Audio Note IQ3 MM Cartridge

The IQ3 is a design manufactured by Goldring to Audio Note’s specification which includes a titanium cantilever and an AN type 2 diamond (both the same as used on the IO MC cartridge).

As you’d expect from Audio Note it is a very dynamic performer and builds upon the classic Goldring 1000 series strengths of a weighty and involving performance but with much greater levels of energy, resolution and realism. It has treble speed that is very reminiscent of a really good MC cartridge, with the scale and ease of amplification of a MM - in many ways it’s the best of both worlds and has become one of my reference cartridges for designs under £1,000. By moving magnets standards this is not a cheap cartridge, but the performance is way beyond it’s price and the very high quality diamond lasts an exceptionally long time (and of course unlike an MC cartridge the stylus can be changed easily). The only downside I can see is it has a very long run in period, sounding bright, edgy  and flat for the first few hours of use.

It’s also a doddle to fit thanks to the inclusion of captive nuts and the familiar squared Goldring body which makes alignment very straightforward.

Technical Specifications:

Load Resistance: 47K Ohms
Load Capacitance: 150 - 200 pF
Internal Inductance: 570mH
Internal Resistance: 660 Ohms
Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20KHz, +/- 2dB
Weight: 6.3g
Fixing Centres: 12.7mm / 0.5"
Tracking Force/Weight: 1.5g - 2.5g (1.75g nominal)
Channel Balance: 2dB @ 1KHz
Channel Separation: 25dB @ 1KHz
Sensitivity: 6.5mV +/- 1.5dB (1KHz @ 5cm/sec)
Static Compliance: (N lateral) 24mm / (N vertical) 16mm
Equivalent Tip Mass: 0.45mg
Vertical Tracking Angle: 24 degrees