Cartridge
16-pin edge interface carries album data, identity, power, and insertion detection.
A physical music format for the digital age
The album
returns.
Collectible album cartridges. A premium long-play player. Music owned, held, and heard as intended.
No feeds. No ads. No noise.
Just sound.
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01 The proposition
Music you can
hold.
Cartridge Audio restores the album as a tangible cultural object—without surrendering the fidelity, portability, and resilience of digital playback.
It is not nostalgia. It is an alternative to rented libraries, disposable feeds, and engineered obsolescence.
Offline by designAlbum-firstArtist-forwardBuilt to endure
02 The player
Built like an object.
Not an app.
A tactile, corded-headphone-forward player conceived for long sessions, deliberate controls, and decades of use. Drag the prototype to inspect it.
Prototype / Rev. 04Full-thickness base · form-fit rails · animated insertion
Physical album slotGold-finger cartridge interface
Tactile by defaultDedicated playback and volume controls
Wired fidelity3.5 mm output and dedicated DAC path
Long-play powerUSB-C rechargeable architecture
Concept-stage prototype. Dimensions, materials, finishes, and technical targets remain under engineering refinement.
03 Under the skin
Built to be
understood.
Anti-obsolescence begins with an architecture that can be serviced, documented, and revised without replacing the format.
The current electrical reference separates cartridge data, digital control, conversion, amplification, and power into clear domains—reducing noise while keeping future revisions possible.
Decode
A dedicated controller validates the release and maintains deterministic, offline playback state.
Convert
A low-noise digital-to-analog stage preserves the record through a separated analog power domain.
Drive
A discrete headphone path is designed for everything from sensitive IEMs to full-size headphones.
16-pinGround-first cartridge interface
32 / 384Bit / kHz DAC target
45 WUSB-C PD charging target
15,000mAh long-play power target
Reference architecture, component selections, and capacity targets remain subject to electrical, thermal, and compliance validation.
Approx. 60 mmApprox. 8 mm04 The cartridge
An album.
Not a file.
A collectible digital release with its own visual identity, designed to protect sequencing, reward artists, and outlast platforms.
- 01 Durable solid-state storage
- 02 Release metadata built into the object
- 03 Instant offline playback
- 04 Standard and limited artist editions
05 How it works
Four motions.
Zero friction.
Choose
Buy a cartridge album directly from an artist or label.
Insert
The player recognizes the release and loads its track information.
Listen
Press play. The full album begins offline, in its intended sequence.
Keep
No account to maintain. No access to renew. The album remains yours.
Anti-obsolescence / Artist first / Fidelity forward
Own the album.
Back the artist.
Own the album
A durable physical release that stays yours—without a subscription, login, cloud, or disappearing license.
Hear the sequence
Full-length records, played with intention through an offline, non-skip digital format built around the artist’s order.
Fund the artist
A format designed to make the album valuable again, with collectible editions and a more direct artist-to-listener relationship.
06 A third path
Ritual without fragility.
Digital without disposability.
StreamingVinylCartridge
True ownership—YesYes
PortableYes—Yes
Offline by default—YesYes
Non-skip playbackYes—Yes
Collectible artwork—YesYes
07 The founding circle
Stand close.
Hear it first.
Follow prototype milestones, first artist releases, and early access to the player. No feed. No noise. Only meaningful updates.
Concept in active development. Your address will only be used for Cartridge Audio updates.