The overriding comment we hear is that the SoundSmith Hyperion is the finest cartridge we have ever heard/used. Comparative cartridges have included a broad range of top Japanese and German manufactured units. Among the Hyperion’s attributes and stand-out characteristics are its neutral and precise presentation.
https://www.sound-smith.com/cartridges/fixed-coil/hyperion-mkii-mr
The Soundsmith Hyperion MKII-MR cartridge sports “additionally reduced” internal moving mass along with a Micro Ridge stylus. Notably, each Hyperion MR cart is handmade by Soundsmith’s above-noted chief engineer, Peter Ledermann.
| Type: | • Fixed Coil / Moving Iron |
| Mount: | • Standard ½” |
| Stylus: | • Micro-Ridge, 0.08 mm square |
| Radius of Curvature: | • Selected Optimized Contour Contact Line |
| Cantilever: | • Hand formed/treated selected Cactus “Spine” |
| Recommended Tracking Force: | • 1.8 – 2.2 g |
| Effective Tip Mass: | • 0.30 mg |
| Compliance: | • 10 μm/mN |
| Frequence Response: | • 20 – 20,000 Hz ± 1.0 dB |
| Channel Separation @ 1000 Hz: | • > 36 dB • N/A (Mono version) |
| Channel Separation @ 50 – 15,000 Hz: | • > 25 dB • N/A (Mono version) |
| Channel Difference: | • < 0.5 dB • < 1.0 dB (Mono version) |
| Output Voltage @ 5cm/sec: | • > 0.40 mV |
| 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 |