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The AT-ART20 is the latest cartridge in Audio-Technica's ART Series. As with previous magnetic core cartridges in the company's high-end line-up, development had two main goals: to provide superlative analogue sound reproduction and to optimise the performance and benefits of a magnetic core cartridge. Drawing on cartridge technologies and know-how built up over Audio-Technica's history, and using high-grade materials and advanced processing techniques, the result is a magnetic core moving coil cartridge structured to reproduce sound with the full expressiveness of the original recording. The AT-ART20 has been designated an Audio-Technica Excellence Product, a recognition for products meeting the company's highest standards of high-fidelity performance.

The high-frequency response is extended and detailed, while low-frequency sound that cartridges tend to bury is reproduced with full clarity and force. Vocals come through with the variety and expressiveness of the human voice, even at low volumes, with extended sound depth and rich spatial imaging that conveys the original environment of the performance.

The cartridge construction combines an aluminium base, titanium housing and elastomer undercover to minimise resonance. Its newly designed magnetic circuit, based on that of the AT-ART9XI, uses a front yoke that is 0.6 mm thicker to improve magnetic flux density, raising output voltage by more than 15% without increasing the number of coil turns. As in the flagship AT-ART1000, a titanium tip reinforcement plate holds the diamond tip in place, reducing its mass and improving high-frequency characteristics. A nude special line contact stylus delivers premium high-frequency response with minimal inner-groove distortion and very little abrasion, supporting long stylus life and low record wear, while a 0.28 mm diameter solid boron cantilever with a rectangular shank ensures precise alignment with the record groove and reduces mass. A stepped pipe structure connecting the cantilever and armature increases rigidity and suppresses unwanted vibrations. The titanium housing is precision-machined and polished using cutting and polishing technologies drawn from the eyeglass industry of Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture.

Ideal For

High-end analogue playback across music genres, mounted to a headshell or integrated tonearm, for listeners seeking high-resolution reproduction from a top-of-the-line magnetic core MC cartridge.

Features

• Provides superlative analogue sound reproduction
• Reproduces sound with the full expressiveness of the original recording
• Newly designed magnetic circuit improves the cartridge's efficiency
• Output voltage improved by more than 15% without increasing the number of coil turns, which can increase mass and impedance
• High-quality terminal pins with thick gold plating approximately 30 times that of conventional products to reduce contact resistance
• Constructed of titanium and aluminium with an elastomer undercover to reduce undesirable resonance
• Special line contact stylus and solid boron cantilever with a 0.28 mm diameter provide premium high-frequency response with minimal inner-groove distortion for consistent reproduction
• Utilises the advanced cutting and polishing technologies cultivated in the eyeglass industry of Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture, with a history stretching back more than 100 years
• Threaded cartridge mounting holes allow easy installation to a headshell or integrated tonearm

Specifications

• Type: MC (Moving Coil)
• Frequency Response: 20 to 50,000 Hz
• Channel Separation: 30 dB (1 kHz)
• Vertical Tracking Angle: 20°
• Vertical Tracking Force: 1.6 to 2.0 g (1.8 g standard)
• Stylus Construction: Nude
• Recommended Load Impedance: ≥ 100 ohms (when head amplifier connected)
• Coil Impedance: 12 ohms (1 kHz)
• DC Resistance: 12 ohms
• Coil Inductance: 25 μH (1 kHz)
• Output Voltage: 0.55 mV (1 kHz, 5 cm/sec.)
• Stylus Shape: Special Line Contact
• Stylus Curvature Radius: 1.5 × 0.28 mil
• Cantilever: 0.28 mm (0.011") diameter solid boron
• Static Compliance: 23 × 10⁻⁶ cm/dyne
• Dynamic Compliance: 13 × 10⁻⁶ cm/dyne (100 Hz)
• Dimensions (H × W × D): 17.3 × 16.8 × 26.6 mm
• Cartridge Weight: 9.0 g
• Threaded Hole: M2.6 × 2
• Accessories Included: Non-magnetic screwdriver; brush; washer × 2; cartridge installation screws (M2.6) — 5.0 mm × 2, 8.0 mm × 2, 10.0 mm × 2, 12.0 mm × 2; protector

Product Code: AT-ART20