High End Vienna Exciting Product Debuts

full coverage coming ASAP but for now...

At High end Vienna, Ortofon, Audio-Technica and TechDAS introduced new products sure to be of great interest to all Tracking Angle readers, even if they are unaffordable.

There are brand new "flagship" cartridges from A-T and Ortofon. At a well attended press conference Ortofon introduced the new Vertex MC cartridge featuring a diamond cantilever and a new diamond stylus that replaces the Replicant and is not bonded to the cantilever as in previous MCs. Instead its shank is inserted into a square hole in the diamond cantilever. All new rubber compounds for the suspension and of course a Selective Laser Melt body are the Vertex's key features. Price is $15K.

Audio Technica introduced the MCD1 its second to feature a lab grown one piece diamond cantilever/stylus similar to the one found in the limited edition AT-MC2022. The new one featuring a Shibata stylus is an all new cartridge design and will not be limited edition like the MC2022, which quickly sold out at its "bargain" price of I can't exactly remember and must get to the show now so won't bother to look up the price but the new one will cost $11,500.

TechDAS introduced in the Marten Audio room a new Air Force Model 20 turntable. It was making beautiful music playing through the top of the new Dexter line of Marten Audio speakers.

Much more coverage coming up but now I must return to the show. The new venue BTW is working out extremely well and most people I spoke with are happy to be in Vienna this year. Kudos to the High End Society for pulling this off so smoothly!