This Benz Micro cartridge is almost a legend! In fact, the Swiss manufacturer has been producing this Benz Micro ACE (Advanced Cartridge Engineering) for 15 years.
As with most models in the range, it is historically available with three output levels. A Low SL (SL=0.4mV), Medium (SM=0.8mV) and High (SH=2.5mV) output variant.
The product is crafted, assembled and tested meticulously in Benz Micro's new workshop in Switzerland, under the expert eyes and ears of Albert Lukaschek.
Benz Micro ACE SL: Needle
In the latest 'S' variants, the ACE is adorned with a beautiful Micro Ridge stylus profile fitted to a boron cantilever.
The generators have new coils that use a high purity copper conductor.
A special o-ring seal, ideally designed to provide mechanical linearity and perfect elongation, with the necessary precision to reproduce the subtleties without any colouration, holds the assembly together and serves as a damper.
The compliance of this Benz Micro ACE SL cartridge (15), combined with its weight (8.8 g) make it suitable for a resonance between 8 and 12 Hz, making it compatible with tonearms with an effective weight between 6.5 and 22 g.
Benz Micro ACE SL: Listening and test review
From the opening bars (after a break-in period of a dozen hours) you'll immediately notice and admire the timbre quality of this Benz Micro ACE SL!
A far cry from the cold and clinical listening experience of some competitor products.
The instruments have a greater perspective and the vocals have unparalleled presence and authenticity.
The sound stage is perfectly even across the frequency range, with no excess, which gives more perspective to the various sections.
The dynamics are excellent with a good tempo. It has amazing balance and is very consistent in all registers.
Note that the surface noise is minimal, allowing the music to fully express itself!
This Benz Micro ACE SL cartridge is not exactly new to us, as we were already using one ten years ago. Nevertheless, this new model is a real step-up in quality, giving this benchmark product an almost unrivalled ‘magical’ quality. We highly recommended it for analogue fans everywhere.
Very highly recommended
AWARDS:
The Absolute Sound - Editors' Choice Award - 2012
FranckType: Low output MC
Output: 0.4 mV
Cantilever: Solid boron, 0.28 mm
Stylus: Micro Ridge
VTA: 20 degrees
Coils: Pure Iron Cross
Compliance: 15cU
Internal impedance: 12 Ohms
Frequency response: 20-20 kHz
Channel balance: > 0.5 dB
Channel separation: > 35 dB at 1 kHz
Tracking force: 1.6-2 grams
Weight: 8.8 grams
Recommended load: > at 100 ohms
Break-in: 40 hours
Customer reviews
Superbe mariéé àau Dynavecteur 505
Cette cellule se marie superbement au bras Dynavecteur 505 (Moyen - lourd). Bases onctueuses, aiguës précises et détaillés. Du grand bonheur. Ayant acquis le bras Dynavecteur récemment je constate que celui-ci c'est d'un niveau au dessus du Acos Lustre GST1 qu'il remplace (pas le même cout) et qu'était déjà très bon.
Cellule Benz Micro MC ACE SL
Sans attendre le rodage cette cellule sur une "VPI Clasic" est très agréable d'une homogénéité incroyable les timbres sonnent vrais . Elle remplace une Rondo blue sans regret .
Encore merci à Franck pour ses précieux conseils .