Sumiko Songbird | Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

Achieve Amazingly Detailed yet Relaxed Sound with Sumiko's Songbird Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

• Principle: Moving Coil
• Clear and ultra-musical with just the right degree of warmth, offering a deeper soundstage with greater reach
• "The Sumiko Songbird did an excellent job of making this treasurable recording sing and inspire me” – Herb Reichert, Stereophile
• Each cartridge handcrafted in Yokohama, Japan

Next-Gen Moving Coil Phono Pickup

Particularly adept with vocals & acoustic instruments, Songbird was created to make genuine moving coil imaging available to any listener. It delivers the sweetest highs over a robust, rich yet clear low-midrange. Like its big sibling Starling, Songbird suspends sonic images in a highly controlled manner. As opposed to music being flung from your speakers, you’re placed among the naturally-positioned instruments in the soundstage, close in proximity to the intimate nuances of the musical material. If you’ve got an MM phono section, there’s a good chance Songbird High is the cartridge you’ve been dreaming about.

Clear and ultra-musical with just the right degree of warmth, Songbird Low offers an even deeper soundstage with greater reach width-wise. As it’s generally more quiet thus allowing more detail to surface, you’ll be shocked by the surprises it yields even in the recordings you’re most familiar with. Stunningly holographic in a manner that approaches that of Starling, Songbird Low maximizes the refinement of your MC system at a price that’s well below reasonable considering the performance it achieves.

The Latest Reference Open-body MCs

Sumiko is proud of their recent additions to their Reference open-body Moving Coil (MC) lineup. Their latest darlings — Songbird & Starling — are a heavy refinement on the tried & true Blackbird & BPS EVO III designs. Securely anchored to a highly rigid, resonance-optimized headblock, the 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 of which Sumiko couldn't be prouder or more excited for you to hear for yourself.

Trade In or Trade Up

User-replaceable styli are not an option for moving coil phono cartridges. But any Sumiko MC, 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. Your trade-in can be done through Bloom Audio as an authorized dealer. Note: Sumiko's trade-in 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 their namesake Oysters dwell. The finest materials have been ear-selected 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.

Specifications

• Design Principle: Moving Coil
• Weight: 8.5g
• Dimensions: 17mm x 18mm x 28.5mm
• Stylus: 0.3 x 0.7mil Elliptical
• Cantilever: ⌀0.5mm Treated Aluminum Pipe
• Coils: High-Purity Copper
• Internal Impedance: 135Ω
• Load Impedance: > 47kΩ
• Frequency Response: 12Hz – 40kHz
• Output: 2.5mV
• Channel Separation: 30dB @ 1kHz
• Channel Balance: < 0.5dB @ 1kHz
• Compliance: 12×10-6cm/dyn @ 100Hz
• Capacitance: 100pF – 200pF
• Vertical Tracking Angle: 20°
• Tracking Force Range: 1.8g – 2.2g
• Recommended Tracking Force: 2.0g
• Replacement Stylus Unit: Re-Tip Exchange (See Dealer)
• Sumiko Cartridge 1 Year Warranty