SoundSmith
Zephyr MIMC Star
The Zephyr Star, which weighs 10.27 grams, features a Sapphire cantilever .....laser drilled to accept the Selected Contact Line low mass nude stylus, and borrows much of its internal technology from the $4800 Sussurro cartridge that I reviewed some time ago in Stereophile. The Zephyr Star's compliance is suitably low at 10µm/mN, its rated channel separation at 1K is rated at greater than 28dB and 25dB between 50Hz and 15kHz.
The name is an acronym for "Moving Iron for Moving Coil preamps). In other words, with its .4mV output, the MIMC should be used with a moving coil phono preamp capable of producing between 58-64dBs of gain.
"At the under $2000 price point, 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..." - Michael Fremer / analogplanet.com
Specifications
Specifications
Cartridge Type
Fixed Coil
Stylus Type
Contact Line
Output
Low
Output Voltage
.4 mV
Available As Dual Coil Mono
Yes
Additional 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 (EN series)
Recommended Load Resistance: • ≥ 470Ω
Recommended Load Capacitance: • n/a
