Cartridge
typical
Among the 89 cartridges in the catalogue, this one is typical.
A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.
ASC-2 parity entry. Discussed extensively [14][220][229][235][248][265][311][384][385]; audited [439][441].
Loading vs Vertere Mystic contrast (100Ω vs 680Ω–1.5kΩ) drove the adjustable-loading phono requirement [229][244].
Assessed against 17 rivals across the sixty systems: 2 head-to-heads won, 63 lost.
The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.
20 lost · Anchored, Artisan, BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Twin Arms
Against the Anchored brief, the van den Hul The Frog keeps the slot decisively.
With the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.
15 lost · Anchored, BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Twin Arms
Against the Characterful brief, the van den Hul The Crimson keeps the slot clearly.
With the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.
4 lost · Silent Path
Against the Silent Path brief, the Goldring Eroica HX MC keeps the slot decisively.
With the Whest Audio 60Se Pro, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Whest Audio 60Se Pro gives up quietness at rest under the Silent Path weighting.
It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.
4 lost · Anchored, Characterful, Intimate, Romantic
Against the Anchored brief, the Hana EL MC keeps the slot decisively.
With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.
With the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO), the pairing gains most on speed stability.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC gives up quietness at rest under the Anchored weighting.
remarkable job tracing groovesPositive Feedback (Gibbs) 2018
4 lost · Artisan, Cavity-Native, PRaT, Reference
Against the Artisan brief, the Sumiko Blue Point No.3 Low MC keeps the slot decisively.
With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.
With the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO), the pairing gains most on bass control.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC gives up quietness at rest under the Artisan weighting.
heightened transient response, reduced resonanceSoundStage! Ultra, Ethos SE review (web 2026-06-12)
3 lost · Artisan, Reference
Against the Artisan brief, the van den Hul The Colibri keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.
2 lost · Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Linn Kendo MC keeps the slot clearly.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the way it sits with the rest of this system under the Twin Arms weighting.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.
2 lost · Vocals-First
Against the Vocals-First brief, the Etsuro Urushi Gold MC keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.
2 lost · Vocals-First
Against the Vocals-First brief, the Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue MC keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.
2 lost · Romantic, Twin Arms
Against the Romantic brief, the van den Hul MC One Special keeps the slot clearly.
With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.
With the Technics S-shape magnesium tonearm (SL-1200G), the pairing gains most on bass control.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC gives up quietness at rest under the Romantic weighting.
almost total lack of groove noise and distortionSoundStage! (Lyle) 2001
1 lost · Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Koetsu Azule Platinum MC keeps the slot clearly.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.
1 lost · Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Koetsu Onyx Platinum MC keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.
1 lost · Vocals-First
Against the Vocals-First brief, the Ortofon MC Quintet Black S keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
1 lost · Silent Path
Against the Silent Path brief, the Rega Nd3 MM keeps the slot decisively.
With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.
1 lost · BBC Sound
Against the BBC Sound brief, the Linn Koil MC keeps the slot decisively.
With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC gives up low-level clarity under the BBC Sound weighting.
0 lost· 1 won · Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Goldring Ethos SE takes the slot decisively.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the stronger cartridge for that brief.
0 lost· 1 won · Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Goldring Ethos SE takes the slot decisively.
On its own merits the Goldring Ethos SE is the stronger cartridge for that brief.
heightened transient response, reduced resonance SoundStage! Ultra, Ethos SE review (web 2026-06-12)· Transient attack
maintaining contact SoundStage! Ultra, Ethos SE review· Micro-dynamic resolution
outstanding and natural sounding Positive Feedback, Ethos SE review· Tonal consistency
refined detail The Ear, standard Ethos review· Spatial resolution
| cartridge type | MC |
|---|---|
| output mv | 0.35 |
| internal impedance ohm | 4.0 |
| recommended load ohm | 100 |
| tracking force g | 1.75 |
| compliance dynamic um per mn | 15 |
| weight g | 7.7 |
| stylus profile | vdH-1S line-contact |
| cantilever material | boron |
| notes |