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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
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
8,064 posts
 

@richardbrand 

I’ve watched The Absolute Sound review of the Umami Blue where Tom Martin compares the Umami Blue to DS003.
https://youtu.be/INbdQ3Qixbc
 

I’m currently eying a Hana Umami Blue or Umami Red as an upgrade path from my current Hana ML. Mostly because 1) I really like the sonic characteristics of Hana and 2) my current phono stage has good synergy with my integrated and is transparent enough to reveal what the upgrade brings to the table. 


But…I’m not upgrading right this moment and I’m keeping my mind open and I am not excluding DS003 even though it means I will need a new phono stage. 
Anxiously awaiting your thoughts on DS003 after you had some miles on it and you’ve fully grasped its sonics. 

richardbrand's avatar
richardbrand OP
1,424 posts
 

@lewm 

Couldn’t they run the two power lines as a separate harness entirely and therefore achieve a balanced signal path?  But I wonder whether the optical transducer per se lends itself to balanced operation

DS Audio has already got to persuade buyers to buy an Equalizer, so I think compatibility with existing wiring was initially very important to getting acceptance in the marketplace.  Can’t see too many being happy about pulling extra wires through their tone arms.

I suspect you are right that optical is not naturally balanced ... duplication may indeed be needed!

On the other hand, you could mount an argument that the lower noise floor does not really call for balanced for further reduction.  But as Raul seems happy to point out, I seem to lack the experience to comment!

lewm
14,702 posts
 

I misspoke; the optical sensor might need two diodes per channel, one for each phase of a balanced output per channel, not two diodes per phase as I wrote earlier. And I totally agree, the very high signal voltage output and high SN ratio might render the advantages of balanced operation moot.

richardbrand's avatar
richardbrand OP
1,424 posts
 

@lewm 

My understanding is that doubling up is the way solid state handles balanced right through the audio chain?

As sod’s law would have it, I have a silver Litz tone arm cable with XLR connectors ready to install in my Garrard / SME deck.  It will plug straight into the SoulNote but will only operate in balanced mode if I buy an MC cartridge!  SoulNote presumably would rather ignore peasants like me with MM cartridges at the E1 price point...

Meanwhile I am absolutely delighted with the sonics coming from my Jico / Shure MM through the SoulNote.  Another win for you!

dogberry
966 posts
 

Can’t see too many being happy about pulling extra wires through their tone arms.

And yet the SS strain gauge does not require extra wires, I believe. Presumably the light in that cartridge receives its power through the two ground cables? Why didn't DS choose to do that? Having to run extra wires through a tonearm is a large downside, and one I wasn't aware of.

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