The Analog Cartridge

The Wilson Benesch cartridge range is distinctly different from all other cartridges in the world. Whilst conventional materials technology can be seen as the norm, in the Wilson Benesch range the principle structures are all manufactured from solid carbon fibre.

The Analog cartridge is the ultimate statement from the most prominent analogue design company in the world. Through collaboration with our Japanese colleagues we have been able to realise the most advanced combination of technologies available at any price.
 
Like its predecessors, the generator is mounted on a solid carbon fibre form that can be seen as an extension to the Advanced Composite Technology used in the ACT Two Tonearm, the most technologically advanced tone arm in the world.

Generator

At the heart of the design is of course the generator. Like all moving coil designs it is hand built to exacting tolerances. It features rare earth magnet technology in order to provide a concentrated highly focused magnetic field without the high mass seen in conventional magnet designs. The technology of moving coil designs is well documented. Experience is the determining factor in motor design and as you would expect the Analog excels.

Sound Reproduction

The curvaceous form of the Analog shell avoids the natural resonance’s found typically in shell structures formed with flat surfaces. Fabricated in carbon fibre the intrinsic damping characteristics are an order of magnitude superior to any metallic alternative. Combined with the low mass high stiffness benefits of this technology the need to remove the shell in order to avoid colourations is obviated. Further the absence of metallic structures in close proximity to the motors magnetic field avoids the deleterious effects accepted by all competing metal based designs. No fewer than 5000 lines of machine code were required to convert the CAD drawing into one of the components used in half of the press tool. The solution provides for the most ideal structure.

In terms of stiffness, damping and mass it can be said that this technology is at least ten times superior than materials commonly used in this application. Like the shell it is also invisible to the magnetic fields about the generator. When used in conjunction with the Wilson Benesch Tonearms the generator simply sees air around it, avoiding the negative effects suffered by conventional technology. To date these issues have been accepted by all conventional designs. New technology has removed these flaws and the Analog reveals the difference.

Specifications

Stylus tip type

Nude elliptic diamond

Stylus tip radius

Cantilever Technology

Complex construction. Boron bar and alloy pipe.

Magnet Technology

Rare Earth, samarium - cobalt

Coil

Body

Shell

Tracking force

1.4 - 1.8gms

V.T.A

20 degrees unloaded. ?15 - 20 degrees with a load of 1.6 gms

Weight

4.2 gms

Electrical

Output voltages

0.35 mV at 1 kHz 5cm / sec

Coil impedance

Freq response

±3 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz

Channel balance

Less than 1 dB at 1 kHz

Channel Separation

Better than 25 dB at 1 kHz

DC resistance

10 Ohms

Reccommended load impedance

Less than 20 Ohm for a step up transformer