Touraj Moghaddam, the founder and chief designer of Vertere, has introduced two new high-resolution phono cartridges to the Vertere cartridge range. The Vertere XtraX and Vertere Dark Sabre Cartridges promise significant enhancements over their predecessors, aiming to provide audiophiles with an even more refined listening experience.

Touraj Moghaddam, known for his meticulous approach to audio design, has drawn on both his extensive experience and first principles to bring these new cartridges to the market. The introduction of the purple finish on the XtraX cartridge, while aesthetically pleasing, is primarily designed to cater to marketing considerations. The hard anodizing process that results in the purple finish also contributes to the cartridge's overall performance by providing a robust and rigid shell.

The Vertere XtraX cartridge builds upon the success of the Mystic moving coil cartridge, aiming to excel in every aspect. It incorporates lower tip mass, a stiffer and faster cantilever, and a low-mass cross coil within a time-constant magnetic field, an arrangement internally referred to as "Direct Drive."

Features of the XtraX MC Cartridge:

• Precision CNC machined body from solid aluminum alloy with a hard anodized finish.
• Threaded body to accept stainless steel thumb screws for precise coupling to the tonearm headshell.
• Three specifically designed contact points on the top of the body for exact mechanical coupling.
• Low-mass generator using a Samarium-Cobalt magnet and a low-mass cross coil made of pure virgin copper wires.
• Generator mounted into the high-mass body using a Quad-Point Contact with Four Stainless 'Spike' Screws for optimum support and vibration control.
• Telescopic aluminum tube cantilever utilizing two different aluminum materials for maximum stiffness without undesirable peaks.
• Nude Micro Elliptical single crystal diamond stylus tip for exceptional tracking without compromising high-frequency response or increasing surface noise.
• Square shank diamond assembly for precise alignment and rigidity.
• Wideband frequency response extending from below 10Hz to 45kHz.
• Output of 0.45mV.

Vertere's Dark Sabre cartridge is designed as an upgraded version of the Sabre, enhancing its performance significantly. Its aluminum alloy body is precision CNC machined and hard anodized for durability and performance benefits. 

The low-mass generator utilizes an Alnico magnet and a low-mass cross coil made from pure virgin copper wires. Like the XtraX, the generator is mounted into the high-mass body using a Quad-Point Contact with Four Stainless 'Spike' Screws to control unwanted mechanical vibrations. The telescopic aluminum tube cantilever uses two different aluminum materials for ideal stiffness without undesirable resonance peaks.

Features of the Dark Sabre MM Cartridge:

• CNC precision-machined aluminum alloy body with a hard anodized black finish.
• Mass-tuned body for optimal support of energy transfer.
• Telescopic aluminum tube cantilever with two different aluminum materials for stiffness.
• Nude Micro Elliptical single crystal diamond stylus tip for superior tracking without compromising high-frequency response.
• Square shank diamond assembly for precise alignment and consistency.
• Alignment ridge on the front top to assist mounting the Sabre to any Vertere tonearm.
• Three specifically designed contact points on the top of the body for exact mechanical coupling.
• Wideband frequency response extending from below 14Hz to above 28kHz.
• Output of 4.3mV.

Both the Vertere XtraX and Dark Sabre Cartridges will be available from the end of October, offering enthusiasts a chance to experience enhanced audio quality. The Vertere XtraX is priced at £5800, €6998, or $6499, while the Vertere Dark Sabre is available at £1450, €1798, or $1599.