What innovative, unconventional cartridge designs can you recommend?

@cleeds 

There are those that claim a stylus at typical VTF exerts many tons of pressure at its tip. That isn’t true, either.

I am writing this before diving into @antinn 's references but here's my back of the envelope thoughts!

One ton is about 1000-kgs, and pressures used to often be stated in tons per square inch.  For example, mild steel had a tensile strength of about 40 tons per square inch (before SI forced the Pascal on us).

So one ton is a million grams, and the pressure of one ton/sq in = the pressure of one gram per millionth of a square inch.  The same as a square with sides a thousandth of an inch.  There are about 25 mm to an inch, so 25-microns per side.

The half-wavelength of a 20-kHz tone towards the inner limit of a record is about 5 microns. The combined length of both groove walls is about 50-microns. A line stylus with a downforce of 1 gram, that completely fills a half wavelength, would exert about 25 / 5 x 25 / 50 or about 2.5 tons per square inch.  Double the downforce and you get 5 tons per square inch.  Change to a less filling stylus shape, and the numbers go up again

richardbrand OP

"Thanks for the need for a SUT in addition to my MC input."

Noooooo, you need one or the other, not both. An MC Input typically has enough gain for LOMC Low Output Moving Coil cartridges, (that would include the 0.22mv of the ART1000x) and they also include RIAA Equalization, the end result is a LINE level signal.

SUT Step Up Transformers are used to simply pre-boost the signal strength enough to use a typical MM Moving Magnet Input, which then performs both some boost and RIAA Equalization.

RIAA Equalization must occur somewhere, but not twice.

https://www.nixiekits.eu/product.php?key=ds_audio

@pindac 

Thanks, I am starting to realise that there is another entire ecosystem out there which supplies equalisers just or DS Audio cartridges.

I particularly liked "Mr. Nixie's legendary Knoff Hoff seasoning"

@elliottbnewcombjr 

you need one or the other, not both

Thanks for the clarification.  I thought Step Up Transformers were required for Low Output Moving Coil cartridges, but I’ve never even owned a Moving Coil type.

I’ll have to check the specifications of my antique entry-level Krell pre-amplifier, which definitely handles Moving Magnet and Moving Coil inputs.

Is there an output voltage demarcation line which separates Low Output Moving Coil from Moving Coil?