Soundsmith - Zephyr MIMC Star

Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC Star

Zephyr MIMC was our entry-level to the high-performance world of Soundsmith's MC-pre-compatible, low-output cartridges. It brought a very nice portion of the performance available in our higher-end MC-compatible cartridges (Paua, Sussurro, Hyperion) to the more affordable sub-$2k category.

"Its dynamic presentation is also bold and unrestrained, unless you are used to far more costly cartridges where you can get greater microdynamic subtlety (small dynamic shifts) and better “image carving” and solidity with blacker background black (you do get what you pay for when you spend $5000, $8000 and more for a phono cartridge) but with the Zephyr Star, I think you will get more for your $1749.95 than you were expecting to get." -Michael Fremer from Analog Planet

Recently, Peter Ledermann decided to see if he could stretch the limits of the MIMC’s performance even higher without stretching past the $2k price point … little did any of us know how far he would be able to take it!

The updated Zephyr MIMC ? smashes through sonic barriers with its new laser-drilled Sapphire cantilever and select nude Contact-Line diamond stylus!

Technical Specifications

• Stylus:     Selected Contact Line low mass Nude Stylus
• Radius of curvature:     6 x 17 μm
• Cantilever:     Laser Drilled Sapphire
• Recommended tracking force:     1.8 to 2.2 grams
• Effective tip mass:    0.32 mg
• Compliance:     10 μm/mN (low compliance)
• Frequency response:     15-45,000 Hz ± 2.0 dB
• Channel separation (stereo only):     1000 Hz >28 dB, 50-15,000 >25 dB
• Channel difference:     <1.0 dB (Stereo), <0.5 dB (Dual Mono operation- w/optimal VTF setting
• Output Voltage:     ≥0.4 mV
• DC Resistance (DCR):     10-11 Ω each channel
• Coil:     2.75 mH each channel
• Suggested Preamp Gain:     58-64 dB
• Soundsmith Recommends:     MCP2 Variable Loading Preamp
• Cartridge weight:     10.25 grams
• Loading:     ≥ 470 Ω