Audio Dynamics ADC-1 phono cartridge Specifications

Sidebar: Specifications

Description: Moving-magnet stereo phono cartridge. Frequency response: 10Hz–20kHz, +2dB. Separation: 30dB, 50Hz–7kHz. Output: 7mV at 5cm/s. Stylus: 0.6-mil diamond. Compliance: 20 x 10–6 cm/dyne in all directions. Recommended tracking force: 0.75–3 grams.
Price: $49.50 (1963); no longer available (2019).
Manufacturer: Audio Dynamics Corp., New Milford, Connecticut (1963). Company no longer in existence (2019).

COMPANY INFO
Audio Dynamics Corp.
New Milford, Connecticut (1963)
Company no longer in existence (2019)
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
John Atkinson's picture
The ADC-1 was designed by Peter Pritchard, who passed away in 2011 - see Kal Rubinson's obituary at www.stereophile.com/content/peter-pritchard. Soon after I moved to Santa Fe in 1986, I had lunch with Peter, who had also relocated to Santa Fe.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

Kal Rubinson's picture

Yes, the first of a long line of ADC and Sonus cartridges that he designed. I owned many of them and still have an ADC10 on the shelf. They ranged from high compliance to very high compliance and Gordon's advice about using th "Pritchard" tone arm (ADC-40) is spot-on. That arm served me well for years until I moved on to John Wright's "Audio and Design" unipivot, the predecessor of the KMAL.

John Atkinson's picture
Kal Rubinson wrote:
That arm served me well for years until I moved on to John Wright's "Audio and Design" unipivot, the predecessor of the KMAL.

Coincidentally, I am preparing Gordon Holt's review of that tonearm, from the September 1967 issue of Stereophile, Vol.2 No.4, to be posted in the website archives at the beginning of September.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

grantray's picture

For those of us not alive at the time, I'm a little lost on what is an obscure cartridge. Although running second place to the Empire 880, which I've never heard but heard of, gives me at least a bit of an idea. I ask because that photo makes ADC-1 look surprisingly crude, even by 1963 standards, while the price is the same as the Ortofon SPU-GT. Even by today's standard's the SPU-GT is no slouch. Structurally, the ADC-1 kind of looks/specs similar to the Shure M3D but with a higher compliance and cruder chassis. But then the conclusion is that it's okay, not a knockout. Was this review brought back to digital life because of the designer, as Kal Rubinson mentioned?

Kal Rubinson's picture

Well, the picture is of a clearly well-used and, perhaps, well-traveled ADC-1. Here's a link to more appealing pix: https://hifivintage.eu/en/cartrige/3247-Audio-Dynamics-ADC-1-MARK-III.html

The ADC-1 was notable as the first very high compliance pick-up and it precipitated a trend for high-compliance, very low mass cartridges which, with suitable low mass arms, achieved stable tracking of high dynamics with very low down-force. The Shure V-15 would not have happened without the ADC-1 and its successors. In other words, along with recognition of the designer, it is worth recognizing the historical influence of his design.

As for the 880, the less said the better. I had 2 880p cartridges and both died early.

grantray's picture

I had a hunch something along those lines was the case. These historical articles are catnip for the vintage/history lovers of which I include myself, but for us "young folk" born in the seventies or earlier, maybe a quick editorial intro for context to the historical significance would be even more awesome.
✌️

Jim Austin's picture

but for us "young folk" born in the seventies or earlier, maybe a quick editorial intro for context to the historical significance would be even more awesome.

That's a good idea grantray; we'll consider doing that.

Jim Austin, Editor
Stereophile

Ortofan's picture

... Stereophile used for their evaluation.

When High Fidelity performed their tests, about two years earlier, they used an SME 3009 tonearm. They reported that their sample of the ADC-1 would pass the test records of the day at a tracking force of 1 gm. Listening tests were conducted using a tracking force of only 0.75 gm.

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