Sumiko Starling

Reference Series

The Starling is the flagship open architecture cartridge from SUMIKO, exhibiting true high-end sound from a meticulously engineered device.

No aspect of the cartridge's design was left to chance. The Starling is an open-architecture moving coil cartridge that renders the grandeur of an orchestra while still preserving air and space, and also delivers every detail of a nuanced Jazz recording with its responsive dynamics and deep silences. The benefit of the physical design is that resonances often associated with external housings are eliminated in the Starling, yet to enhance this further the cartridge also boasts a CNC-precision milled high-grade aluminium mounting plate so the cartridge system can perform effortlessly. 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.

The long-grain boron cantilever employed in the Starling provides class-leading energy transfer from the stylus to the coils. Further, the synthetic rubber suspension system is tuned so the hardness and repulsion factor are optimised for a controlled acoustic performance over a long lifespan.

The sophisticated Starling design results in a combination of superior dynamics and excellent long term tracking ability. When finished with the specially ground, low-mass, high-end MicroRidge stylus, tremendous amounts of detail can be extracted from the record groove.

As it's part of the Reference Series, the Starling is painstakingly crafted by hand in a process that involves hours of labour. After assembly, final adjustments are made using a battery of test records, and performance is hand-calibrated for your enjoyment.

The Starling is a traditional "low output" moving coil, but its fidelity and technical characteristics mean that it delivers a truly high-end sound when paired with the appropriate equipment in a high-end vinyl system.

Key Features:

• Moving Coil cartridge with MicroRidge stylus
• Long-grain boron cantilever
• Exceptional sonic characteristics, with deep silences
• Ultra-low resonance open architecture design
• Overhead mounting design
• Easy to set-up and install

Technical Data

• Frequency Response: 12Hz - 50kHz
• Output Voltage: 0.5mV
• Internal Impedance: 28Ω
• Load Impedance: >100Ω
• Channel Seperation: 35dB @ 1kHz
• Channel Balance: <0.5dB @ 1kHz
• Stylus Type: Micro-Ridge
• Compliance: 12x10-6 cm/dyn
• Tracking Force Range: 1.8 - 2.2g
• Recommended Force: 2.0g
• Cartridge Weight: 9.5g