audio note uk
turntables, Tonearms, cartridges,
and step up transformers
This is the perfect source for an Audio Note system. Extremely musical turntables, excellent tone arms and perfectly matching Moving Magnet cartridges. They also make Low Output Moving Coil cartridges and great step up transformers.
The Audio Note IQ-3 moving magnet cartridge 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 & bolt fixing. The internal coils are made from extremely fine copper wire, and the IQ-3 uses the same cantilever material and diamond found in the legendary Audio Note IO-I moving coil cartridge. Made from titanium tube rather than aluminum, 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 like that of which is in AN Phono version integrateds and pre-amps.
The Audio Note TT-TWO Deluxe, like all AN turntables, is designed and built according to a core set of four fundamental insights into what delivers musicality. They 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. 1. A suspended chassis attenuates vibration energy from the speakers and the room to deliver purity of reproduction, 2. A low mass platter absorbs much less energy from the cartridge in the groove of the record without deadening the sound, 3. A vibration free high torque AC drive system delivers constant platter speed even when the grooves contain strong modulations, and 4. The transmission of vibration in their 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.
The Audio Note TT-3 has a high mass torque drive system without any of the usual 'high mass platter' energy storage problems. Its very light, highly inert platter made from Lexan has virtually no reflective properties nor any resonance storage problems. Its rubber belt driving the platter is around its outside rim, and 3 powerful motors, whose speed is locked together by the master control unit’s digitally synthesized frequency. This combination provides a platform with levels of stability and torque which no other high mass turntable can compare to. 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.
The three point suspension design, centered at the bearing, is also the epicenter 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 AN-S2 is a passive device, designed to convert the mainly current output of a Moving Coil cartridge (MC) to a higher voltage, low current signal of sufficient strength to plug directly into an Audio Note integrated amplifier or pre-amplifier. 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 their 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 realize that an input impedance in the region of three to four times the internal impedance of your cartridge will usually provide the best results.