News

There’s lots of action over in Japan at Audio-Technica with the launch of the AT-ART1000X cartridge and ATH-S300BT wireless headphones.

The AT-ART1000X, an evolution from the AT-ART1000, boasts a direct power system that places the dual moving-coil directly above the stylus tip, which AT says: “renders even the most subtle details in music and ensures the audio quality is uncompromised by the cantilever’s length and material”.

Its newly developed coils are rectangular rather than round, positioning more of their surface area in the magnetic field. AT claims this results in: “an improved output voltage and expanded low-frequency range for rich, powerful and supremely accurate bass”.

Each non-magnetic core coil is constructed from 20μm (0.79mm) diameter PCOCC (Pure Copper by Ohno Continuous Casting) wire, hand-wound exactly eight times to create the rectangular shape. The coils are contained in an ultra-thin 25μm (0.98mm) special film and placed in the tiny 0.5mm (0.020in) gap of a powerful magnetic circuit, enabling each coil to generate a claimed output voltage of 0.22mV with a coil impedance of 3.5ohm, despite having a non-magnetic core.

The AT-ART1000X retains the high-performance line contact stylus and solid boron cantilever of its predecessor, while a titanium base is used in a bid to provide consistent playback and to work in tandem with the cartridge’s rigid cover and aluminium housing to disperse resonance that might negatively affect sound quality.

Designed to last, AT says a special coating protects the magnetic circuit from corrosion for a stable performance throughout the cartridge’s lifetime.

Other features include threaded mounting holes for easy installation with a headshell or integrated tonearm. The price is set at £4,700.

Meanwhile, Audio-Technica claims the ATH-S300BT marks a milestone as the: “longest-lasting wireless headphone to launch in over 60 years”.

Boasting a quoted 90 hours of wireless playback (60 with ANC on) and digital hybrid noise cancellation, the ’phones benefit from a rapid three-minute charge – providing up to 2.5 hours of refreshed battery. Meanwhile, the immersive active noise cancellation is complemented by a hear-through function that makes it easy to stay in touch with travel announcements and engage in natural face-to-face conversation without the need to remove the headphones.

The ATH-S300BT has a terrazzo marbled trim pattern and utilises ergonomically designed earpads and storage-friendly fold-flat housings, which AT says make it: “feel as light and luxurious to wear as a well-loved cashmere sweater”.

The ATH-S300BT is equipped with 40mm drivers and features a low latency mode that minimises sound delay when watching videos or gaming. In addition, multipoint pairing provides transitions between sources, allowing users the option of connecting two Bluetooth devices to the headphones simultaneously.

For those who prefer wired connectivity, AT has included a 1.2m cable with in-line mic and control buttons.

A built-in microphone delivers calls, while touch controls on the earcups govern adjusting music playback, volume and more. For hands-free control on the move, the headphones also supports Siri and Google Assistant. The ATH-S300BT is priced at £100.

Available to buy now, you can find out more about the AT-ART1000X2 here and the ATH-S300BT here.