The Sumiko Oriole moving coil cartridge is the latest creation from Sumiko’s workshops, hand-wound and meticulously assembled by the skilled engineers at Excel Sound in Yokohama, Japan.
Designed for demanding vinyl enthusiasts, the Oriole combines refined craftsmanship with sophisticated resonance control to deliver an immersive and emotionally engaging listening experience.
Advanced Open-Body Technology
Like the acclaimed Sumiko Starling, the Oriole features an open-body design. This architecture significantly reduces internal resonances that could otherwise cause coloration or distortion due to energy accumulation within the cartridge body.
Internal resonance is carefully damped within the generator itself. Residual energy is then directed through the mounting plate and headshell interface, traveling down the tonearm where it dissipates harmlessly. This approach ensures cleaner signal retrieval and improved tonal accuracy.
With a low output level of 0.3 mV, the Oriole requires a high-quality phono preamplifier offering around 64 dB of gain. Its relatively high compliance makes it particularly well-suited to low-mass tonearms.
Nude Shibata Stylus & Optimized Generator
The Sumiko Oriole is equipped with a Nude Shibata / Line Contact diamond stylus, delivering exceptional groove contact and precise tracking across the record surface.
It is paired with a hardened aluminum cantilever, ensuring rigidity and stable energy transmission.
The generator uses high-purity OFC (Oxygen-Free Copper) coils, carefully oriented to minimize distortion and signal loss. The generator mounting plate is made from PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone), a highly stable material that optimizes mechanical integrity and energy transfer.
A rigid alloy headblock further assists in channeling unwanted resonance energy away from the cartridge body. The entire generator assembly is designed with a strong emphasis on resonance control, ensuring clarity and low distortion.
Sound Performance
The Sumiko Oriole delivers the brand’s signature smooth and refined presentation, while adding impressive transparency and definition.
The stereo imaging is expansive and precise, creating a highly immersive soundstage. Despite its lush and engaging character, the Oriole remains remarkably faithful to tonal accuracy, preserving timbre and texture with great realism.
Dynamics are excellent, lending life and natural flow to every performance. The sound is warm yet detailed, expressive yet controlled.
Designed for long listening sessions without fatigue, the Oriole offers a deeply musical and emotionally satisfying vinyl experience.
Highly recommended.
FranckDiamond: Shibata naked in line contact,
Cantilever: Reinforced hollow aluminum,
Load impedance: > 60 ohms,
Channel separation at 1kHz: 30dB,
Frequency response: 12Hz – 45kHz,
Sensitivity: 0.3mV,
Compliance (100Hz): 12×10⁻⁶ cm/dyne.
Tracking force: 2.0 g
Coils: High-purity copper
VTA: 20°,
Weight: 7.3 g
