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Miyajima Madake MC

Cartridge

Relative price

above typical

Among the 89 cartridges in the catalogue, this one is above 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.

What it is

Miyajima Madake — bamboo cantilever, blackwood. Low output → MC stage/SUT.

Competition record

Assessed against 17 rivals across the sixty systems: 1 head-to-head won, 119 lost.

Where it gives ground

The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.

  • bass control ×73
  • rhythmic grip ×46
  • quietness at rest ×32
  • low-level clarity ×15
  • speed stability ×2

Who it comes up against

van den Hul The Frog

38 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.

With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl gives up quietness at rest under the Anchored weighting.

a much faster performerStereophile Analog Corner #232/#272 + 10 Audio — Madake reviews

van den Hul The Crimson

29 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 decisively.

With the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl gives up low-level clarity under the Characterful weighting.

a much faster performerStereophile Analog Corner #232/#272 + 10 Audio — Madake reviews

Goldring Eroica HX MC

8 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 Miyajima Madake MC 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.

Hana EL MC

8 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 gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC 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
a much faster performerStereophile Analog Corner #232/#272 + 10 Audio — Madake reviews

Sumiko Blue Point No.3 Low MC

8 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 gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC 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.

a much faster performerStereophile Analog Corner #232/#272 + 10 Audio — Madake reviews

van den Hul The Colibri

6 lost · Artisan, Reference

Against the Artisan brief, the van den Hul The Colibri keeps the slot clearly.

With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Vertere Groove Runner X gives up bass control under the Artisan weighting.

a much faster performerStereophile Analog Corner #232/#272 + 10 Audio — Madake reviews

Etsuro Urushi Gold MC

4 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Etsuro Urushi Gold MC keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue MC

4 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 Miyajima Madake MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

van den Hul MC One Special

3 lost · Romantic, Twin Arms

Against the Romantic brief, the van den Hul MC One Special keeps the slot decisively.

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 gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC 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
a much faster performerStereophile Analog Corner #232/#272 + 10 Audio — Madake reviews

Linn Kendo MC

2 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Linn Kendo MC keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC 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.

Ortofon MC Quintet Black S

2 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 Miyajima Madake MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

Rega Nd3 MM

2 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 Miyajima Madake MC 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 Silent Path weighting.

It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

Linn Koil MC

2 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.

With the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC 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.

rounded bassPROXY: AT-OC9 platform
rounded bassPROXY: AT-OC9 platform
a much faster performerStereophile Analog Corner #232/#272 + 10 Audio — Madake reviews

Koetsu Azule Platinum MC

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Koetsu Azule Platinum MC keeps the slot clearly.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC 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.

Koetsu Onyx Platinum MC

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Koetsu Onyx Platinum MC keeps the slot clearly.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC 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.

Goldring Eroica LX MC

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Goldring Eroica LX MC keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC 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 above the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

Goldring 1042 MM

0 lost· 1 won · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Miyajima Madake MC takes the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Miyajima Madake MC is the stronger cartridge for that brief.

It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

What the reviewers said

a much faster performer Stereophile Analog Corner #232/#272 + 10 Audio — Madake reviews· Transient attack
air, openness and extremely natural resolution in the treble 10 Audio — Madake review· Spatial resolution
the full harmonics of every sound 10 Audio — Madake review· Harmonic texture
long-lasting fading trails 10 Audio — Madake review· Micro-dynamic resolution
without making it sound thin or bright 10 Audio — Madake review· Tonal consistency
reins in the midrange riches 10 Audio — Madake vs Shilabe· Tonal body
the most neutral-sounding Miyajima to date Stereophile (Fremer) 2014· Tonal body
extend the top end without sounding thin or bright Stereophile (Fremer) 2014· Spatial resolution
renders voices in the most natural manner True Audiophile (dealer)· Harmonic texture

How it scores

Clarity

  • Spatial resolution 80 from listening evidence

Voice

  • Tonal body 72 from listening evidence
  • Harmonic texture 77 from listening evidence

Rhythm

  • Transient attack 82 from listening evidence

LowerVolume

  • Micro-dynamic resolution 76 from listening evidence
  • Tonal consistency 76 from listening evidence

Specifications

cartridge typeMC
output mv0.23
internal impedance ohm16.0
recommended load ohm100
tracking force g2.5
compliance dynamic um per mn9
weight g9.7
stylus profileShibata
cantilever materialbamboo (madake), tapered
body materialAfrican Blackwood
frequency response hz20/32000
notes