Soundsmith - The Aida Ebony MI Phono Cartridge - High Output Medium Compliance

Boasting an OCL stylus attached to a single crystal ruby cantilever, the AIDA dances right through the most complex musical passages. This Medium Compliance cartridge, while sophisticated, is still compatible with a wide variety of tonearms and MM type phono-stages. Handmade in New York State-the AIDA can go toe-to-toe with cartridges costing three times the price.

Technical Specifications

• Stylus:     Contact Line Nude, 0.100mm SQ
• Radius of curvature:     Optimized Contour Contact Line
• Cantilever:     Ruby
• Recommended Tracking force:     10mN / 1.0 gm (high), 13mN / 1.3 gm (medium)
• Effective tip mass:     0.30 mg
• Compliance:     28 µm/mN (high), 22 µm/mN (medium)
• Frequency response:     20-20,000 Hz ± 2.5 dB
• Channel Separation (stereo only):     1000 Hz >30 dB, 50-15,000 >20 dB
• Channel difference:     <1.0 dB (Stereo), <1.0 dB (Mono)
• Output voltage:     >0.6 mV/cm/sec.
• 5 cm/sec. Lat. RMS:     >2.12 mV
• Cartridge weight:     6.8 grams
• Load:     Resistance >/= 47 kohms, Capacitance: 100 - 200 pF, (400-600 pf available by special order)

Customer Reviews (5.00 Stars) 3 person(s) rated this product.

Superb sound and stage. posted on 01/24/2010 5 Stars Reviewer: Arturo Castaneda I'm a technosaurus, I have sticking to Shure V-15 cartrigdges for many, many years. The Aida replaced a V15xMR, one of the last produced, which is still in perfect condition. However, it was time to move over and get a new one. I was considering a Sumiko Blackbird before I read the raving review about the Soundsmith MMC1 in Stereophile. The Aida is a hand picked MMC1 and encased in ebony for better sound. Well, everything I read about it is true! The sound and clarity of this cartridge is astonishing and best of all: no MC pre-amp. I've been listening to some of my favorite albums ranging from Rock to Classical and I can't believe the detail and cleanliness of the sound. CCR's Cosmo's Factory comes alive, Santana Abraxas is a new experience, Peggy Lee was singing Black Coffee in the room, The Vienna Philharmonic came to play at my home and then The London Philharmonic! Awsome! BUY ONE, I doubt you can do better, you will love it!

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