We use cookies to make your experience better. To comply with the new e-Privacy directive, we need to ask for your consent to set the cookies. Learn more.
Borrowing from and refining on the resonance-optimized housing of our latest Oyster cartridges (Moonstone, Olympia & Rainier), we further reduce output to curtail extraneous noise. Topped off with a nude line-contact diamond, the stylus couldn’t be more nimble. Reaching every nook & cranny of your record grooves and handling that information with the utmost grace, Amethyst competes favorably with similarly priced MC designs. It’s shockingly quiet and thus transparent as can be, skillfully tracing even the most complicated passages your LP collection has to offer. Expect effortless dynamic handling, depth and clarity over a black background, impeccably realistic transience and images that leap from your soundstage but remain naturally positioned.
Upgrade Path
Our latest range of MM cartridges is comprised of Rainier, Olympia, Moonstone, Wellfleet & Amethyst (not to mention the RS 78 replacement stylus). All styli are physically interchangeable and all cartridge bodies are identical except for Amethyst, which uses an improved anatomy to bolster the performance of the line-contact diamond. Long & short, you have 2 cartridge bodies & 6 replacement styli to choose from, enabling you to shape sonics to suit your preferences! Such interchangeability can serve Amethyst owners in the way of a backup stylus or as a stylus set aside for certain records (e.g. older and/or damaged records). The choice is yours!
Hand-Crafted in Japan
From Oyster to Reference, each Sumiko phono cartridge is crafted by hand in Yokohama, Japan — near the waters where our namesake Oysters dwell. We’ve selected by ear the finest materials that combine 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.
Mass & Dimension: 6.5g, 17.2 x 18.8 x 29mm (WxHxD)
Stylus: 0.2 x 0.8mil Nude Line-Contact
Cantilever: ⌀0.5mm Aluminum Pipe
Coils: High-Purity Copper
Internal Impedance: 700Ω
Load Impedance: 47kΩ
Frequency Response: 12Hz – 35kHz
Output: 2.5mV
Channel Separation: 30dB @ 1kHz
Channel Balance: 0.5dB @ 1kHz
Compliance: 12×10-6 cm/dyn @ 100Hz
Capacitance: 100pF – 200pF
Vertical Tracking Angle: 25°
Tracking Force Range: 1.8g – 2.2g
Recommended Tracking Force: 2.0g
Replacement Stylus Unit: RS Amethyst
"MAP" products are not Frequent Flyer eligible.
The pricing indicated is the absolute lowest allowed by the manufacturer. Our "Frequent Flyer" Program offers pricing and/or freight incentives for any order over $100 domestically ($300 internationally). Frequent Flyer is a cumulative program, so you will get credit for all previous orders each time to place a new order! With us, everyone’s a Frequent Flyer - no prior signup needed. After you place an order for Frequent Flyer eligible products, we will calculate applicable incentives. Your order amount will be adjusted and we will confirm the calculations by email within one business day. Click for more details.