Specification

audio-technica phono cartridges guide - 2019/20 - 7
Understanding styli shapes, shank shapes and constructions
Direct power
Moving Coil
Moving
Coil
Moving
Magnet
Conical Styli
Bonded Round Shank
Conical Styli
Nude Square Shank
Conical SP Styli
Bonded Round Shank
Elliptical Styli
Nude Round Shank
Elliptical Styli
Bonded Round Shank
Elliptical Styli
Nude Square Shank
Microlinear Styli
Nude Square Shank
Shibata Styli
Nude Square Shank
Special Line Contact Styli
Nude Rectangular Shank
VM520EB
(page 27)
AT-VM95E
(page 34)
AT85EP
(page 40)
AT-XP7
(page 39)
AT-XP5
(page 39)
AT-VM95SH
(page 35)
VM750SH
(page 26)
AT-OC9XSH
(page 15)
AT33MONO
(page 18)
AT-XP3
(page 39)
VM610MONO
(page 28)
VM510CB
(page 27)
AT-VM95C
(page 34)
AT81CP
(page 40)
AT-MONO3/LP
(page 18)
AT-VM95ML
(page 35)
VM540ML
(page 26)
VM740ML
(page 26)
AT-OC9XML
(page 15)
AT33PTG/II
(page 16)
AT-VM95SP
(page 35)
VM670SP
(page 28)
AT-MONO3/SP
(page 19)
AT33EV
(page 16)
AT-OC9XEN
(page 14)
AT-ART1000
(page 9)
VM760SLC
(page 26)
AT-OC9XSL
(page 15)
AT-ART9
(page 10)
AT-ART7
(page 10)
AT-VM95EN
(page 34)
VM530EN
(page 27)
AT-OC9XEB
(page 14)
Point Contact Styli Line Contact Styli
Four main series of cartridges :
Excellence, Moving Coil, VM Series, VM95 Series and P Mount series.
Five dierent diamond stylus shapes :
Special Line Contact, Shibata, Microlinear, Elliptical and Conical.
Four dierent stylus constructions :
Nude Rectangular Shank, Nude Square Shank, Nude Round Shank and
Bonded Round Shank.
The Special Line Contact stylus, oers the optimum tip design for high
frequency response with minimum abrasion, providing low distortion
and low record wear.
The Shibata stylus was originally developed to play four channels vinyl
records (quadraphonic) for this purpose it was necessary to playback up
to 45 kHz. The Shibata shape provides a long line of contact with groove
walls, minimizing record wear and playback high frequency material with
minimal distortion.
The Microlinear stylus almost exactly duplicates the shape of the cutting
stylus used to produce the original master disc. This enables it to track
portions of the groove other styli cannot reach, resulting in extremely
accurate tracking of high frequency passages and ruler-flat frequency
response within the audible range.
The Elliptical stylus has two radii, the front radius being wider than the
side radius. This allows the stylus to ride in the center of the groove, like
the conical, while the smaller side radius can more accurately track
higher frequencies.
Audio-Technica Elliptical styli have a size of - 0.3 x 0.7 mil
(1)
with the first
number indicating the side radius. The Conical stylus is the simplest,
least expensive and most widely used stylus. Its spherical tip, which has
a typical radius of 0.6 mil, normally touches the center of the record
groove walls. The conical design works best in moderate to lower priced,
and older record players with a tonearm imposing higher tracking forces,
or tonearm not featuring cartridge tilt adjustment. Typical radius of
conical stylus for 78rpm records is 2.5 or 3 mil (pages 43 & 57), four times
bigger than LP record conical styli.
Stylus shank construction : Nude or Bonded Styli
Nude styli, shaped from whole diamonds, are more costly than bonded
styli, with their diamond tips “bonded” to metal shanks before finishing
and being assembled to the cantilever. Also because of their lower mass,
nude styli track more accurately (diamond density is lower than the metal
shank, and the size is smaller). Also, since our nude styli are grain-
oriented, with their longest-wearing faces touching the record surface,
they last longer.
Stylus shank form factor :
Rectangular and Square Shanks or R
ound Shank
Rectangular and square shanks nude styli cost even more than round
shank nude styli to make, but mounting them in laser-cut square
holes in the cantilever locks them precisely in correct alignment
with record groove.
Which cartridge is best? Moving coil or moving magnet?
Many serious audiophiles prefer moving coil designs, citing clarity and
transparency of tone, better defined transients, precise stereo imaging
and lower distortion as the reason for their preference.
Please note that moving coil cartridges require preamps with special
compatible inputs (MC phono inputs). The output level of MC cartridges
is between 0.2mV to 0.5mV, therefore MM phono inputs designed for
cartridges delivering around from 3mV to 5mV cannot accomodate
moving coil cartridges.
Moving magnet cartridges are more robust.
Moving magnet cartridges stylus assembly are field replaceable.
© 2018 Haruki Kodama Photography
AT33Sa
(page 16)
(1)
The abbreviation mil is equal a thousandth of an inch - mil = 0,001 inch = 0,0254 mm = 25,4 mm