Sumiko - Blue Point #2 High Output MC Cartridge

Got this, didn't listen yet.

The channel separation and tracking detail have me rediscovering records I've heard 50 times!

Very good tracking ability. Free from most inner groove distortion, except the most congested. Then it is graceful and merely sounds hard. No outright breakup, and free from most sibilance. Otherwise pleasing on most grooves.Tone is mostly well balanced with a merely slight hint of brightness.Spacious staging and sense of amplitude. Presents fine details naturally and free from over etching.Definitely attractive sound, and it is a keeper here. But its value, as return per dollar paid, is second to the Denon DL-110, which is completely realistic for a substantially lower price.The Blue Point 2 does present a slightly brighter tone, which is preferred by some users.

I bought this from another site to mate to a Technics SL1200GR turntable. I'm puzzled by the reviews as this is one of the best cartridges for the money that you can buy. It's balanced and detailed. It is spectacular for jazz and classical, and a good cartridge for rock and roll. It is not bass heavy, so if you need that you should probably look elsewhere.Sumiko has been making this cartridge for over a decade. It continues to win awards from audiophile magazines. The Blue Point is a moving coil cartridge, which because of its low moving mass delivers very nuanced sound. It requires careful setup, but it is an easy cartridge to mount (because of it's flat face and the positioning of the stylus.Some find this cartridge bright, I do not. It takes between 50 - 100 hours to burn in, after that the sound seems fuller to me. For people without a phono amp, the high output of this cartridge is a bonus.People looking for an audiophile quality cartridge will not be disappointed. This is a highly recommended product. Check out the reviews online if you don't believe me.

Its well balanced and sounds quite refined, despite its bonded elliptical stylus. Hard to choose between this one and the Denon DL-110, both HOMCs. The Denon is perhaps more neutral, and the BP has a bit more sparkle. While the Denon is a better value, this one is a keeper nonetheless.