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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?

richardbrand
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richardbrand OP
1,394 posts
 

@lewm 

RB, are your 6M cables inserted between phono and linestage or where? I hope not between cartridge and phono

They are between the SoulNote Equalizer and the pre-processor, and operate at line level.

Following your advice that all cartridges are inherently balanced.  I did get a cable made up for my Garrard 301 / SME tonearm that runs the same Litz conductors right through to XLR plugs.  I have not installed this cable yet.

Ironically, DS Audio in its standard configuration does not support balanced input, because two of the four available wires in a normal tonearm are re-purposed to deliver DC power to the cartridge.  But I believe developments are underway ...

Another irony is that my SoulNote does have balanced XLR inputs.  These are shared between MM and MC.  When MM is selected, the balanced input reverts to unbalanced operation.  But at least the plugs I bought will fit!  I will be able to switch between MM or MC on my Garrard and optical on my Holbo, at the push of a front-panel button.

A further irony is that my Marantz AV8800 pre-processor has one pair of balanced inputs which can be assigned to any input, except, you guessed it, phono.

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pindac
3,958 posts
 

I have seen rauliruegas active on other Threads as recent as 2026.

I hunted out a 3160 as a $2K used sale item for a few months on another occasion but could only find a sold model at near $3K.

I was keen to experience the 3160 and form my own assessment, as well as loan it out for trial to friends who are quite adept at producing Phon's and other friends with a long history of using a Vinyl Source. The broad evaluation from use in a selection of systems comparing to other Phon's will have been of interest.  

This was not to be, and with my new SS Phon' imminent to be supplied, I see no reason to look into alternate SS Phon's for quite a period of time.

 

neonknight
530 posts
 

@pindac I searched his username and see a response in amplification forum of 1/6/2026. So he is still with us! Must be taking a sabbatical from analog threads. 

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pindac
3,958 posts
 

I miss mijostyn, I have a fondness for him. Shame he vanished.   

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richardbrand OP
1,394 posts
 

I miss mijostyn, I have a fondness for him. Shame he vanished

Ditto.  I particularly enjoyed his exchanges with @lewm - like watching a five set tennis match!

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