Koetsu - Rosewood Signature Platinum Cartridge

For the listener who desires the stone-bodied series but just can't quite swing it, there's an alternative; the Rosewood Signature Platinum. A platinum magnet with silver-clad copper wire and a special lacquered rosewood body make this Koetsu highly sought after.

For decades, the Koetsu sound has been legend in audiophile lore. But only a proud few have owned and experienced the unequaled magic these hand-built cartridges evoke. Many of the converted search out second and third Koetsus. Why? Maybe it's time you hear for yourself.

To fully appreciate Koetsu, we must know Yosiaki Sugano, an artist, musician, swordsman, calligrapher, business executive and creator of the world's most renowned phono cartridges. Certainly a well-rounded man, Sugano rose to prominence in one of Japan's largest industrial companies in the postwar years, yet continued to pursue his passions, now including hi-fi.

In the 1970s, Sugano began to experiment with phono cartridges by substituting his own parts in commercially available models. His keen ear and deductive reasoning, combined with an artist's sensibilities, led to the creation of what would become a legend in audio. Sensing the moment, Sugano named his cartridge after his hero, Koetsu.

Sugano's quest led him to enlist universities, specialized industries and master craftspeople to create the special parts to go into his masterpieces. One of the first to use 4 nines copper (99.99% pure), curent production uses 6 nines copper (99.9999% pure). Platinum signature models feature silver cladding of the 6 nines copper, a process where a silver sheath is slowly drawn over the copper conductor.

Ultra-pure iron square plate formers were sourced for their most predictable magnetic characteristics and lowest oxidation. Pre-aged to the perfect consistency, rubber suspension parts are sourced under license with a rubber damper manufacturer. Special magnetic materials, including Alnico have been featured. Today, samarium-coblalt is used with platinum magnets reserved for the flagship models. Japanese craftsmen carve the rosewood bodies, lacquer coat the Urushi bodies, or cut stone for the onyx Platinum. Styli are specially designed and precision ground for Koetsu.

Today, Sugano's sons have revived his art and continue to create musical masterpieces under the watchful eye of the old master. For every music lover, your journey to musical nirvana is incomplete without a Koetsu phono cartridge in your system.

The Koetsu Rosewood is a cornerstone of high-performance analog playback history. By carefully selecting ultra high purity materials and aging parts to perform optimally, Sugano-san formed a cartridge that recreates real breathing music extracted from the grooves of your record collection.  

The Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum features rare platinum magnets and silverplated 6N copper coils  usually reserved for Koetsu's stone body cartridges. It's the perfect choice for those lusting after a stone model but require a cartridge with less mass or simply prefer the look of rosewood. 

"I'd never before had the sense so strongly that I was actually hearing the mike feed. It was truly amazing; I felt like I was right there."                  Jonathan Scull, Stereophile Magazine November 1998

“To me, the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum felt extraordinarily natural, sophisticated, and correct. Most important, Koetsu's best rosewood-bodied cartridge made me feel good about the records I own. Once you go Koetsu . . .” Herb Reichert, Stereophile Magazine December 2018

Specifications

Lacquered Aged Rosewood Body
Silverplated Copper Coil Wiring
Platinum Magnet
Boron Cantilever
0.3 mV Output
5 Ohm Internal Impedance
12.4g Net Weight
Recommended Tracking Force 1.8-2.0g
Recommended Load 75-500 ohms