What is a Cartridge?

An Audio-Technica cartridge is a component for turntables that serves as an electromechanical transducer. Its primary function is to convert the mechanical movements of the stylus or needle as it traces the grooves of a vinyl record into an electrical signal, which can then be amplified and played through speakers.

There are two main types of Audio-Technica cartridges:

1. Moving Magnet (MM) Cartridges: These are more common and generally more affordable. They feature a design where the magnet is attached to the stylus, and as the stylus moves, it changes the magnetic field in the coils to produce an electrical signal.
2. Moving Coil (MC) Cartridges: These are often considered higher-end and provide a more detailed sound. In MC cartridges, the coils are attached to the stylus, and they move within the magnetic field to generate the signal.

In the case of Audio-Technica there are two standards for the connection of the cartridge to the tonearm. 

Half-Inch Standard Mount: This is the most common type of cartridge mount used in modern turntables. It features four terminals at the back that connect to individual wires at the end of the tonearm. The cartridge is secured to the headshell with two screws. The diagram below shows a complete cartridge with a stylus attached. It is possible to swap/upgrade/replace the stylus on the cartridge mount without needing to replace the entire cartridge.

The diagram below shows the completed assembly. Each item can be upgraded separately as long as they are compatible.  

P-Mount (Plug-in): P-mount cartridges are designed for ease of use, with four terminals at the back that plug directly into the end of the tonearm. They are secured with a single screw.

What are the different types of stylus

Different shapes of stylus have unique properties that impact the playing style and audio quality of the turntable.

Styli Shapes: Conical, Elliptical, Line Contact and MicroLine™

The Conical stylus is the simplest, least expensive and most widely used stylus type. Its spherical tip, which has a typical radius of 0.6 mil*, 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 a tonearm that does not feature a cartridge tilt (azimuth) adjustment. Due to their wider grooves, 78 rpm records are played using a much larger conical-type stylus. The average radius of conical styli for 78 rpm records is 2.5 mil – four times larger than the LP record conical styli.

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 stylus, while the smaller side radius can more accurately track higher frequencies. Compared to the conical stylus, however, the elliptical stylus has a longer vertical contact area and a narrower front to back contact area within the record groove. The elliptical tip follows the groove modulations with more precision, providing improved frequency response, improved phase response, and lower distortion, specifically in the inner grooves of the record.

Audio-Technica brand elliptical styli are typically available in three sizes: 0.2 x 0.7 mil, 0.3 x 0.7 mil and 0.4 x 0.7 mil, with the first number indicating the size of the side radius. The smaller the side radius, the better the sound quality. Also, the smaller the overall effective tip radius, the less stylus tracking force required.

The Line Contact stylus, next to the MicroLine™ stylus, offers the optimum tip design for accurate tracking of high-frequency passages with minimum abrasion. It has a vertical contact area that is even longer than that of the elliptical stylus. The line contact stylus provides low distortion and low record wear. It should be noted, however, that due to its larger tracing footprint, the line contact stylus may produce more noise on heavily worn records. The line contact tip is used on our higher-end cartridges.

The MicroLine™ stylus almost exactly duplicates the shape of the cutting stylus used to produce the original master disc from which records are made. This enables it to track portions of the groove other styli simply cannot reach. The result is extremely accurate tracking of high-frequency passages and ruler-flat frequency response within the audible range. The unique multilevel “ridge” shape of the MicroLine™ tip wears more evenly, allowing greatly extended record and stylus life. The MicroLine™ tip is used on our higher-end cartridges.

Which one is right for me?

Choosing the right Audio-Technica cartridge depends on a number of factors, including your budget, the turntable you have, and your listening preferences. In some cases there will be one replacement for your turntable if it uses an integrated cartridge, however the more expensive turntables have a number of choices and we will try to clarify in our cartridge product listings the compatibility and options you have. 

The following table shows the Stylus and Headshell installed as standard on Audio Technica Turntables sticked by Uniquesoundandlight.com 

Data in table above correct as at 30-04-2024

*(Images and text reproduced from audio-technica sources)