My Sonic Lab Eminent Ex MC Cartridge

My Sonic Lab Eminent Ex MC Cartridge

The goal of any MC cartridge design is to achieve high energy (maximise output) from a low impedance circuit. (i.e. the least number of coil windings)

Historically there has been a trade off between higher output cartridges (e.g. 0.3mV to 0.7mV) which yield less resolution and low level detail, compared to those with an output of 0.1mV to 0.25mV. With the limitations of most of today’s phono stages the trend has been to use higher output MC cartridges at the expense of ultimate resolution.

Utilising Mr. Matsudaira’s vast experience, MSL has solved this problem by producing a cartridge with minimal coil windings (for high resolution) yet with high output gains of 0.3mV to 0.5mV, thus unleashing the musical energy during playback, yet retaining the subtle nuances and resolution. Neodymium magnets have improved this situation but MSL have also designed a high efficiency magnetic circuit, achieving their goal in the MSL Eminent EX with it’s very low internal impedance of 0.9 Ω yet with a higher output of 0.4mV.

THIS EX MODEL IS A HIGHER GRADE THAN THE REGULAR EMINENT (WITHOUT THE EX) AND IS ONLY SOLD OUTSIDE OF JAPAN.

The My Sonic Lab Eminent EX has a 0.4mv output, 0.9 Ω internal impedance whereas the regular Eminent has a 0.5mv output with 1.8 Ω internal impedance

Physical

Body: Aluminium

Cantilever: Super duralumin

Stylus: Semi-line contact (3μmx 30μm)  Coils/Core: Magnet: Neodymium # 50

Terminal pins: Polished Rhodium-plated

Weight: 10.5g

Electrical:

Output Voltage: 0.4 mV / 1 kHz / 5cm / sec DC resistance 1 ohm (DCR)

Internal Impedance: 0.9 ohm (DCR)

Frequency Response: 10 ~ 50kHz

Channel Balance: < 0.5dB (1kHz)

Channel Separation: > 30dB (1kHz)

Dynamic:

Tracking ability:           @315Hz at 2g tracking force

Dynamic Compliance:          10 μm / mN

Set Up:

Recommended loading: > 100 ohms

Recommended tracking force: 1.9 ~ 2.2g