Головки звукоснимателя — Audio Note IQ II

The IQ II is an MM phono cartridge made by Audio Note (UK), the middle model of the three-strong IQ family that also includes the IQ I and IQ III. It shares the IQ body and generator design with its siblings and differs mainly in the stylus assembly fitted at the factory, which in this case is the Audio Note Type 2. Audio Note offers the cartridge only in black.

Key specs that matter

Frequency coverage per the maker runs from 20 Hz to 20 kHz within plus or minus 2 dB, and output sensitivity is 6.5 mV within a 1.5 dB window either way. Channel separation measures 25 dB at 1 kHz. The recommended tracking force range runs from 1.5 g to 2.5 g, with 1.75 g given as the nominal setting, while VTA is specified at 24 degrees. The complete cartridge weighs 6.3 g.

Engineering and use context

Pocon, a rigid yet light material, is used for the moulded body, which carries integral threaded inserts so that the mounting screws bolt straight into the cartridge. Audio Note explains that this arrangement improves the mechanical coupling between cartridge and headshell compared with the usual nut and bolt fixing. Inside, the coils are wound from very fine copper wire, and the cantilever is made from a specific grade of hardened aluminium tube. The suspension is stiffer than is normally found in moving magnet cartridges of this type. The whole stylus assembly can be removed, which makes replacement a simple and inexpensive job, and every IQ stylus assembly fits every IQ body. A user can therefore fit the IQ III stylus to an IQ II body later on as an upgrade path rather than buying a new cartridge, or drop back to a less costly IQ I stylus as a spare.

Pairing

Audio Note specifies a moving magnet phono stage with a 47 kOhm input impedance for this cartridge, and the total load capacitance, including the tonearm cable, should not exceed 200 pF. With its moderate mass and the threaded body inserts, it suits standard headshells, and the phono stage needs neither an SUT nor an MC input. Keeping cable capacitance within the stated limit matters here, since long or high-capacitance tonearm leads can push the total past that ceiling.

Alternatives

Within the same range, the Audio Note IQ III uses the same Pocon body with a higher grade stylus assembly that is also interchangeable with the IQ II.