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Audio Technica AT-ART9XA
€1.549
An update of the AT-ART7, the Audio Technica AT-ART9XA non-magnetic core MC cartridge features a Shibata stylus on a 0.28 mm diameter solid boron cantilever.
The “ART” in the model number stands for Audio-Technica Reference Transducer, a designation that we give only to our flagship phono cartridges. Compared with the magnetic core used in most MC cartridges, non-magnetic core cartridges are free from magnetic distortion, allowing for natural timbre and a precise sound field. Although conventional non-magnetic cores struggle with output voltage, the AT-ART9XA features a newly designed coil armature with an improved output voltage of 0.2 mV (1 kHz, 5 cm/sec). The dual moving coils (fashioned from high-performance PCOCC wire) are aligned in an inverted V shape to provide high separation and wide response. Threaded cartridge mounting holes make installation to a headshell or integrated tonearm incredibly easy.
Audio Technica AT-ART9XA
Features
- Non-magnetic core moving coil cartridge offers superior spatial representation
- Dual moving coils are aligned in an inverted V shape, providing high separation and wide response for clear sound localization and minimal distortion
- Shibata stylus ensures accurate high and mid-low range reproduction, and the 0.28 mm diameter solid boron cantilever provides excellent response characteristics
- Neodymium magnet and permendur yoke significantly increase magnetic energy
- Redesigned coil armature provides an output voltage of 0.2 mV (1 kHz, 5 cm/sec)
- PCOCC coils ensure high-fidelity transmission
- Machined aluminum base supports both the magnetic circuit and the vibration system, ensuring excellent playback stability
- Hybrid body of machined aluminum and high-rigidity plastic reduces undesirable parasitic resonance
- Threaded cartridge mounting holes allow easy installation to a headshell or integrated tonearm
Specifications
| Cartridge & Stylus | |
|---|---|
| Frequency Response | 20-50,000 Hz |
| Channel Separation | 30 (dB at 1 kHz) |
| Vertical Tracking Angle | 20° |
| Vertical Tracking Force | 1.6-2.0 g (1.8 g standard) |
| Stylus Construction | Nude |
| Recommended Load Impedance | Min. 100 ohms (when head amplifier connected) |
| Coil Impedance | 12 ohms (1 kHz) |
| DC Resistance | 12 ohms |
| Coil Inductance | 2.5 µH (1 kHz) |
| Output Voltage | 0.2 mV (1 kHz, 5 cm/sec.) |
| Output Channel Balance | 0.5 dB (1 kHz) |
| Stylus Shape | Shibata |
| Cantilever | 0.28 mm diameter solid boron |
| Static Compliance | 20 x 10-6 cm/dyne |
| Dynamic Compliance | 10 x 10-6 cm/dyne (100 Hz) |
| Mounting | Half-inch |
| Cartridge Weight | 8.5 g (0.30 oz) |
| Dimensions | 17.3 mm (0.68″) H × 16.8 mm (0.66″) W × 25.0 mm (0.98″) D |
| Accessories Included | Non-magnetic screwdriver; 2 washers; cartridge installation screws (M2.6) (5.0 mm × 2, 8.0 mm × 2, 10.0 mm x 2, 12.0 mm x 2); protector; brush |
| Threaded Hole | M2.6 x 2 |
| Notes | Note: moving coil cartridges require receivers or preamps with compatible inputs; their stylus assemblies are not field-replaceable. |
Why So Many Styli Shapes?
The purpose of a stylus is to ride along the record groove capturing movement, which is then transferred into an electrical signal within the turntable cartridge. Audio-Technica produces styli in five different shapes (Conical, Elliptical, Microlinear, Shibata, and Special Line Contact) that make contact with the record groove and capture movement in different ways, creating unique sound characteristics.
Shibata Styli
The Shibata stylus was originally developed to play four-channel (quadraphonic) vinyl records. The Shibata stylus has two radii, similar to an elliptical stylus. However, the radii of a Shibata stylus allow for more surface contact and effective pickup of ultra-high frequencies with less groove stress and distortion.
