Sumiko announced recently the production of 6 new cartridges with 4 models of mobile magnet and 2 mobile coil. The firsts are called Rainier, Olympia, Moonstone and Amethyst and come to enrich the Oyster series, while the mobile coils are called Songbird and Starling. We have received the Moonstone which is the second superior model of the four MMs and costs 350 euros.
Hearing the name Sumiko, many vinyl fans will recognize a company that has been making quality cartridges for about 40 years. From the first Talisman to the modern Oyster, the Japanese manufacturer has written his own story. David Fletcher, who founded the company in 1972, was active in importing products from many, unknown until then, Japanese companies in the American market. With Fletcher in charge of the design and production department, the company launched its first cartridge on the market 10 years later. Fletcher has sadly passed away recently, at the age of 81, but Sumiko continues to operate under the auspices of the McIntosh group. One of its latest moves is the announcement of 6 new cartridges with 4 models of mobile magnet and 2 mobile coil. The firsts are called Rainier, Olympia, Moonstone and Amethyst and come to enrich the Oyster series while the mobile coils are called Songbird and Starling. We have received the Moonstone which is the second superior model of the four MM and costs 350 euros -a price category in which many music lovers want a serious upgrade to the first cartridge that comes with their turntable.
Minimal appearance, easy adjustment
According to the company, the new additions to the Oyster series come to upgrade the sound character that the market has known for so many years, offering improvements in areas such as tuning management and the resulting transparency of the sound effect. The trio of Rainier, Olympia and Moonstone uses the same generator and the same shell, but differing in the pin, which is interchangeable between the 3 models. Those who will choose Moonstone, they will be faced with a mobile magnet cartridge, mass 6.5gr and dimensions 17.2mm x 18.8mm x 29mm (WxHxB). The sensitivity is given at 3.0 mV with a recommended resistance of 47kΩ and a recommended capacity in the range of 100-200 pF, while the flexibility is characterized as moderate (12 × 10-6cm/dyn), so it will be compatible with most tonearms on the market. Logically, the majority of analog system owners looking for their first upgrade will have no problem with Moonstone matching.
The cartridge uses an aluminum stem and the pin has an elliptical profile (0.3×0.7mil) with the reading weight being able to range between 1.8-2.2gr having a recommended value of 2gr. According to the company, the cartridge has a frequency response of 12Hz-33kHz, channel separation at 30dB and balance at 0.5 dB. The construction part is something that someone would expect from Sumiko and of course as all the cartridges of Sumiko are handmade in Japan. The cartridge follows a minimal appearance with only a “strong” feature the red color variation of the frame that supports the pin, while the rest of the body is black.
Pleasant & reliable!
The Moonstone was evaluated with the cartridge mounted on a Pro-Ject RPM 3 Carbon turntable. This turntable comes with a 10-inch carbon fiber tonearm while the system was complemented by the -optional Acryl-It acrylic turntable, which is offered as an upgrade by Pro-Ject as well as a Nordost tonearm cable, from the Blue Heaven series (Tonearm Cable +). The signal amplification was undertaken by the phono Goldnote PH-10.
The first element we got from this system was a great sense of volume and realism in the middle area. The vocals sounded realistically, with a small dose of warmth and closeness that we subjectively liked as these features are some of the main reasons we love vinyl, especially when they do not work at the expense of detail and transparency. One such case was this one, as the performance of the details moved at very good levels. The low frequencies appeared slightly accentuated with good speed and rhythm performance without unpleasantly altering the overall tonal balance while the treble appeared pleasantly with the necessary vibrancy and extent, always remaining smooth.
The ensemble has those elements that compose the characterization that many like to refer to as a “sweet” sound. The satisfactory performance of the dynamics also contributes to this, while the music scene had the expected extent with the voices dominating the main stage and the other instruments being well defined and localized in the space. Finally, in terms of readability, there were no significant problems and your cartridge will respond well in everyday use.
Finally, we have a worthwhile solution for anyone who wants to change the input cartridge in his turntable. The implementation of Sumiko will give him a reliable reading, full of character and smoothness that guarantees the musical pleasure and in general the basic positives that one has in mind when referring to the analog sound. Fortunately, the above is not accompanied by discounts in terms of quality and transparency, something you now require in this price range. This is a quality proposal that remains affordable and therefore worth having on your list.
Overview
Description: Cartridge
Generator: Mobile magnet
Pin / Stem: Ultra-elliptical, 0.3×0.7mil / Aluminum
Frequency response: 12Hz-33kHz
Sensitivity: 3mV.
Channel separation: 30dB
Channel balance: 0.5dB
Mass: 6.5gr.
Flexibility: 12 × 10-6cm/dyn
Reading power: 1.8-2.2gr (recommended: 2gr)
Load: 47kΩ / 100-200pF
info: Orpheus Audio, tel .: 210-5221.524.
https://www.orpheusaudio.gr/, https://sumikophonocartridges.com/
Reviewer : Manos Mastrantonakis.
