News

Following the launch of the DS-W1 optical cartridge from DS Audio, the Japanese company has announced the introduction of its most affordable optical pick-up to date in the form of the DS 002. Drawing on its experience with developing the original DS-W1 optical cartridge that arrived in the UK in 2015 and quickly followed by the Master 1 design released here in 2016, the DS 002 sports an aluminium chassis, aluminium cantilever and classic Shibata stylus with the same enhanced optical-mechanical system and wire-suspended cantilever, and claims to deliver a similar output to the Master 1 with 500mV and 25dB of separation.  

The DS 002 optical cartridge also comes packaged with a more compact and lightweight phono stage/equaliser unit, in which a newly updated power supply features 10 33,000uF capacitors delivering what the maker claims is effortless power and superlative sound quality. It uses a special shielding that is 1.5mm thick and covers the entire transformer
to isolate internal noise from the power supply while also blocking external RF and other environmental interference. On the rear panel is a RCA stereo input and 2x RCA stereo outputs along with a ground socket.

The DS Audio DS 002 optical phono cartridge with phono stage/equaliser is available now priced at £4,800, and can be mixed and matched with any of the company’s accompanying phono stages/equalisers. Click here to find out more.