Award winning Audio-Technica has announced its 60th anniversary milestone (ANA60GUE) in pursuit of its continuation to honour the founder, Hideo Matsushita; his vision in celebrating the beauty of analogue and the pure art of connecting humans to sound. Matsushita was determined to enable more people to experience the warmth of analogue listening. He dedicated his life to creating audio equipment to heighten one’s everyday listening experience with his cartridge designs and ideas. He saw the potential of transducer technology to create truly transformational audio equipment. His ideas from 1962 still permeate through the analogue culture till today. Aside from its association with technology, analogue is also a lifestyle, a decision to actively engage in recording and listening.
Some history of Audio-Technica
Alongside cartridges, Audio-Technica began producing headphones in 1974, and microphones in 1978, – beginning every process with a transducer and aiming to deliver a pure, natural sound. At the core of every product is the art of analogue, as a delicate vibration is transformed into sound – both in the listening and recording processes.
Kazuo Matsushita, son of Hideo, became the president of the company in 1993. Under his leadership, the business continued to expand, opening offices throughout the world and developing iconic products such as the modern VM series of cartridges, the ATH-M50x headphones and the AT2020 microphone.
Limited edition products
in Singapore, Audio-Technica will be launching a total of five representative products that continues to reaffirm its commitment to analogue. They are:
- MC Cartridge (AT-MC2022)
- Wireless Portable Turntable SOUND BURGER (AT-SB2022)
- Belt Driven Turntable (AT-LP2022)
- Audiophile Urushi Headphones (ATH-W2022)
- Wireless Headphones (ATH-WB2022)
1. AT-MC2022 Moving Coil Phono Cartridge
The AT-MC2022 moving coil cartridge features design accents inspired by traditional shippo enamelong (Japanese cloisonné) and comes in a specially crafted walnut storage case with flip lid, drawer and acrylic window engraved with product’s serial number and the 60th anniversary A-T logo.
The highlight of the cartridge is its unified stylus-cantilever that is formed from a single, lab-grown diamond. This unique construction eliminates the distortion caused by conventional bonding of stylus to cantilever, allowing for a purer transmission of the vibration from the record groove to the coils.
Suitable for high-end analog audio users, the AT-MC2022 retails at SGD$12,888, and will be available for sale in Singapore from end November 2022 exclusively at AudioLine.
2. AT-SB2022 Wireless Portable Bluetooth Turntable (Sound Burger)
The fan-favourite Sound Burger makes a welcome return, 40 years after its original debut. Pairing a playful retro red design with portability, the Sound Burger stays true to its original aesthetic while also including modern updates, such as Bluetooth connectivity and USB charging. It is a stylish, compact, wireless and portable turntable with an authentic analogue experience that will take you anywhere you want with just one hand.
uitable for music lovers of the younger generation between the age of 20s to the 30s, the AT-SB2022 retails at SGD$288. The Sound Burger will be available for sale in Singapore on 15 November 2022 at:
- Audio-Technica Listening Treehouse (Funan Mall)
- Audio-Technica Webstore
- Selected Authorised Resellers: Hear Records, Simply Music, RetroCrates, Zenn Audio Electronics
3. AT-LP2022 Belt-Driven Turntable
At Audio-Technica, analog audio is its heritage and passion. The limited-edition AT-LP2022 turntable celebrates 60 years of audio excellence, heightening everyday listening experiences and uniting people through sound. Only 3,000 AT-LP2022 turntables will be available worldwide, each with its own serial number to demonstrate its uniqueness in the history of Audio-Technica.
A stylish 30 mm-thick, high-density clear acrylic chassis reduces resonance and reveals the belt-drive motor – highlighting the turntable’s pure analog sound. It also includes a limited-edition, clear-body Shibata stylus along with a specially designed high-isolation, height-adjustable feet, keeping the turntable stabilised.
HiFi enthusiasts and vinyl lovers who enjoy listening to analogue audio will be excited to discover the sound you have never heard before and especially enjoy the potential possible sound differences in the analogue audio.
The AT-LP2022 retails at SGD$1688, and will be available for sale in Singapore from end November 2022 at:
- Audio-Technica Listening Treehouse (Funan Mall)
- Audio-Technica Webstore, Official Store on Shopee & Lazada
- Selected Authorised Resellers
4. ATH-W2022 Audiophile Closed-Back Dynamic Wooden Headphones
The theme of the 60th anniversary product is the fusion of Audio-Technica’s core technology and rethinking Japanese-ness from the origin of Japan. The ATH-W2022 – new signature wooden headphones honour Audio-Technica enduring commitment to analog audio and its power to touch its innermost selves.
Sourced and assembled entirely in Japan, the ATH-W2022 blends technological innovation with traditional artistry to fashion a timeless audio component of refined elegance. The housings are expertly crafted from Mizume (Japanese birch) and finished with traditional urushi lacquer to deliver pure tone quality with natural reverberation. The housings are suspended from arms shaped to recall the winged slope of Irimoya roofs that cap many Japanese temples.
Sakura (cherry blossoms) and hou-ou phoenix designs are hand-painted on the left and right houses, respectively, using the Japanese maki-e lacquer technique, with the right housing also incorporating mother-of-pearl. Deerskin is also used for the earpads and headband to provide long-lasting durability and comfort.
A special piece for the loyal customers as well as art collectors who love Audio-Technica. The AT-W2022 retails at SGD$12,888. Product will be available for sale in Singapore from end November 2022 exclusively at Zeppelin and Co.
5. ATH-WB2022 Wireless Headphones
ATH-WB202, a ground-breaking luxury wireless headphone and is Audio-Technica’s first headphone that combines their passion for wooden materials with the latest technological developments in wireless listening. Every element of these unique headphones has been selected to offer a one-of-a-kind listening experience.
The housing of the ATH-WB2022 is carefully crafted from a selection of intertwined marbled maple, walnut, and mahogany wood. Behind the stunning exterior, the headphones house the world’s first completely balanced audio output system. Equipped with an independent DAC and operational amplifier, they support up to 96kHz/24bit high-resolution sound sources with both wireless and USB digital connections.
An ultimate product creation with a clever fusion of an innovative idea and traditional craftsmanship. Made of reliable materials that are highly selected one by one through experience to create the art of sound. The pure wireless audio sound which has never been heard before, is created through crystallisation of the best technology both analogue and digital from its past experience and know-how which world-renowned headphone brands have not achieved before.
The ATH-WB2022 retails at SGD$4,188, and will be available in 2023.