AUDIO NOTE UK
Turntables
Audio Note believes that the reproduction of music is most competently replayed by analogue source components.
Against the background of technological advancements in the world of computers and digital technology, many audio manufacturers have applied this type of technology to their products. In most cases this thinking is misguided and fundamentally flawed. Music by its very nature is an analogue signal borne from mechanical vibration, whether it be the skin of a Drum or the bow and string of a Violin, all sounds come from vibration. Locked deep in the grooves of a vinyl record lies an immense amount of musical information. Indeed quite how much is still unknown for sure, but while our competitors have been "barking up the wrong tree" in a digital sense, Audio Note have concentrated great energy, time and resources in developing a superb range of analogue products capable of reproducing this information.
A turntable appears to be a rather simple device. A platter must spin at 33.3rpm (and maybe 45 and 78 rpm) quietly and consistently. In reality, this is an incredibly difficult feat. Record grooves hold an enormous amount of information, and our hearing will pick up unbelievably tiny changes and errors in speed. Although the mechanism of a minuscule diamond stylus tracking modulations in a record groove looks easy, as the music becomes more complex and louder, the grooves in the record present a much rougher road, and the stylus puts more drag on the rotating platter. This will slow the record down. The result is blunted transients, dynamics suffers, and music no longer has the proper flow and ease. This type of distortion in the domain of timing with record players is virtually impossible to measure, and thus easy for the audio industry to ignore. It is very easy to hear, though. Hence Audio Note uses extremely powerful AC motors -without feedback loop control-, and in the TT2 and TT3 versions even two or three of them. This design of a belt driven by multiple motor is such that slippage is eliminated, enabling the benefits of idler driven turntable (like the famous Garrard's) and suspended designs (like the famous Linn's) to be combined. Even the modest looking TT1 therefore easily surpasses the peformance of classics like the Garrard 301 or Linn Sondek LP12. The TT One and Two can optionally be supplied with an external power supply which regenerates the incoming AC to perfectly drive the AC motors. The TT 3 Reference uses a dedicated power supply per extremely powerful PAPST motor, which are especially supplied for Audio Note. This setup generates a massive amount of torque on the suspended platter, providing the inertia found in high-mass tables having a platter of many hundreds of kilo's. This all while maintaining the benefits of a fully suspended and idler driven designs. Audio Note analogue is therefore unique and unsurpassed.
The TT-Three comes in three versions. Each with a different PSU to drive the motors. Each upgrade in PSU will improve staging, dynamics and realism. PSU's can be exchanged so that you can upgrade your turntable at any moment without disinvestment. In level 4 we offer TT-3 0.5 Reference and the TT-3 Reference is our statement level 5 product. When compared to the TT Three, the 0.5 Reference has a greatly improved platter and bearing designs. The 'Full Reference' uses extremely large and high torque motors, larger main bearing, improved suspension system and most importantly an extremely precise power supply arrangement consisting of a separate power supply for each motor (three separate full size chassis) and a 'head unit' controller which locks and controls the three motors. Each motor and PSU are matched to each other, and then the head unit controls and locks them together.
TT-One Deluxe
One motor turntable with three-point suspended sub-chassis and acrylic platter. Although the TT-One Deluxe may appear to be a simple design, we have not compromised on component quality; its combination of Russian birch ply plinth, acrylic platter and precision bearing will provide a lifetime of musical enjoyment.
Standard real wood veneers are as follows: - Black Ash / Rosewood / Cherry.
We can also offer satin and high gloss paint finishes, and many of the real wood veneers we use for our loudspeaker cabinets, at extra cost - please contact your local dealer/distributor for more information.
TT-Three
Drive System
High-mass torque without any of the usual "high mass platter" energy storage problems. Very light, highly inert platter made from Lexan, which has virtually no reflective properties nor any resonance storage problems. Rubber belt driving the platter around its outside rim. Three immensely powerful motors, whose speed is “locked” together by the master control unit’s digitally synthesised frequency. This combination provides a platform with levels of stability and torque which high-mass turntables can only dream of. When the high mass stored in the motors provides torque to drive the light, inert platter, the energy is focused as rotation, nothing else, and the best of both worlds is achieved.
Suspension System
Three-point suspended design, centred at the bearing, which is also the epicentre of the motors’ inertia. This completely removes the most common problem in suspended turntables, where the motors and suspension are misaligned in relation to each other and as a result, the platter is vacillating constantly between the centre of the drive system and the centre of the suspension. The sub-chassis is designed with three arms. One has the tonearm in the standard position on the far right, the other two hold mass balancing weights, which provide an exact equivalent of the combined arm / cartridge mass, thus loading each suspension tower equally.
Tonearm Choice
The TT-Three is supplied with the arm board cut for our own "/II' 9" tonearms. This is the only way we supply the TT-Three, and we do not offer any other arm boards to fit the inferior offerings from other manufacturers. Our tonearms are the perfect choice for the TT-Three, so why use anything else?
Turntable: Satin Black or Satin White as standard
High Gloss Black or High Gloss White at extra cost
PSU fascia - Anodised Aluminium or Black Acrylic
TT-Three Reference
Drive System
High mass torque without any of the usual 'high mass platter' energy storage problems. Very light, highly inert platter made from Lexan, which has virtually no reflective properties nor any resonance storage problems. Rubber belt driving the platter around its outside rim. Three immensely powerful motors, whose speed is locked together by the power supply unit’s completely analogue control system. This combination provides a platform with levels of stability and torque which high-mass turntables can only dream of! When the high mass stored in the motors provides torque to drive the light, inert platter, the energy is focused as rotation, nothing else, and the best of both worlds is achieved.
Suspension System
Three point suspended design, centred at the bearing, which is also the epicentre of the motors’ inertia. This completely removes the most common problem in suspended turntables, where the motors and suspension are misaligned in relation to each other and as a result, the platter is vacillating constantly between the centre of the drive system and the centre of the suspension. The sub-chassis is designed with three arms. One has the tonearm in the standard position on the far right, the other two hold mass balancing weights, which provide an exact equivalent of the combined arm / cartridge mass, thus loading each suspension tower equally.
Tonearm Choice
The TT-Three Reference is supplied with the arm board cut for our own 10-inch AN-1S tonearm. This is the only way we supply the TT-Three Reference, and we do not offer any other arm boards to fit the inferior offerings from other manufacturers. The AN-1S is the perfect choice for the TT-Three Reference, so why use anything else?
Turntable: High Gloss Black as standard
PSU fascia - Anodised Aluminium or Black Acrylic
TT-Two Deluxe
First Principles
Audio Note™ turntables are all designed and built according to a core set of four fundamental insights into what delivers musicality. We have settled on these design principles after many years of experimentation and experience. They can be found on every Audio Note™ turntable from the TT-One right through to the TT Three Reference in which they achieve their ultimate expression. A suspended chassis attenuates vibration energy from the speakers and the room to deliver purity of reproduction. A low-mass platter absorbs much less energy from the cartridge in the groove of the record without deadening the sound. A vibration free, high-torque AC drive system delivers constant platter speed even when the grooves contain strong modulations. The transmission of vibration in our turntables and arms is managed through the use of materials with different resonances and mass, so that energy is led away from the cartridge, where it does harm to the sound.
Expect even more...The TT-Two is built to give an even more generous measure of musical enjoyment, particularly when paired with an Audio Note™ arm to create a combination able to punch well above its price point. It has a high quality aluminium sub-chassis with optimised three-point suspension geometry. Two opposed AC motors deliver twice the torque to the low-mass acrylic platter and also have the benefit of further stabilising the suspension. The robust and long-life bearing features a sintered and polished shaft in a brass tube with a hardened thrust plate and a precision ground steel ball.
Standard real wood veneers are as follows: - Black Ash / Rosewood / Cherry.
We can also offer satin and high gloss paint finishes, and many of the real wood veneers we use for our loudspeaker cabinets, at extra cost - please contact your local dealer/distributor for more information.
AUDIO NOTE UK
Cartridges
The Audio Note IQ cartridges are the finest Moving Magnet designs currently available. A refinement of the established Moving Magnet principle, they offer an excellent combination of exceptional tracking ability, dynamic range and longevity, thanks to the extremely high quality components used for their construction. Each model employs a highly rigid Pocan™ body shell, equipped with integral threaded inserts for easy installation in the tonearm head-shell. This mounting system greatly improves mechanical coupling between the cartridge body and head-shell in comparison to the traditional nut & bolt fixing. A detachable stylus assembly was chosen to facilitate easy replacement or upgrade. In fact, All three models in the IQ range use the same body shell, so it is a very simple and cost effective procedure to upgrade from an IQ I to an IQ II or IQ III, merely by changing the stylus assembly. The coils in all of the IQ cartridges are made from high purity, 'four nines' copper wire that is of an incredibly small diameter. We have often been asked why we do not produce a silver coil version in the IQ range; the reason, quite simply, is that it is not possible to produce silver in such a minuscule, fine gauge! The IQII is similar to the IQI, employing the same precision aluminium cantilever. However, its performance is significantly improved by the addition of the superior AN Type 2 diamond, used in the IQIII and IO I cartridges. All The IQ series cartridges are the result of collaboration between two renowned names in high-end audio, Audio Note UK and Goldring.
As early as in 1978, we introduced our IO-cartridge design. The IO range of cartridges from Audio Note UK are world-renowned for their stunning quality and their effortless ability to reproduce music to the highest standards. The revolutionary nature of the design runs contrary to most accepted design criteria, now, as they did then. The result is a small range of moving coil cartridges, which are second to none in dynamic range, tonal balance, separation, timbral reproduction, and lack of colouration and surface noise. The cartridge designs do not lend themselves to mass production and as a result are not in-expensive, they require a tonearm of very substantial rigidity, and must be combined with a matching transformer, in order to achieve the best possible linearity and dynamic signal transfer without which it seems pointless to own cartridges of this quality. All the above make the cartridges relatively costly to acquire and use correctly, but the results are so illustrious and their music making so fine that Audio Note have never found selling them a problem, generally they have been very scarce and hard to find. An annual Production of about 40 - 50 pieces speaks for itself. All IO cartridges are hand-built in the UK to exacting standards and feature ALNICO magnets, silver-wound generator coils and a titanium cantilever with an Audio Note AN Type 1 profile, diamond stylus. The Audio Note IO 2 has generator coils wound on a Swedish-made former and is constructed with gun-metal sides. The cantilever is higher-tolerance than the IO-I and is fitted with an AN Type 1 Stylus. The Audio Note IO Gold has generator coils wound on a Permadure-iron former and is supplied with gold-plated gun-metal sides. The highest possible tolerances are used when selecting the cantilever, stylus and generator. The Audio Note IO Ltd is unique among cartridges in its use of a field coil for a ‘permanent’ magnet, rather than a fixed magnet. This absolutely no-compromise design requires an external power supply to drive the field coil. Please also note that tone-arm wiring will need to provide for two additional wires.
IQ I
The IQ I features a rigid, yet lightweight body made from Pocon, which is equipped with integral threaded inserts for easy installation in the tonearm head shell. This mounting system greatly improves mechanical coupling between the cartridge body and head shell in comparison to the traditional nut and bolt fixing. The internal coils are made from extremely fine copper wire, and the cantilever is formed from a specific grade of aluminium tube. You may also notice that the suspension is more stiff than usually seen in moving magnet cartridges of this type. The stylus is a Gyger Type I, and the complete assembly is removable, making replacement or upgrade a very simple and cost-effective process. In fact, all of the IQ stylus assemblies are interchangeable, meaning that you could start with an IQ-I, and eventually replace the stylus assembly with the vastly superior version used in the IQ-III. It has been designed to be used with a moving magnet compatible phono stage, with an input impedance of 47K Ohms. Total capacitance in parallel (including arm lead and amplifier capacitance) should not exceed 200pF. If other values of load resistance and capacitance are used, the frequency response of the cartridge may depart from the specified values.
IQ II
The IQ II features a rigid yet lightweight body made from Pocon, which is equipped with integral threaded inserts for easy installation in the tonearm head shell. This mounting system greatly improves mechanical coupling between the cartridge body and head shell in comparison to the traditional nut and bolt fixing. The internal coils are made from extremely fine copper wire, and the cantilever is formed from a specific grade of hardened aluminium tube. You may also notice that the suspension is more stiff than usually seen in moving magnet cartridges of this type. The stylus is an Audio Note Type II, and the complete assembly is removable, making replacement or upgrade a very simple and cost-effective process. In fact, all of the IQ stylus assemblies are interchangeable, meaning that you could start with an IQ-I, and eventually replace the stylus assembly with the vastly superior version used in the IQ-III. It has been designed to be used with a moving magnet compatible phono stage, with an input impedance of 47K Ohms. Total capacitance in parallel (including arm lead and amplifier capacitance) should not exceed 200pF. If other values of load resistance and capacitance are used, the frequency response of the cartridge may depart from the specified values.
IQ III
The IQ III features a rigid yet lightweight body made from Pocon, which is equipped with integral threaded inserts for easy installation in the tonearm head shell. This mounting system greatly improves mechanical coupling between the cartridge body and head shell in comparison to the traditional nut and bolt fixing. The internal coils are made from extremely fine copper wire, and the IQ III uses the same cantilever material and diamond found in the legendary Audio Note IO I moving coil cartridge. Made from titanium tube rather than aluminium, the cantilever is unique, and in combination with the Audio Note Type 1 stylus, offers a level of performance that was often thought impossible to achieve with a moving-magnet design. The complete stylus assembly is removable, making replacement or upgrade a very simple and cost effective process. In fact, all of the IQ stylus assemblies are interchangeable, meaning that you could start with an IQ-I, and eventually replace the stylus assembly with the vastly superior version used in the IQ-III. It has been designed to be used with a moving magnet compatible phono stage, with an input impedance of 47K Ohms. Total capacitance in parallel (including arm lead and amplifier capacitance) should not exceed 200pF. If other values of load resistance and capacitance are used, the frequency response of the cartridge may depart from the specified values.
IO I
Generator Principle
The moving coil principle was chosen as the basis for the design of the IO range of cartridges, as it offers greater linearity in terms of electrical output from the mechanical movements of the stylus than any other system. We investigated moving iron, moving magnet, strain gauge, electret and electrostatic generators, and even took the unusual step of acquiring a Toshiba cartridge that employed light-emitting diodes to generate the signal from the groove, but in the end it was felt that the quality of the moving coil system as described by P. G. A. H. Voigt would yield the best overall results.
Mechanical Construction
To ensure that the stored information on the disc is precisely recovered, it is essential that the mechanical movement of the stylus is accurately translated into an electrical signal. Any extraneous excitation arising as a result of vibrations in the cartridge housing must be eliminated. Therefore, in the design of the Audio Note (UK) cartridges considerable attention has been paid to the rigidity and structural integrity of the body, and to ensuring that the adopted mechanical construction stores the absolute minimum of resonant energy, which will degrade the signal derived from the disc being played. Mechanical integrity of the cartridge body is an aspect of design that has never been adequately dealt with before, and as a result all other cartridges suffer greatly from colourations derived from internal resonances and/or energy stored in their body assemblies. To achieve the incredible level of mechanical integrity required for the IO cartridges, all aspects of body design were re-examined, to minimise standing waves and eliminate any resonating air pockets within the assembly. The benefits of getting the mechanical assembly right would be lost if the complete assembly could not be rigidly mounted in the tonearm, hence the incorporation of the largest possible surface mounting area and the provision of up to six (6!) bolts to secure the cartridge to the head shell.
Magnetic circuit
Once the mechanical assembly had been perfected the next area to which particular attention was paid was the magnetic circuit. From numerous tests carried out on a variety of materials and configurations, it was established that different types of magnetic materials exert a subtle influence on the perceived quality of the final sound. After further extensive research the optimal magnetic circuit was found to be electromagnetically generated. This, however, requires a separate DC power supply and is very costly to implement. This is exactly the system we implemented in our flagship Moving Coil cartridge – the IO Limited – which offers an unparalleled level of performance. However, we chose the next best magnetic material, AlNiCo, for the IO I, IO II, and AlNiCo and Permadure for the IO Gold.
Wire Material
Because of the low impedance and very low output of the IO I, it is essential that the minimum number of electrical connections occur along the wire and that the wire itself is of the highest possible quality. Not surprisingly we chose our custom made Audio Note (UK) 99.99% pure silver wire, and the coil wire extends all the way to the output terminals, avoiding all unnecessary connections.
Cantilever, Material and Design
It is on the design and construction of the cantilever that much of the quality of a cartridge depends. Many materials were investigated, Boron, Beryllium, Sapphire, Diamond and Titanium and all except Titanium were disregarded in the final analysis, due to deficiencies in one or more areas.It is vitally important for the cantilever and stylus assembly to be as rigid as possible in order to accurately transfer the stylus motion to the coil assembly, without adding any unwanted vibration as a result of flexing or bending. The optimum cantilever material here was found to be an extra thick walled, slightly tapered Titanium tube, the taper being both outside AND inside, since this affords by far the greatest rigidity. Another advantage provided by this type of material was the possibility of employing a longer cantilever, which greatly reduces cantilever excursions. This has three main benefits:
1) It is easier for the stylus to track complex, highly modulated grooves
2) The resultant smaller coil movement reduces the non-linearity of the magnetic field, so the field will "bend" less
3) Damping can be reduced, as it becomes easier to control stylus movement
Damping
As mentioned above, damping of the cantilever is extremely critical. Too much and the cartridge will sound dull, as a large amount of the critical energy from the record will be absorbed in the damper instead of reaching the coils, reducing the efficiency of the energy transfer from the record (as vibration energy) to the cartridge (as electrical energy). Conversely, too little damping will make the cantilever prone to uncontrolled excursions, resulting in unwanted distortions and poor tracking. Much experimentation led to a precision Butyl rubber damper, offering a wide operating temperature range and minimal hysteresis effects. The tension on the damper is furthermore adjustable, allowing very accurate set-up of each cartridge’s individual suspension.
Stylus Choice
Finally the assembly is completed with the use of a solid diamond stylus. A heroic degree of effort has been expended finding the best possible solution to this, the most critical interface with the “plastic." Having been ultimately unsatisfied with the offerings from the various stylus manufacturers around the globe, in 1995 we contracted a company to develop a process which would allow them to cut and polish a perfect, natural octagon to a level of the best surgical instruments used for eye and other fine surgery, on a diamond less than half the size of the closest, readily available option at that time. This remains, to the best of our knowledge, the finest diamond in use on any cartridge available today. The improvements over any standard diamonds used in other cartridges can be briefly described as better tracking of high frequencies, lower surface noise, lower record wear, longer stylus life, smaller tip mass and lower tracking force. The stylus is first "pinched" into place by the cantilever and then glued, using a single component epoxy resin, which needs baking for about three hours to harden.
Test Procedure
After assembly, each cartridge is subjected to a series of tests, one of which involves a fast dynamic frequency sweep, at high amplitude; this method shows up any undesirable problems in the cartridge. Special test equipment and test records had to be developed for this process, which is exclusive to Audio Note (UK).
IO II
Generator Principle
The moving coil principle was chosen as the basis for the design of the IO range of cartridges, as it offers greater linearity in terms of electrical output from the mechanical movements of the stylus than any other system. We investigated moving iron, moving magnet, strain gauge, electret and electrostatic generators, and even took the unusual step of acquiring a Toshiba cartridge that employed light emitting diodes to generate the signal from the groove, but in the end it was felt that the quality of the moving coil system as described by P. G. A. H. Voigt would yield the best overall results.
Mechanical Construction
To ensure that the stored information on the disc is precisely recovered, it is essential that the mechanical movement of the stylus is accurately translated into an electrical signal. Any extraneous excitation arising as a result of vibrations in the cartridge housing must be eliminated. Therefore, in the design of the Audio Note (UK) cartridges, considerable attention has been paid to the rigidity and structural integrity of the body, and to ensuring that the adopted mechanical construction stores the absolute minimum of resonant energy, which will degrade the signal derived from the disc being played. Mechanical integrity of the cartridge body is an aspect of design that has never been adequately dealt with before, and as a result all other cartridges suffer greatly from colourations derived from internal resonances and/or energy stored in their body assemblies. To achieve the incredible level of mechanical integrity required for the IO cartridges, all aspects of body design were re-examined, to minimise standing waves and eliminate any resonating air pockets within the assembly. The benefits of getting the mechanical assembly right would be lost if the complete assembly could not be rigidly mounted in the tonearm, hence the incorporation of the largest possible surface mounting area and the provision of up to six (6!) bolts to secure the cartridge to the head shell.
Magnetic circuit
Once the mechanical assembly had been perfected the next area to which particular attention was paid was the magnetic circuit. From numerous tests carried out on a variety of materials and configurations, it was established that different types of magnetic materials exert a subtle influence on the perceived quality of the final sound. After further extensive research the optimal magnetic circuit was found to be electromagnetically generated. This, however, requires a separate DC power supply and is very costly to implement. This is exactly the system we implemented in our flagship Moving Coil cartridge – the IO Limited – which offers an unparalleled level of performance. However, we chose the next best magnetic material, AlNiCo, for the IO I, IO II, and AlNiCo and Permadure for the IO Gold.
Wire Material
Because of the low impedance and very low output of the IO II, it is essential that the minimum number of electrical connections occur along the wire and that the wire itself is of the highest possible quality. Not surprisingly we chose our custom made Audio Note (UK) 99.99% pure silver wire, and the coil wire extends all the way to the output terminals, avoiding all unnecessary connections.
Cantilever, Material and Design
It is on the design and construction of the cantilever that much of the quality of a cartridge depends. Many materials were investigated, Boron, Beryllium, Sapphire, Diamond and Titanium and all except Titanium were disregarded in the final analysis, due to deficiencies in one or more areas. It is vitally important for the cantilever and stylus assembly to be as rigid as possible in order to accurately transfer the stylus motion to the coil assembly, without adding any unwanted vibration as a result of flexing or bending. The optimum cantilever material here was found to be an extra thick walled, slightly tapered Titanium tube, the taper being both outside AND inside, since this affords by far the greatest rigidity. Another advantage provided by this type of material was the possibility of employing a longer cantilever, which greatly reduces cantilever excursions. This has three main benefits:
1) It is easier for the stylus to track complex, highly modulated grooves
2) The resultant smaller coil movement reduces the non-linearity of the magnetic field, so the field will "bend" less
3) Damping can be reduced, as it becomes easier to control stylus movement
Damping
As mentioned above, damping of the cantilever is extremely critical. Too much and the cartridge will sound dull, as a large amount of the critical energy from the record will be absorbed in the damper instead of reaching the coils, reducing the efficiency of the energy transfer from the record (as vibration energy) to the cartridge (as electrical energy). Conversely, too little damping will make the cantilever prone to uncontrolled excursions, resulting in unwanted distortions and poor tracking. Much experimentation led to a precision Butyl rubber damper, offering a wide operating temperature range and minimal hysteresis effects. The tension on the damper is furthermore adjustable, allowing very accurate set-up of each cartridge’s individual suspension.
Stylus Choice
Finally the assembly is completed with the use of a solid diamond stylus. A heroic degree of effort has been expended finding the best possible solution to this, the most critical interface with the “plastic." Having been ultimately unsatisfied with the offerings from the various stylus manufacturers around the globe, in 1995 we contracted a company to develop a process which would allow them to cut and polish a perfect, natural octagon to a level of the best surgical instruments used for eye and other fine surgery, on a diamond less than half the size of the closest, readily available option at that time. This remains, to the best of our knowledge, the finest diamond in use on any cartridge available today. The improvements over any standard diamonds used in other cartridges can be briefly described as better tracking of high frequencies, lower surface noise, lower record wear, longer stylus life, smaller tip mass and lower tracking force. The stylus is first "pinched" into place by the cantilever and then glued, using a single component epoxy resin, which needs baking for about three hours to harden.
Test Procedure
After assembly, each cartridge is subjected to a series of tests, one of which involves a fast dynamic frequency sweep, at high amplitude; this method shows up any undesirable problems in the cartridge. Special test equipment and test records had to be developed for this process, which is exclusive to Audio Note (UK).
IO Gold
Generator Principle
The moving coil principle was chosen as the basis for the design of the IO range of cartridges, as it offers greater linearity in terms of electrical output from the mechanical movements of the stylus than any other system. We investigated moving iron, moving magnet, strain gauge, electret and electrostatic generators, and even took the unusual step of acquiring a Toshiba cartridge that employed light emitting diodes to generate the signal from the groove, but in the end it was felt that the quality of the moving coil system as described by P. G. A. H. Voigt would yield the best overall results.
Mechanical Construction
To ensure that the stored information on the disc is precisely recovered, it is essential that the mechanical movement of the stylus is accurately translated into an electrical signal. Any extraneous excitation arising as a result of vibrations in the cartridge housing must be eliminated. Therefore in the design of the Audio Note (UK) cartridges considerable attention has been paid to the rigidity and structural integrity of the body, and to ensuring that the adopted mechanical construction stores the absolute minimum of resonant energy, which will degrade the signal derived from the disc being played. Mechanical integrity of the cartridge body is an aspect of design that has never been adequately dealt with before, and as a result all other cartridges suffer greatly from colourations derived from internal resonances and/or energy stored in their body assemblies. To achieve the incredible level of mechanical integrity required for the IO cartridges, all aspects of body design were re-examined, to minimise standing waves and eliminate any resonating air pockets within the assembly. The benefits of getting the mechanical assembly right would be lost if the complete assembly could not be rigidly mounted in the tonearm, hence the incorporation of the largest possible surface mounting area and the provision of up to six (6!) bolts to secure the cartridge to the head shell.
Magnetic circuit
Once the mechanical assembly had been perfected the next area to which particular attention was paid was the magnetic circuit. From numerous tests carried out on a variety of materials and configurations, it was established that different types of magnetic materials exert a subtle influence on the perceived quality of the final sound. After further extensive research the optimal magnetic circuit was found to be electromagnetically generated. This, however, requires a separate DC power supply and is very costly to implement. This is exactly the system we implemented in our flagship Moving Coil cartridge – the IO Limited – which offers an unparalleled level of performance. However, for the IO Gold we chose the next best materials; AlNiCo magnets and Permadure.
Wire Material
Because of the low impedance and very low output of the IO Gold, it is essential that the minimum number of electrical connections occur along the wire and that the wire itself is of the highest possible quality. Not surprisingly we chose our custom made Audio Note (UK) 99.99% pure silver wire, and the coil wire extends all the way to the output terminals, avoiding all unnecessary connections.
Cantilever, Material and Design
It is on the design and construction of the cantilever that much of the quality of a cartridge depends. Many materials were investigated, Boron, Beryllium, Sapphire, Diamond and Titanium and all except Titanium were disregarded in the final analysis, due to deficiencies in one or more areas. It is vitally important for the cantilever and stylus assembly to be as rigid as possible in order to accurately transfer the stylus motion to the coil assembly, without adding any unwanted vibration as a result of flexing or bending. The optimum cantilever material here was found to be an extra thick walled, slightly tapered Titanium tube, the taper being both outside AND inside, since this affords by far the greatest rigidity. Another advantage provided by this type of material was the possibility of employing a longer cantilever, which greatly reduces cantilever excursions. This has three main benefits:
1) It is easier for the stylus to track complex, highly modulated grooves
2) The resultant smaller coil movement reduces the non-linearity of the magnetic field, so the field will "bend" less
3) Damping can be reduced, as it becomes easier to control stylus movement
Damping
As mentioned above, damping of the cantilever is extremely critical. Too much and the cartridge will sound dull, as a large amount of the critical energy from the record will be absorbed in the damper instead of reaching the coils, reducing the efficiency of the energy transfer from the record (as vibration energy) to the cartridge (as electrical energy). Conversely, too little damping will make the cantilever prone to uncontrolled excursions, resulting in unwanted distortions and poor tracking. Much experimentation led to a precision Butyl rubber damper, offering a wide operating temperature range and minimal hysteresis effects. The tension on the damper is furthermore adjustable, allowing very accurate set-up of each cartridge’s individual suspension.
Stylus Choice
Finally the assembly is completed with the use of a solid diamond stylus. A heroic degree of effort has been expended finding the best possible solution to this, the most critical interface with the “plastic." Having been ultimately unsatisfied with the offerings from the various stylus manufacturers around the globe, in 1995 we contracted a company to develop a process which would allow them to cut and polish a perfect, natural octagon to a level of the best surgical instruments used for eye and other fine surgery, on a diamond less than half the size of the closest, readily available option at that time. This remains to the best of our knowledge the finest diamond in use on any cartridge available today. The improvements over any standard diamonds use in other cartridges can be briefly described as better tracking of high frequencies, lower surface noise, lower record wear, longer stylus life, smaller tip mass and lower tracking force. The stylus is first "pinched" into place by the cantilever and then glued, using a single component epoxy resin, which needs baking for about three hours to harden.Test Procedure
After assembly, each cartridge is subjected to a series of tests, one of which involves a fast dynamic frequency sweep, at high amplitude; this method shows up any undesirable problems in the cartridge. Special test equipment and test records had to be developed for this process, which is exclusive to Audio Note (UK).
IO Ltd with Power Supply
Generator Principle
The moving coil principle was chosen as the basis for the design of the IO range of cartridges, as it offers greater linearity in terms of electrical output from the mechanical movements of the stylus than any other system. We investigated moving iron, moving magnet, strain gauge, electret and electrostatic generators, and even took the unusual step of acquiring a Toshiba cartridge that employed light emitting diodes to generate the signal from the groove, but in the end it was felt that the quality of the moving coil system as described by P. G. A. H. Voigt would yield the best overall results.
Mechanical Construction
To ensure that the stored information on the disc is precisely recovered, it is essential that the mechanical movement of the stylus is accurately translated into an electrical signal. Any extraneous excitation arising as a result of vibrations in the cartridge housing must be eliminated. Therefore in the design of the Audio Note (UK) cartridges considerable attention has been paid to the rigidity and structural integrity of the body, and to ensuring that the adopted mechanical construction stores the absolute minimum of resonant energy, which will degrade the signal derived from the disc being played. Mechanical integrity of the cartridge body is an aspect of design that has never been adequately dealt with before, and as a result all other cartridges suffer greatly from colourations derived from internal resonances and/or energy stored in their body assemblies. To achieve the incredible level of mechanical integrity required for the IO cartridges, all aspects of body design were re-examined, to minimise standing waves and eliminate any resonating air pockets within the assembly. The benefits of getting the mechanical assembly right would be lost if the complete assembly could not be rigidly mounted in the tonearm, hence the incorporation of the largest possible surface mounting area and the provision of up to six (6!) bolts to secure the cartridge to the head shell.
Magnetic circuit
Once the mechanical assembly had been perfected the next area to which particular attention was paid was the magnetic circuit. From numerous tests carried out on a variety of materials and configurations, it was established that different types of magnetic materials exert a subtle influence on the perceived quality of the final sound. After further extensive research the optimal magnetic circuit was found to be electro magnetically generated. This, however, requires a separate DC power supply and is very costly to implement. Therefore, only a cartridge producing the absolute ultimate in performance could employ such a system… and the IO Limited was born.
Wire Material
Because of the low impedance and very low output of the IO Limited, it is essential that the minimum number of electrical connections occur along the wire and that the wire itself is of the highest possible quality. Not surprisingly we chose our custom made Audio Note (UK) 99.99% pure silver wire, and the coil wire extends all the way to the output terminals, avoiding all unnecessary connections.
Cantilever, Material and Design
It is on the design and construction of the cantilever that much of the quality of a cartridge depends. Many materials were investigated, Boron, Beryllium, Sapphire, Diamond and Titanium and all except Titanium were disregarded in the final analysis, due to deficiencies in one or more areas. It is vitally important for the cantilever and stylus assembly to be as rigid as possible in order to accurately transfer the stylus motion to the coil assembly, without adding any unwanted vibration as a result of flexing or bending. The optimum cantilever material here was found to be an extra thick walled, slightly tapered Titanium tube, the taper being both outside AND inside, since this affords by far the greatest rigidity. Another advantage provided by this type of material was the possibility of employing a longer cantilever, which greatly reduces cantilever excursions. This has three main benefits:
1) It is easier for the stylus to track complex, highly modulated grooves
2) The resultant smaller coil movement reduces the non-linearity of the magnetic field, so the field will ‘bend’ less
3) Damping can be reduced, as it becomes easier to control stylus movement
Damping
As mentioned above, damping of the cantilever is extremely critical. Too much and the cartridge will sound dull, as a large amount of the critical energy from the record will be absorbed in the damper instead of reaching the coils, reducing the efficiency of the energy transfer from the record (as vibration energy) to the cartridge (as electrical energy). Conversely, too little damping will make the cantilever prone to uncontrolled excursions, resulting in unwanted distortions and poor tracking. Much experimentation led to a precision Butyl rubber damper, offering a wide operating temperature range and minimal hysteresis effects. The tension on the damper is furthermore adjustable, allowing very accurate set-up of each cartridge’s individual suspension.
Stylus Choice
Finally the assembly is completed with the use of a solid diamond stylus. A heroic degree of effort has been expended finding the best possible solution to this, the most critical interface with the “plastic." Having been ultimately unsatisfied with the offerings from the various stylus manufacturers around the globe, in 1995 we contracted a company to develop a process which would allow them to cut and polish a perfect, natural octagon to a level of the best surgical instruments used for eye and other fine surgery, on a diamond less than half the size of the closest, readily available option at that time. This remains to the best of our knowledge the finest diamond in use on any cartridge available today. The improvements over any standard diamonds use in other cartridges can be briefly described as better tracking of high frequencies, lower surface noise, lower record wear, longer stylus life, smaller tip mass and lower tracking force. The stylus is first "pinched" into place by the cantilever and then glued, using a single component epoxy resin, which needs baking for about three hours to harden.
Test Procedure
After assembly, each cartridge is subjected to a series of tests, one of which involves a fast dynamic frequency sweep, at high amplitude; this method shows up any undesirable problems in the cartridge. Special test equipment and test records had to be developed for this process, which is exclusive to Audio Note (UK).
AUDIO NOTE UK
Tone Arms
When Audio Note decided to develop its new range of budget to mid-priced tone arms, to replace the highly-regarded original versions, expectations among both audio enthusiasts and people in the industry were high. The new ARM series are designed to work on a vast range of turntables and employ a single-hole Rega mounting system. The designs truly push the boundaries of sonic performance, quality and engineering precision. All the arms are individually manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility in Austria and every component part is custom designed and produced in-house to ensure true consistency of quality. Audio Note tone arms all share the same fundamental method of construction, based around an arm tube that is machined from a one-piece billet of high-grade aluminium. The tubes are tapered both internally and externally, which reduces overall mass and also increases stiffness. The resulting structural rigidity of the design allows the new arms to work with almost any type of phono cartridge, regardless of weight or compliance. From the lightest tracking moving magnet right up to Audio Note’s Io low-output moving coil models, the arms allow a cartridge to track superbly, minimising noise and maximising music. Bias adjustment is achieved through use of the classic ‘falling weight’ system, as this provides the most easy to adjust and reliable method. Instead of using the conventional ‘ball race’ type of bearings normally found in arms at this price point, the Audio Note designs use an ingenious ‘captured unipivot’ arrangement, which provides significantly superior performance compared with other arms. VTA adjustment is also incorporated as standard, by means of a threaded collar and locking nut, allowing precise and easy adjustment. The ARM One, Two And Three in the Audio Note range are nine-inch effective length, and are available in either anodised black or natural silver cosmetic finish. The 10 inch AN-1s arms are designed specifically for the AN-TT Reference turntables, and are available with 6 wires for use with the Audio Note Io Ltd. moving coil cartridge the two additional wires are for the DC feed to the electromagnets from the power supply.
AN-1S
All AN-1s tone arms are available with 6 wires for use with the Io Ltd. moving coil cartridge, the two additional wires are for the DC feed to the electromagnets from the power supply. The AN-1s arms are designed specifically for the AN-TT Three turntables, but will work very well on most other manufacturer's turntables as well, if Audio Note (UK) is provided with the necessary drawings, we can provide arm boards for most other brands.
AUDIO NOTE UK
Step-Up Transformers
Step-up transformers for moving coil cartridges are the most esoteric and misunderstood items in the world of hi-fi. And this partly explains why they are so seldom used. This is a great shame because the use of a good transformer gives the best possible performance from a moving coil cartridge. The big advantage of moving coils is that the coils are much lighter than the magnets, so they are much more responsive to the motion of the stylus. The big disadvantage is that the output voltage of moving coil cartridges is about 20dB lower than that of moving magnets, so an extra 20dB of gain is required. The extra gain can be provided by the phonostage amplifier, by an external device called a headamp, or by a transformer. The most commonly found solution is to increase the gain in the phonostage, but step-up transformers are still the best solution where cost is no object. Apart from the issue of noise, the sound quality of transformers is something we -as their advocates- swear by. The distortion produced by audio transformers is of a completely different nature to that produced by a transistor amplifier. The harmonic distortion in transformers is greatest at the lowest frequencies and falls rapidly as the frequency rises, whereas in transistor amplifiers distortion more usually rises as the frequency rises. More importantly, intermodulation distortion tends to be lower in transformers than it is transistor amplifiers. The outcome is that although transformers aren't absolutely free of distortion (nothing is), the distortion is very benign compared to the distortion produced by many transistor amplifiers. This explains why the sound produced when a moving coil cartridge is used with a good transformer is so sublime and can create an open and spacious soundstage with amazing separation between instruments. Audio Note offers an extensive range of step-up transformers, each with different 'loading' options to make possible the best results with (our) moving coil cartridges. The (impedance) matching of the transformer with the cartridge (and phono-preamplifier) is for many a complex subject, and its best to ask us to suggest the optimum solution as you will find much ill-informed advice on the internet. All Audio Note MC transformers are housed in solid copper chassis’s for best sound. Despite this they are quite sensitive to positioning, and hum will occur when they are too close to power cords, supplies or electric motors and their associated wiring (from a separate turntable power supply to the turntable itself for example), so careful positioning is mandatory.
AN-S1
The AN-S1 is a passive device, designed to convert the mainly current output of your moving coil cartridge (MC) to a higher voltage, low current signal of sufficient strength to allow a moving magnet (MM) phono stage to amplify it to a suitable level. The internal transformers used in the AN-S1 are manufactured by Audio Note (UK) exclusively, use the very best core materials and winding technology available at the price, and are housed in mumetal screening canisters to minimise noise and interference. The AN-S1 can be supplied in two versions; the AN-S1/L (low impedance) and the AN-S1/H (high impedance). The "L" version has a switchable input impedance of 3 Ohms and 12 Ohms; the "H" version, 15 Ohms and 60 Ohms. The 3 Ohm input of the "L" version has been primarily designed to partner the Audio Note IO Moving Coil cartridges, and the 12 Ohm input is intended to be used with cartridges with an internal impedance of around 3 to 4 Ohms. The 15 Ohm input of the "H" version is designed to partner cartridges with an internal impedance of around 4 to 5 Ohms; the 60 Ohm input is designed for cartridges with internal impedance in the region of 15 to 20 Ohms. It is possible to use our transformers with cartridges that have greater internal impedance, or values that are outside the preferred ranges of the switchable inputs, however, it is important to realise that an input impedance in the region of three to four times the internal impedance of your cartridge will usually provide the best results.
AN-S2
The AN-S2 is a passive device, designed to convert the mainly current output of your moving coil cartridge (MC) to a higher voltage, low current signal of sufficient strength to allow a moving magnet (MM) phono stage to amplify it to a suitable level. The internal transformers used in the AN-S2 are manufactured by Audio Note (UK) exclusively, use the very best core materials and winding technology available at the price, and are housed in mumetal screening canisters to minimise noise and interference. The AN-S2 can be supplied in two versions: the AN-S2/L (low impedance) and the AN-S2/H (high impedance). The "L" version has a switchable input impedance of 3 Ohms and 12 Ohms; the "H" version, 15 Ohms and 60 Ohms. The 3 Ohm input of the "L" version has been primarily designed to partner the Audio Note IO Moving Coil cartridges, and the 12 Ohm input is intended to be used with cartridges with an internal impedance of around 3 to 4 Ohms. The 15 Ohm input of the "H" version is designed to partner cartridges with an internal impedance of around 4 to 5 Ohms; the 60 Ohm input is designed for cartridges with internal impedance in the region of 15 to 20 Ohms. It is possible to use our transformers with cartridges that have greater internal impedances, or values that are outside the preferred ranges of the switchable inputs, however, it is important to realise that an input impedance in the region of three to four times the internal impedance of your cartridge will usually provide the best results.
AN-S3
The AN-S3 is a passive device, designed to convert the mainly current output of your moving coil cartridge (MC) to a higher voltage, low current signal of sufficient strength to allow a moving magnet (MM) phono stage to amplify it to a suitable level. Custom Copper Transformers. The internal transformers used in the AN-S3 are manufactured by Audio Note (UK) exclusively. Each transformer is made from 0.1mm laminated Super Mumetal 250 and wound with 99.99% pure copper wire. Each Transformer is then housed in a Mumetal screening canister to minimize noise and interference. Low, Medium and High versions
The AN-S3 can be supplied in the following standard versions to suit the internal impedance of your cartridge: -
AN-S3/L - 3 Ohm input impedance - Primarily designed for use with the Audio Note (UK) IO range
AN-S3/LM - 4 Ohm input impedance - For cartridges with an impedance of 1 to 2 Ohms
AN-S3/M - 16 Ohm input impedance - For cartridges with an impedance of 4 to 6 Ohms
AN-S3/H - 64 Ohm input impedance - For cartridges with an impedance of 16 to 21 OhmsInternal Impedance - It is possible to use our transformers with cartridges that have greater internal impedance, or values that are outside the preferred ranges of the standard inputs, however, it is important to realise that an input impedance in the region of three to four times the internal impedance of your cartridge will usually provide the best results.
AN-S5
The AN-S5 is a passive device, designed to convert the mainly current output of your moving coil cartridge (MC) to a higher voltage, low current signal of sufficient strength to allow a moving magnet (MM) phono stage to amplify it to a suitable level. Custom Silver Transformers. The internal transformers used in the AN-S5 are manufactured by Audio Note (UK) exclusively. They use our own interleaved Super Mumetal 250 cores, 99.99% pure silver wire and are housed in large Mumetal screening canisters to minimise noise and interference. The transformer cans are then secured inside the chassis with a solid copper clamp, offering the best possible support for these delicate devices.
Low, Medium and High versions
The AN-S5 can be supplied in the following standard versions to suit the internal impedance of your cartridge: -
AN-S5/L - 3 Ohm input impedance - Primarily designed for use with the Audio Note (UK) IO range
AN-S5/H - 12 Ohm input impedance - For cartridges with an impedance of 3 to 4 Ohms
Internal Impedance - It is possible to use our transformers with cartridges that have greater internal impedance, or values that are outside the preferred ranges of the standard inputs, however, it is important to realise that an input impedance in the region of three to four times the internal impedance of your cartridge will usually provide the best results.
AN-S4
The AN-S4 is a passive device, designed to convert the mainly current output of your moving coil cartridge (MC) to a higher voltage, low current signal of sufficient strength to allow a moving magnet (MM) phono stage to amplify it to a suitable level. Custom Silver Transformers. The internal transformers used in the AN-S4 are manufactured by Audio Note (UK) exclusively. Each transformer is made from 0.1mm laminated Super Mumetal 250 and wound with 99.99% pure silver wire. Each Transformer is then housed in a Mumetal screening canister to minimize noise and interference. Low, Medium and High versions
The AN-S4 can be supplied in the following standard versions to suit the internal impedance of your cartridge: -
AN-S4/L - 3 Ohm input impedance - Primarily designed for use with the Audio Note (UK) IO range
AN-S4/LM - 4 Ohm input impedance - For cartridges with an impedance of 1 to 2 Ohms
AN-S4/M - 16 Ohm input impedance - For cartridges with an impedance of 4 to 6 Ohms
AN-S4/H - 64 Ohm input impedance - For cartridges with an impedance of 16 to 21 Ohms
Internal Impedance
It is possible to use our transformers with cartridges that have greater internal impedance, or values that are outside the preferred ranges of the standard inputs, however, it is important to realise that an input impedance in the region of three to four times the internal impedance of your cartridge will usually provide the best results.
AN-S8
The AN-S8 is a passive device, designed to convert the mainly current output of your moving coil cartridge (MC) to a higher voltage, low current signal of sufficient strength to allow a moving magnet (MM) phono stage to amplify it to a suitable level. Custom Silver Transformers. The internal transformers used in the AN-S8 are manufactured by Audio Note (UK) exclusively. They are the finest possible transformers available today, producing a level of information retrieval that is unsurpassed by any other such devices. They use our own interleaved Super Mumetal 250 cores, 99.99% pure silver wire and are housed in large Mumetal screening canisters to minimise noise and interference. The transformer cans are then secured inside the chassis with a solid copper clamp, offering the best possible support for these delicate devices. PALLAS II Output Cable - All versions of the AN-S8 now come fitted with our low capacitance Purple PALLAS II silver output cable as standard, hardwired to the secondaries of the transformers.
Low, Medium and High versions
The AN-S8 can be supplied in the following standard versions to suit the internal impedance of your cartridge: -
AN-S8/L - 3 Ohm input impedance - Primarily designed for use with the Audio Note (UK) IO range
AN-S8/M - 20 Ohm input impedance - For cartridges with an internal impedance of 5 to 7 ohms
AN-S8/H - 400 Ohm input impedance - For cartridges with an impedance of 100 to 133 OhmsInternal Impedance - It is possible to use our transformers with cartridges that have greater internal impedance, or values that are outside the preferred ranges of the standard inputs, however, it is important to realise that an input impedance in the region of three to four times the internal impedance of your cartridge will usually provide the best results. If your chosen cartridge has an internal impedance that does not reasonably accurately match one of the standard input impedance values, please consult your Audio Note (UK) Dealer for further advice regarding which SUT to choose.
AN-S9
The AN-S9 is a passive device, designed to convert the mainly current output of your moving coil cartridge (MC) to a higher voltage, low current signal of sufficient strength to allow a moving magnet (MM) phono stage to amplify it to a suitable level. Custom Silver Transformers. The internal transformers used in the AN-S9 are manufactured by Audio Note (UK) exclusively. They are the finest possible transformers available today, producing a level of information retrieval that is unsurpassed by any other such devices. They use our own interleaved Super Mumetal 250 cores, 99.99% pure silver wire and are housed in large Mumetal screening canisters to minimise noise and interference. The transformer cans are then secured inside the chassis with a solid copper clamp, offering the best possible support for these delicate devices.
Low, Medium and High versions
The AN-S9 can be supplied in the following standard versions to suit the internal impedance of your cartridge: -
AN-S9/L - 3 Ohm input impedance - Primarily designed for use with the Audio Note (UK) IO range
AN-S9/M - 12 Ohm input impedance - For cartridges with an internal impedance of 3 to 4 ohms
AN-S9/H - 60 Ohm input impedance - For cartridges with an impedance of 15 to 20 Ohms
Internal Impedance - It is possible to use our transformers with cartridges that have greater internal impedance, or values that are outside the preferred ranges of the standard inputs, however, it is important to realise that an input impedance in the region of three to four times the internal impedance of your cartridge will usually provide the best results. If your chosen cartridge has an internal impedance that does not reasonably accurately match one of the standard input impedance values, please consult your Audio Note (UK) Dealer for further advice.
Output cables - Rather than installing the usual output RCA connectors, we decided to hard wire a pair of our PALLAS low capacitance cables directly to the outputs of the transformers. However, if you would prefer standard RCA sockets, we can provide these as an option. We can also install any other Audio Note (UK) interconnect cable of your choice. Please consult your authorised Audio Note (UK) Dealer for further information.
