Audio-Technica - Dual Moving Coil Monaural Cartridge AT33xMONO/II

A true-mono moving coil voiced for the warmth and fullness of 1950s and '60s monaural jazz recordings.

The AT33xMONO/II is Audio-Technica's dual moving coil mono cartridge designed to preserve the warmth and fullness of acoustic instruments as captured on mono recordings from the 1950s and '60s. Its True Mono generator places PCOCC (Pure Copper by Ohno Continuous Casting) coils at the cantilever's fulcrum so electrical signal is produced only by horizontal movement — reducing surface noise and improving mono fidelity — while a samarium cobalt magnet and pure iron yoke, shaped specifically for monaural reproduction, contribute to its warm, richly textured playback.

A 0.65 mil conical nude stylus tracks the center of the mono groove's constant width and depth for reliable performance and excellent fidelity, mounted on a high-hardness duralumin pipe cantilever that tapers toward the tip. A newly developed piano-wire suspension with slightly lowered dynamic compliance enhances tracking accuracy, and the composite body of die-cast zinc, aluminum, and high-rigidity polymer disperses resonance for balanced reproduction. Each cartridge is hand-finished by artisans in Japan.

Features

• True Mono dual moving coil design generates signal only from horizontal groove movement
• 0.65 mil conical nude stylus engineered for mono record grooves
• Tapered high-hardness duralumin pipe cantilever
• Newly developed piano-wire suspension for enhanced tracking accuracy
• Samarium cobalt magnet with pure iron yoke shaped for monaural reproduction
• Composite body of die-cast zinc, aluminum, and high-rigidity polymer
• Threaded M2.6 mounting holes for easy two-screw installation
• Hand-finished by artisans in Japan

Specifications

• Type: Dual moving coil, monaural (True Mono)
• Stylus: 0.65 mil conical, nude
• Cantilever: Duralumin pipe (tapered)
• Coil Wire: PCOCC
• Magnet and Yoke: Samarium cobalt magnet with pure iron yoke, shaped for monaural reproduction
• Body: Composite of die-cast zinc, aluminum and high-rigidity polymer
• Output Voltage: 0.37 mV (1 kHz)
• Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000 Hz
• Channel Balance: 1.0 dB (1 kHz)
• Tracking Force: 2.3 - 2.7 g (2.5 g standard)
• Recommended Load Impedance: 100 ohms minimum
• Coil Impedance: 10 ohms (1 kHz)
• DC Resistance: 10 ohms
• Coil Inductance: 27 µH (1 kHz)
• Static Compliance: 14 x 10^-6 cm/dyne
• Dynamic Compliance: 6 x 10^-6 cm/dyne (100 Hz)
• Vertical Tracking Angle: 20 degrees
• Mount: Threaded M2.6 x 2 — two screws, no nuts required
• Weight: 10.2 g (0.36 oz)