Made in the USA.
Trade-Up Pricing: Receive a credit valued at 30% of the original retail price of a Soundsmith moving iron cartridge towards the purchase of a new Soundsmith moving iron cartridge of equal or greater value.
All original owners of this cartridge are eligible for a rebuild done by Soundsmith directly!
$350 ~ Only 20% (or less) of MSRP!
Click here to fill out Soundsmith's Cartridge Rebuild Form
2 year warranty to the original owner.
Luxury You Can Afford
Zephyr MIMC was Soundsmith's entry-level to the high-performance world of their MC-pre-compatible, low-output cartridges. It brought a very nice portion of the performance available in Soundsmith's higher-end MC-compatible cartridges (Paua, Sussurro, Hyperion) to the more affordable sub-$2k category. 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! This is probably the most important Soundsmith model to have in your arsenal. It brings an astounding portion of the performance available only in Soundsmith's top-level low output cartridges!
Also available in dual-coil mono.
...the new low output Soundsmith Zephyr MIMIC Star is an overachiever that gives you a glimpse of the best in terms of non-mechanical, artifact-free performance...
New ES Series DEMS Design
2018's RMAF show was the official launch of Soundsmith's new ES series of cartridges, where the attendees experienced the latest exploration into overlooked areas of cartridge design and solutions from Soundsmith.
The ES line features not only a dramatic new look, but is a significant evolution of the DEMS system design (Dynamic Energy Management System). The new Soundsmith ES cartridge designs are a significant advancement in cartridge performance due to their ability to direct internal vibrational forces without reflection and disperse them properly to the tone arm. The absence of reflections enables the stylus to stay in far greater statistical contact with the groove walls -- a critically important technical refinement. Increased liquidity and reduced "grain," without loss of detail are some of the immediately discernible advantages of Soundsmith's new ES models.
The new line also features Azimuth adjustment built-in to each cartridge, as well as the option for electrical isolation for hum-prone systems.
Every cartridge in Soundsmith's lineup will now feature their sleek new ES body design. The upgrade is far more than cosmetic; the new shape is a departure from the reflective and "boxy" design of many cartridges whose internal construction contribute to uncontrolled vibrational issues adversely affecting performance. Peter says, "Think of how singing in an open field compares with singing in a shower." Soundsmith has always challenged conventions, looking deeper into nuances of cartridge design that dramatically affect immediate and long term performance. These have included extreme reductions of moving mass and the use of novel materials and designs. The new ES lineup is a continuation of that research and development.
Technical Specifications
| Type | Fixed Coil / Moving Iron |
|---|---|
| Mount | Standard ½" |
| Stylus | Selected Contact Line low mass Nude Stylus |
| Radius of Curvature | 6 x 17 µm |
| Cantilever | Laser Drilled Sapphire |
| Recommended Tracking Force | 1.8 - 2.2 g |
| Effective Tip Mass | 0.32 mg |
| Compliance | 10 µm/mN |
| Frequence Response | 15 - 45,000 Hz ± 2.0 dB |
| Channel Separation @ 1000 Hz | > 28 dB
N/A (Mono version) |
| Channel Separation @ 50 - 15,000 Hz | > 25 dB
N/A (Mono version) |
| Channel Difference | < 1.0 dB
< 0.5 dB (Dual Mono w/optimal VTF setting) |
| Output Voltage @ 5cm/sec | > 0.40 mV (LOW) |
| DC Resistance (DCR) | 10Ω |
| Coil Inductance per channel | 2.75 mH |
| Suggested Preamp Gain | 58 - 64 dB |
| Cartridge Weight | 12.2 g (ES series) |
| Recommended Load Resistance | ≥ 470Ω |
| Recommended Load Capacitance | n/a |
