SUMIKO Starling - MC Phono Cartridge - NEW!

PLEASE CHECK AVAILABILITY BEFORE CONFIRMING YOUR PURCHASE! Our stock can change any minute – we sell through various sales channels.

Brand New! – Closed Box
We are authorised dealers of the finest audio gear and musical instruments.

Note 1: Free shipping within EU. For specific shipping rates outside EU please message us. Shipping price you see is only a generic estimation.
Note 2:  This product is custom ordered. Please, message us to check availability and/or eventual delay for shipping.
Note 3: We sell without taxes anywhere outside Europe and to valid VAT ID companies inside Europe. Please ask us your price without Tax in those cases.
Note 4: Ask us for a bundled price with any Claraudio turntable and tonearm.

SUMIKO STARLING Phono Cartridge - Next-Gen Reference Moving Coil Phono Pickup

If picture is worth 1000 words, Starling propels the question of what a sonic image might be worth. Evident in the very existence of our hobby is music’s unique ability to reach us with a certain profundity that exists well outside of what we can hear. It can be said that feelings are what we’re chasing, and if invoked by the most convincing portrayal of your dearest recordings, those feelings can be all the more profound. A sonic image can thus be priceless, and we’ve designed Starling to realize that image in your system. Added to the resonance-optimized headblock & generator borrowed from Songbird, Starling implements a rigid boron cantilever finished with an ultra-low-mass Microridge stylus. Microridge is a diamond profile highly regarded worldwide for its even-handedness while simultaneously delivering richness & clarity. Bonded to our assembly, rarely has this famous stylus achieved such agility in the groove — certainly not at Starling’s price. What you experience is gorgeously suspended sonic imagery that places you just where you want to be — front & center.

Our Latest Reference Open-Body MCs
We are immeasurably excited about these recent additions to our Reference open-body MC lineup. Our latest darlings — Songbird & Starling — are a heavy refinement on our tried & true Blackbird & BPS EVO III designs. Securely anchored to a highly rigid, resonance-optimized headblock, our new generator is free to work its magic with the utmost control, free of unwanted internal resonance. The generator assembly is flexible and sturdy, offering the highest fidelity possible in a perfect balance of clarity and romance. The result is industry-leading, holographic imaging with irresistibly ‘true’ sweetness. Each delivers a degree of honesty & refinement that we couldn’t be more proud of, nor more excited for you to hear for yourself.

Trade In or Trade Up
As user-replaceable styli are not on an option for moving coil phono cartridges, remember that any of our MCs, functional or otherwise, can be returned to your dealer in a re-tip exchange — a discount on a new cartridge of equal or greater value — sparing you expense when your stylus heads south! Here’s how it works… The cartridge you own is worth 30% its retail value in trade. As an example, if you have a cartridge with a retail value of $1000, it’s worth $300 in trade toward your new cartridge. All trade-ins must be done through an authorized dealer. Note: our trade program is valid within the United States only.

Hand-Crafted in Japan
From Oyster to Reference, each Sumiko phono cartridge is crafted by hand in Yokohama, Japan — near the waters where our namesake Oysters dwell. We’ve selected by ear the finest materials that combine to deliver performance that has enlightened generations of listeners. Each design is thoroughly auditioned until perfected. Production is then executed by world-class cartridge makers with a collective eye for precision & quality. The result is a full horizon of cartridges eager to introduce themselves to your analog system — we firmly believe there’s a perfect cartridge for you here.

TECH SPECS
Mass & Dimension9.5g, 17 x 18 x 28.5mm (WxHxD)
StylusSolid Ultra Low-Mass 75µm x 2.5µm Microridge
Cantilever⌀0.28mm Boron Shaft
CoilsHigh-Purity Copper
Internal Impedance28Ω
Load Impedance>100Ω
Frequency Response12Hz – 50kHz
Output0.5mV
Channel Separation35dB @ 1kHz
Channel Balance<0.5dB @ 1kHz
Compliance12×10-6cm/dyn @ 100Hz
Capacitance100pF – 200pF
Vertical Tracking Angle20°
Tracking Force Range1.8g – 2.2g
Recommended Tracking Force2.0g