The Sumiko Moonstone MM cartridge is the third cartridge of the new “Oyster range” offered by the Californian manufacturer, Sumiko. This range includes four MM cartridges: the Amethyst, Rainer, Olympia, and Moonstone.
Sumiko Moonstone: Body
The look of this Moonstone cartridge will not please everyone. However, this Sumiko Moonstone cartridge does not look anything like competing cartridges. Its black mat finish gives it a quality aspect.
It is equipped with brass inserts in order to fix the screws. We appreciate this tightening method as it does not use nuts and offers an excellent tightening torque. However, this will not please owners of “vintage” Thorens vinyl record players as their headshell from another time period is not compatible with this phono cartridge. Indeed, this headshell does not enable to mount a cartridge from above.
The body and the generator have undergone a “damping” treatment which significantly reduces internal resonances and limits colour.
Sumiko Moonstone: Stylus
The stylus is a very thin 0.3 x 0.7 microns elliptical stylus. It is mounted on a 0.5mm aluminium cantilever.
The coils use a very pure and deoxygenated copper conductor. It is to point at that the moving magnets are different and more powerful than those on the Sumiko Olympia cartridge.
Sumiko Moonstone: Compatibility
Thanks to its mass and compliance, the Sumiko Moonstone Hi-Fi cartridge is compatible with the majority of low mass tonearms.
It is also compatible with a good MM phono preamplifier that offers at least a gain of 42 dB and a load capacitance of 100 pF.
Sumiko Moonstone: Testing and listening
The sound restitution is very dynamic and physical, offering an uncommon realism.
The unison has a very convincing presence and balance for a MM cartridge.
The soundstage is three dimensional, just like on MC cartridges. The timbre is superb for a phono cartridge in this price range.
This Sumiko Moonstone MM cartridge is made for lovers of analogue sound that have a good turntable, without necessarily having a high end phono preamp. On several aspects, it offers a musicality similar to small low output MC cartridges.
Highly recommended +++
FranckPrinciple: MM cartridge
Stylus: 0.3 x 0.7 microns elliptical stylus
Cantilever: 0.5 mm aluminium
Coil: Pure copper
Bandwidth: 12 Hz – 33 Khz
Output voltage: 3 mv
Channel separation: 30 dB
Channel balance: 0.5 dB
Compliance: 20 (x10-6cm/dyn)
Load impedance: 47 Kohms
Load capacitance: 100 - 200 pF
Tracking force: 1.8/2.2 g
Recommended tracking force: 2.0 g
Total cartridge weight: 6.5 g
Compatible stylus: Moonstone
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Customer reviews
Fantastique !
Une cellule étonnante pour son prix ! J'avais une Grado silver , cette Sumiko l'a vite enterré... une belle dynamique sur tout le spectre avec de la chaleur malgré tout, vivante sans jamais être agaçante . Je redécouvre tous mes disques avec une belle scène sonore et plein détails. Une présence absolue sur les voix , les cuivres , les cordes. Des graves bien présents et tendus. Bref ! un petit bijoux .
Installée sur une platine DUAL CS 455 à laquelle j'ai changé le câble + préampli Lehmann Audio " Black-cube".
Excellente !
Très joli son sur les cuivres (cymbales, trompette, saxo) s'est doux, texturé, le grave est bien présent sans traînage. J'ai vraiment l'impression d'entendre une MC. Un peu moins de gain que l'Ortofon M2 Red avec le pré-ampli Cambridge Audio CP2, mais équivalent à la Soundsmith, la dynamique est vraiment excellente sur les envolées de trompette sa monte très haut mais jamais agressif, comme une MC quoi !. La batterie est rendu avec du pep's et avec un très joli timbre très naturel belle texture sur les peaux. La séparation stéréo est spectaculaire toujours associer au Cambridge Audio CP2. Vendu 329€ je la conseille très fortement, je la compare très volontiers à la Sumiko blue Point n°2 sauf que cette dernière vaut presque 600€. Pour les fans de jazz est est vraiment super. Soigner le pré-amp elle en vaut franchement le coût.