Audio Technica AT33xMLD Dual Moving Coil Stereo Cartridge

Audio Technica AT33xMLD Dual Moving Coil Stereo Cartridge with Nude Microlinear Diamond Stylus

The Audio Technica AT33xMLD Moving Coil Cartridge is the Goldilocks model in the middle of the AT33x stereo range and comes with a Nude Microlinear Diamond Stylus mounted to a Tapered Duralumin Cantilever.

This cartridge offers a blend of refined expressiveness and power. It features a deep and vivid ocean of resonant sound with the dual moving coils of the system providing high separation and wide response for clear sound localisation with minimal distortion.

Since the original AT34 cartridge in 1977, Audio Technica have been developing new models to meet changing needs. And now they have brought them together to form the all-new AT33x Series. Making full use of Audio Technica’s phono cartridge technology know-how (cultivated since AT’s founding in 1962), they have applied advanced processing while carefully refining the materials. This includes the first use of a zinc die-cast for the cartridge base for optimum structure.

This series is the first extensive overhaul of the line since 2014, featuring five models: AT33xMLB, AT33xMLD, and AT33xEN stereo cartridges, andAT33xMono/I and AT33xMono/II monaural cartridges.

In addition to the delicate, high-resolution sound that Audio Technica’s customers know and love, they have also pursued well-balanced sound quality over a wide bandwidth. The cartridges in this series provide a full, welcoming sound through dense mid and low frequency control. Audio Technica’s aim was to create a product with a truly unique character - one that adds warmth to the human voice.

Featuring masterful technology and wide bandwidth control, the newly reborn AT33x Series invites you to flood your listening space with a deep sea of sound.

Tapered Duralumin Cantilever

The AT33xMLD features a tapered Duralumin cantilever to which the nude Microlinear diamond stylus is attached.

Microlinear Stylus

The Microlinear stylus almost exactly duplicates the shape of the cutting stylus that produces the original master disc (the disc used to create the pressed vinyl record). This likeness enables the Microlinear stylus to track portions of the groove other styli cannot reach, resulting in extremely accurate tracing of high-frequency passages and a flat frequency response within the audible range. The unique multilevel shape also wears more evenly, greatly extending record and stylus life.

Bonded or Nude?

In a bonded (or jointed) stylus, a diamond tip is glued on a metal shank that is itself glued into the hole of the cantilever. While less expensive to manufacture, this construction may increase the mass of the overall tip and affect transient response compared with a nude stylus where the tip and shank are constructed from a single piece of diamond.

Nude styli, shaped from whole diamonds, are more costly than bonded styli. Their lower mass allows nude styli to track more accurately. Also, since Audio Technica’s nude styli are grain-oriented, with their longest-wearing faces touching the record surface, they last longer.

Why Choose The AT33xMLD Dual Moving Coil Stereo Cartridge

Sitting right in the sweet spot of the AT33x range, the Audio Technica AT33xMLD Moving Coil Cartridge strikes a beautiful balance between refinement and power. It’s the kind of cartridge that makes you forget about the gear and just melt into the music, offering a deep, vivid ocean of sound that feels both expansive and intimate. With its nude Microlinear diamond stylus mounted to a tapered Duralumin cantilever, the AT33xMLD captures the subtlest details with graceful precision while keeping distortion to a whisper. Every note feels grounded yet alive, thanks to its dual moving coils and wide, natural bandwidth that delivers stunning separation and lifelike imaging. Building on decades of Audio Technica know-how, this new generation adds thoughtful refinements like a zinc die-cast base and meticulous material tuning - all aimed at achieving that elusive blend of warmth, clarity, and emotional connection that keeps you spinning records long into the night.