Mono True Cartridge
The AT-MONO3/LP is a true mono cartridge – one of a select few in the world. A true mono cartridge is designed, wired and built only to retrieve signals from the record grooves in the horizontal plane. However to produce a minimal wear on the groove, the AT-MONO3/LP also has an adapted vertical compliance.

The groove of a monaural recording is modulated only in the horizontal plane. Stereo recordings, on the other hand, are cut into the vinyl at a forty-five degree angle with a separate channel of information on each of the grove walls, thus requiring the stylus to pick up signals in both the horizontal and vertical plane. As a stereo cartridge sums the channels internally, it picks up noise from the vertical plane of the record grooves. Interestingly, in a mono record much of the surface noise is in the vertical plane, so avoiding this plane is beneficial. By not even picking up or amplifying this information you eliminate a lot of the noise from mono records that you hear when played back through a stereo cartridge.

Moving Coil Mono Cartridge
The Audio Technica AT-MONO3/LP cartridge a joy to hear. A high output moving coil cartridge of excellent production quality and wound with PCOCC coil for signal purity, it is designed to deliver excellent fidelity and superb clarity when playing monaural (mono) records. With its high output of 1.2mV, it can be used without additional pre-preamplification or a MC transformer in the signal path.

Our listening experience with this fine specimen of monophonic reproduction has been left us with a deeper appreciation and enjoyment of mono recordings. The Audio Technica AT-MONO3/LP capably renders the detail, sound stage, harmonic layering, dynamic contrast, low frequency response and musical verity that seemed lacking or constrained in others. Maybe it’s because it’s a Moving Coil mono cartridge? It’s a distinction that is well-founded – along with its superior design and execution.