Cartridges — Audio-Technica AT33xEN

The AT33xEN is a dual moving coil stereo cartridge from Audio-Technica of Japan and the entry point of the AT33x series, which the company describes as its first significant update to the phono cartridge line since 2014. The series arrived in October 2025 with five models - three stereo versions, AT33xEN, AT33xMLD and AT33xMLB, and two mono versions. In the US the AT33xEN is priced at USD 699, and each cartridge is hand-finished in Japan.

Key specs that matter

A nude elliptical diamond is used, with a 0.3 x 0.7 mil tip radius, and it is mounted on a tapered duralumin pipe cantilever. Output is 0.4 mV at 1 kHz and 5 cm/s, placing the cartridge in the low output class, with an output balance of 1.0 dB and channel separation of 27 dB at 1 kHz. Frequency response spans 20 Hz to 40,000 Hz. Coil impedance and DC resistance are both 12 ohm, and coil inductance is 26 microhenry at 1 kHz. Static compliance is 21 x 10-6 cm/dyne and dynamic compliance at 100 Hz is 6 x 10-6 cm/dyne. Tracking force ranges from 1.8 to 2.2 g, with 2.0 g as standard. The body measures 16.1 mm high, 16.6 mm wide and 26.1 mm deep, and the cartridge weighs 10.1 g.

Engineering and use context

For the first time Audio-Technica uses die-cast zinc in a cartridge body, combining it with aluminium and a high-rigidity polymer. Zinc was chosen for its density and rigidity, which help suppress unwanted resonance in the housing. The two coils are independent, one per channel, and sit at the fulcrum of the cantilever. They are wound from PCOCC wire - Pure Copper by Ohno Continuous Casting - a conductor made without crystal grain boundaries. The magnetic circuit pairs a permendur yoke with a neodymium magnet for high efficiency. The cantilever narrows toward the stylus tip for improved response, and a newly developed suspension gives slightly lower dynamic compliance than before. Threaded mounting holes in the body let the cartridge be fixed to a headshell directly.

Pairing

The low output needs a high-gain moving coil phono input, or alternatively an MC step-up transformer feeding an MM input. With its moderate mass and dynamic compliance, the AT33xEN suits medium-mass tonearms, and the coil impedance sets the reference point when choosing load or step-up ratio.

Alternatives

The Audio-Technica AT33xMLD is the next stereo model in the same series, fitting a microlinear nude stylus to the duralumin tapered pipe cantilever at a US price of USD 799.