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A balanced-armature pick-up refers to a type of electromagnetic pickup used in audio equipment, particularly in early phonographs and turntables.
- Design: It consists of a small armature (a movable coil) positioned between two magnets. The armature is connected to a stylus or needle that tracks the grooves of a record.
- Operation: As the stylus moves along the record groove, it causes the armature to vibrate. These vibrations cause changes in the magnetic field between the magnets.
- Electromagnetic Induction: The movement of the armature in the magnetic field induces a small voltage (electromotive force, or emf) in coils wrapped around the arms of the magnets. This induced voltage represents the audio signal recorded on the record.
- Balanced Design: The term “balanced” refers to the design where the armature movement balances the magnetic flux between the two sides of the magnetic circuit. This balanced approach helps in achieving accurate reproduction of the audio signal with minimal distortion.
- Applications: Balanced-armature pickups were commonly used in early phonograph cartridges and turntable systems for playing vinyl records. They were known for their precise tracking ability and relatively good fidelity compared to earlier acoustic methods.
- Legacy: While balanced-armature pickups have largely been replaced by other technologies like moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) cartridges in modern turntables, they played a significant role in the history of audio reproduction and are still appreciated for their vintage sound characteristics.
In summary, a balanced-armature pick-up utilizes electromagnetic principles to convert mechanical vibrations from a stylus into electrical signals, making it a crucial component in early record players and phonographs.
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