Earlier this year we introduced the AT-ART1000 Direct Power Stereo Moving Coil Cartridge. Built in the tradition of our classic phono cartridges, the AT-ART1000 offers exceptional audio reproduction based on a completely new Direct Power System moving coil design. Read on as we take a closer look at the award-winning design of this revolutionary new cartridge. Most modern day phono cartridges, both MC and MM, generate voltage at the end of a cantilever, opposite the stylus tip. In a typical cartridge, movement of the stylus in the vinyl record groove is transmitted 5 to 6 mm up the cantilever before being transduced into the electrical signal. Our team of engineers explored ways to increase the efficiency by generating voltage just above the stylus, eliminating the negative effect caused by the cantilever. After exploring many options, they developed this solution: mount tiny 0.9 mm diameter coils supported by very thin 25 micron film on top of the stylus at the front edge of cantilever. Technically, our engineers could have developed a cartridge without the cantilever. However, such cartridges require the user to perform difficult tone arm and cartridge settings to get the best performance. In order to maintain quality tracking and ease of use, our team decided it was best to mount the coils on the front edge of the cantilever within a conventional cartridge structure. While this concept may seem simple, manufacturing this cartridge is quite difficult and labor intensive. Each AT-ART1000 is handcrafted by skilled technicians and individually tested, ensuring optimum performance. The result of this painstaking process is a cartridge with exceptional sonic purity, ability to reproduce the most subtle musical details and remarkable transient response, combined with a smooth tonal balance with a wide 15 – 30,000 Hz frequency response. The AT-ART1000 provides listeners with a rich and natural reproduction of vocals and instruments, making it the perfect complement to high-end turntable setups and analog playback systems. A cartridge of this quality requires a special level of care, that’s why our team developed the Cartridge Rebuild Program specifically for the AT-ART1000. If a cartridge has excessive stylus wear or the cantilever becomes damaged, it can be sent to our Japanese factory repair location. Our team of skilled technicians can replace the entire stylus-cantilever assembly on the AT-ART1000’s original cartridge body. The AT-ART1000 marks a new age in phono cartridge design, a true technological advancement that draws inspiration from our audiophile heritage. To learn more about the AT-ART1000 Direct Power Stereo MC Cartridge visit our website.