Sumiko Starling MC Phono Cartridge - Pre-Loved and Like New

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Here's great opportunity to own one of Sumiko's best cartridges at a nice discount.

This Starling was used briefly and well taken care of. It shows no wear under the microscope and is straight and perfect. The suspension is supple and the stylus is super clean.

I can't imagine there being an audible difference between this cartridge and a brand new one.

Part of the highly reviewed reference series by Sumiko with a current MSRP of $1799

We strongly recommend checking out our new Sumiko In-Depth Cartridge Guide for the best match to your system:

More details from Sumiko:

"Our new flagship open-architecture moving coil cartidge uses the same resonance-reducing body design as the Songbird, but introduces a long-grain boron cantilever and a Micro-Ridge stylus. This allows the Starling to render the grandeur of an orchestra while still preserving air and space, and also realize every detail of a nuanced Jazz recording with its responsive dynamics and deep silences. The mechanical silence of the Starling concedes a dynamic linearity across the entire spectrum that allows it to handle even the most demanding passages with effortless poise and convincing drive."

From a detailed review by Jason Thorpe via SoundStage! Network:

"The Reference Starling slapped me in the face. While I know that Sumiko has been in the cartridge business forever, and obviously should know by now how to make a good cartridge, I hadn’t expected this level of performance for a (pretty much) affordable price."

View all cartridges currently available for purchase on our website

View all Sumiko cartridges currently available for purchase on our website

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Cartridge Type: 

Moving Coil

Stylus: 

Micro-Ridge

Cantilever Material:

boron

Wire Material: 

pure copper

Internal Impedance:

28Ω

Load Impedance: 

>100Ω

Frequency Response:

12Hz - 50kHz

Output Voltage: 

0.5mV

Channel Separation: 

35dB @ 1kHz

Channel Balance: 

<0.5dB @ 1KHz

Compliance: 

12x10-6 cm/dyn @ 100Hz

Recommended Load Capacitance:

100pf - 200pF

Vertical Tracking Angle:

20°

Tracking Force: 

1.8g - 2.2g

Recommended Force: 

2.0g

Cartridge Weight: 

9.5g

The SkyFi Testing Process for Phono Cartridges

We start by doing a detailed physical inspection under light magnification to asses the cantilever condition, its position in the cartridge body and the condition of the suspension. We also inspect any coil wires and the output connections to make sure it hasn’t been strained. We then perform a light cleaning with specialized agents and blow it dry with compressed air.

We then perform a more detailed inspection with our Wild Heerbrugg professional microscope. From there we can asses the wear and quality of the stylus and determine how much use it has had and if there are any mechanical issues. We can also identify if it needs further cleaning or care.

We then move the cartridge to a digital microscope where we take photo os the cantilever for future reference.

We then move to the test bench where we can check for continuity of each channel and resistance.

On certain cartridges and it the technician feels necessary we install the unit on a turntable and run a few test records to ascertain tacking ability, distortion and compliance.