Stereo AEX 2026 Award Solid Elliptical Aluminum Pipe Cartridge for Record Players Audio-Technica AT-VM530xEN VM-type Cartridge, Winner, Stylus,

Newly adopted PCUHD*² coil conductor: This is the first VM-type cartridge to utilize PCUHD*², which is also used in our Hi-Fi audio cables. It delivers powerful bass reproduction and a vast soundstage. Furthermore, by reducing the number of turns in the winding, it achieves a light and responsive sound quality. *² PCUHD: Pure Copper Ultra High Drawability (high-purity oxygen-free copper wire) A diverse lineup of styli to meet your desired sound quality: Equipped with a lightweight, solid elliptical stylus, it reduces the effective mass of the vibrating system. This is a high-end model of elliptical stylus with significantly improved basic performance. As a result, it achieves wide-band reproduction. The body employs a paratoroidal coil structure: The "AT-VMx" series features a unique power generation system called a paratoroidal coil structure. Because the paratoroidal structure is unitized and has no seams in the core, the magnetic flux is held within the specially wound coil. As a result, power generation efficiency is improved and excellent linearity is achieved. Features threaded cartridge mounting holes: Compatible with integrated tonearms widely used in the global Hi-Fi audio market. The change to threaded holes makes it easier to attach cartridges to integrated tonearms. Improved visibility of the stylus tip during operation: With conventional VM-type cartridges, we received feedback that the needle tip was difficult to see when dropping the needle onto the record. In this model, while maintaining compatibility with the old model (replacement needle and body), we have improved the visibility of the stylus tip by adding a V-shaped cut to the protector as a guide for the needle tip position. A solid elliptical stylus model that delivers clear, high-resolution sound. Audio-Technica's top-of-the-line VM-type cartridge series, a proprietary product of the company, has been reborn as the "AT-VM700x/600x/500x" series ("AT-VMx" series). This is the first renewal in nine years since 2016, and this time the lineup is wide-ranging, from high-grade models equipped with line-contact styli to standard models equipped with elliptical/conical styli. In addition to the best sound quality in VM-type cartridge history, ease of use has also been improved. All models newly adopt PCUHD (high-purity oxygen-free copper) for the coil conductor. This achieves powerful bass expression and a wide soundstage. By reducing the number of turns in the winding, the response to the record groove has been improved, resulting in a lighter sound quality and enhanced musical expressiveness. The cantilever material of the solid elliptical stylus "AT-VM530xEN" is made of aluminum pipe. Along with a revision of the suspension wire length, the stylus tip has also been made significantly lighter, improving the tracking response to the record groove and enabling more musical and rich emotional expression than ever before. Furthermore, by changing to a threaded cartridge design, It is now easier to attach to an integrated tonearm. In addition, a V-shaped cut has been added to the protector to serve as a guide for the needle tip position, improving the visibility of the stylus tip when dropping the needle onto the record.