Audio-Technica AT33EV MC Cartridge

The Audio-Technica AT33EV is a moving-coil cartridge with a nude elliptical diamond, putting out 0.3 mV into an MC-capable phono input.

It belongs to the AT33 series, which Audio-Technica has kept alive for decades — and it's exactly the cartridge people think of when talk turns to an affordable entry into real moving-coil territory. Finely resolving, spacious, composed. Not a party trick, but a workhorse with good manners.

Why the AT33EV?

Because the jump from MM to MC doesn't founder here on effort. The diamond sits nude on the duralumin cantilever instead of being glued to a metal base: less moving mass at the tip, cleaner tracking at the top end. Add the dual moving-coil design with 30 dB channel separation and only 0.5 dB channel deviation — the reason the soundstage with this cartridge doesn't stick between the speakers but opens up behind them.

What you hear

More fine detail and more calm between the notes than you're used to from an MM in the same league. Voices gain body, strings gain skin instead of edge, cymbals decay cleanly instead of hissing. Frequency response reaches up to 50,000 Hz — you won't hear that as such, but you'll feel it: as ease in the overtone range. The AT33EV never turns analytical or cold, though — it stays on the musical side.

Who is the AT33EV for?

For anyone with a solid turntable and a medium-to-heavy tonearm who wants to take the next step. Plain talk: without an MC-capable phono input or a step-up transformer, this won't work — 0.3 mV is simply too little for an MM input. And if you want a stylus you can swap yourself, an MM suits you better: on the AT33EV the stylus can neither be swapped nor repaired, Audio-Technica replaces the whole cartridge instead. If you can live with that, you get a great deal of music for the effort.

Our verdict

One of the more sensible ways into the MC world — maturely tuned, broadly usable, with no diva behaviour on setup. At HD Zürisee in Wädenswil we mount and align it properly, and check beforehand whether your phono stage really suits 0.3 mV. That avoids the most common disappointment with a first MC cartridge — and a quick call beforehand usually saves a second attempt.

Technical data

• Type: MC cartridge, dual moving coil, low output
• Stylus grind: nude elliptical, 0.3 × 0.7 mil
• Stylus mount: nude square shank
• Cantilever: duralumin, tapered tube
• Output voltage: 0.3 mV (1 kHz, 3.54 cm/s)
• Recommended load impedance: more than 100 Ohm (when connected to a head amp)
• Coil impedance: 10 Ohm (1 kHz)
• Coil inductance: 22 µH (1 kHz)
• DC resistance: 10 Ohm
• Tracking force: 1.8–2.2 g (standard 2.0 g)
• Frequency response: 15–50,000 Hz
• Channel separation: 30 dB (1 kHz)
• Channel deviation: 0.5 dB (1 kHz)
• Stylus compliance: static 40 × 10⁻⁶ cm/dyne, dynamic 10 × 10⁻⁶ cm/dyne (100 Hz)
• Vertical tracking angle: 23°
• Mount: 1/2-inch standard
• Dimensions W × H × D: 16.6 × 16 × 26.5 mm
• Weight: 6.9 g
• Included: cartridge, stylus guard, mounting screws (2 × 13 mm, 2 × 19 mm), 2 nuts, 2 washers, non-magnetic screwdriver, brush, PCOCC headshell lead set

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an MC phono input for the AT33EV?

Yes. At 0.3 mV output, the AT33EV is a low-output MC and needs an MC-capable phono input or a step-up transformer. Audio-Technica recommends a load impedance above 100 Ohm. On a plain MM input it stays far too quiet and sounds weak. Many current phono stages can be switched to MC.

What tracking force is right for the AT33EV?

Audio-Technica specifies 1.8 to 2.2 grams, with 2.0 grams as the standard value. Set the tracking force with a tonearm scale and re-check it after the first hours of use. Too little tracking force, by the way, damages the record more than a bit too much.

Does the AT33EV fit any tonearm?

It has the usual half-inch mount and weighs 6.9 grams, so it fits practically any headshell mechanically. With a dynamic compliance of 10 × 10⁻⁶ cm/dyne it pairs best with medium-to-heavy tonearms. On very light arms the resonance frequency ends up too high.

What sets the AT33EV apart from an MM cartridge?

In an MC, two small coils move instead of a magnet, so the moving mass is lower. That gives finer resolution, cleaner imaging and calmer highs. The price for that: the low output voltage, which requires a matching phono stage, and a stylus you can't swap yourself.

Can I replace the AT33EV's stylus myself?

No. Audio-Technica states that an MC cartridge's stylus can neither be swapped nor repaired. There's a trade-in programme in Europe for worn styli: the cartridge must still be functional and the cantilever undamaged. Get in touch with us and we'll sort out the process for you.

Why buy the Audio-Technica AT33EV from HD Zürisee?

Because an MC cartridge lives or dies by its alignment. We mount it, set tracking force, overhang and azimuth properly, and check whether your phono stage suits the low output voltage. Plus an experienced team in Wädenswil that stays with you afterwards too — by phone on 044 680 22 00, by WhatsApp on 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls) or by email at shop@hdzuerisee.ch.

Goes well with

You'll find the matching amplification under Phono Preamps — without an MC input, the AT33EV stays silent. More cartridges are listed under Cartridges, matching turntables under Turntables, the rest of the brand's range under Audio-Technica — and everything about the groove lives under All Vinyl.