Audio Note IO-2
Audio Note IO-2
Reference IO moving-coil cartridge — silver coils, the IO body tuned for the heavier silver tonearms.
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About the
Audio Note IO-2.
The IO-2 is the Level 3 step in the IO moving-coil line. Lower output and tighter mechanical tolerances than the IO-1 below it, voiced for the AN-S4L step-up transformer and an M3 / M5 RIAA phono stage.
Audio Note IO-2 across 5 variants.
Five Audio Note UK cartridges climbing through the moving-coil tier (and one moving-magnet at the entry). The IO line is the brand's flagship cartridge family — directly heated permanent-magnet MC at IO-1 / IO-2 / IO Gold, and the unique field-coil IO Ltd FC at the top of the line, where an external power supply drives the magnet rather than using a permanent magnet.
| Model | Type | Output | Load Impedance | Needs Step-up | Tier | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IQ3 | Moving magnet | 5 mV | 47 kΩ | No (MM) | 1 | — |
| IO-1 | Moving coil | 0.15 mV | Use SUT | Yes | 2 | — |
| IO-2 | Moving coil | 0.10 mV | Use SUT | Yes | 3 | — |
| IO Gold | Moving coil, gold coils | 0.10 mV | Use SUT | Yes | 4 | — |
| IO Limited Field Coil | Moving coil, field-coil motor | 0.10 mV | Use SUT | Yes + external PSU | 5 | — |
