150 for the DS-E1 to the DS Master 3 at approximately AUD-40,800, which is a bit outside my price range! Where is the sweet spot?
What other way-out designs are there?
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@richardbrand I have over the years been investigative of Cartridges using the photos supplied from well respected refurbishment technicians. Many Cart’s witnessed as a overhaul are from a Vintage era, and it does not take long to learn that designs in use today are those already once in use during the evolvement oof the Cart’. Materials have changed, hence the notion to create the almost same designs with modern used materials. I have been quite involved in learning how mechanical interfaces are influencing the End Sound of a TT > TA > Cart’ assembly, where a lot is learnt about how improvement can be found. Improvement found and implemented with mechanical interfaces, has then been encouraging to learn where there is betterment to be found with the signal path for the sent signal. As a result of experiencing a design using identical electronics where one version is high quality Cables and Cable Connections and the other a Low Eddy design. As a result of assessing End Sound produced from both versions. It leaves the assessor with no doubt that when creating a low eddy signal path the End Sound has a increased attraction. With this knowledge in mind, I put my thoughts to whether a low eddy design was available from the Cart’ itself. The search discovered the Cart’ in the Link, and for the notion it is a scratch built low eddy design, the Cart’ is seemingly unique. https://www.leson.org/shop/ls10-mkii-mc-cartridge/ The Mutech Hayate might also qualify for being unique as a design https://kaji-lab.co.jp/item.php?code=1746600471&brand=mutech
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Soundsmith straingauge https://www.sound-smith.com/cartridges/strain-gauge-systems/strain-gauge-systems Impressive everytime I've heard it.
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Being in Australia, hopefully you have checked out Garrott Brothers which is an Australian company. The Fritz Geiger Signature stylus they use on their upper models is one of the best, and they offer a complete cartridge rebuild and upgrade program Repairs & Retipping – Garrott Brothers not unlike Soundsmith. Speaking of Soundsmith - there is the strain gauge cartridge - Strain Gauge Cartridge Systems | Soundsmith. Note that DS Audio has shared openly the pre-amp requirements for their optical cartridges and this is being incorporated into other company phono preamps such as Meitner Audio DS-EQ2 Optical Equalizer – EMM Labs & Meitner Audio. |
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