ESL is always a challenge...
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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As a professional I am a fire fighter for Companies that work in Construction Projects where Package Values typically exceeds £50M, the projects that usually are the structures that create a City Scape for a Major City. When I am introduced there are usually forensic analysts of the Contract and Programme with a regular reporting to the Groups most senior personnel. My role is to undo all the blockers and give description of what is the causes of the project arriving in the current state, and what is the proposed methodologies to be pro-active and efficient in rebuilding momentum to complete the contract obligations. My input is never a one liner, unless a one liner is only necessary to clearly state how the overall has been influenced on. My reward is, on occasions my descriptions when used as an evidence in a situation requiring the legal system to resolve. Is almost a recital by the Judge to describe why the Company is to be compensated by the non payer. I write how I write because it works. Maybe not for the very small group who are the regular contributors to the Gon's Analog section, but to those who choose to read without bias, those who are not participant in using their words for projecting negative content towards another that they choose to connect with. As stated, the occasional PM received from a Gon Member with a long membership and no posts or a very recent member with no posts, requesting clarification or further guidance is my encouragement to remain on the Gon's Analogue Section. Other Gon Sections are not so noticeable for their dysfunctionality between the regular contributors, as the Gon Analog Section is. |
@pindac ahem…no not really. I asked gemini to give me the word count and summarize your post. Gemini summary:
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Optical attenuators are said to be unreliable or nonlinear such that channel to channel balance is tricky. I have no direct experience pro or con, except the testimony of an experienced audiophile that when working properly his was very transparent. I would think that DS Audio is aware of such issues and is careful about channel matching. And in any case, an attenuator is quite different from a phono cartridge. I’m interested in RB’s opinion once he’s had time to develop one. |
Yes I’m also looking forward to @richardbrand thoughts on DS003 and how it works with the Soulnote phono equalizer |
- 428 posts total