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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
richardbrand's avatar
richardbrand OP
1,385 posts
 

I now have a delivery update for my DS Audio optical cartridge.  It should leave Japan on Feb 13 bound for Melbourne on boat or plane.  Then maybe an Afghan camel train will head northward.

(Oh, the Afghan camel trains, which opened up the outback, stopped once the real train reached Alice Springs.  The camels were let free to roam, and there are now over a million of them.  You are more likely to get bitten by a camel than any other nasties, such as crocodiles, sharks, spiders, jellyfish and snakes)

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
7,879 posts
 

You are more likely to get bitten by a camel than any other nasties, such as crocodiles, sharks, spiders, jellyfish and snakes

 

@richardbrand you forgot the kangaroos that box like Mike Tyson and kick like a mule. Congrats on the progress with the cartridge…finally! 

richardbrand's avatar
richardbrand OP
1,385 posts
 

@audphile1 

you forgot the kangaroos that box like Mike Tyson

A lady friend of mine was badly beaten up by a big 'roo in her own suburban Canberra backyard.  Ferocious.  So was the 'roo.

I can't think of much more frightening than having a big 'roo go through your windscreen and survive, literally alive and kicking

dogberry
960 posts
 

I was told by an ex-pat living in the middle East that crashing into a camel was very dangerous, as their leg length was just right to ensure their body would fall through your windshield and crush you.

maxson
99 posts
 

Uh, just to return to the subject of the thread for a moment....

I decided to return the DS 003 to The Music Room, for a 5% restocking fee. I loved the staging and dynamics, but felt my (higher end) MCs did a better job of nuance. So I guess I need a W3.

Then I got my Holbo working again after a long story, so wasn't able to test out Richard's combo before he did. I'm so glad it's playing again, tho. Very light and airy sound (w/plenty of bass, too) vs. the more gutsy JVC/FR64.

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