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.
Sumiko Songbird High — Reference-series high-output MC (2.5mV) → MM 47k; sibling of Songbird Low.
Assessed against 17 rivals across the sixty systems: it takes the slot in none of its 65 head-to-heads.
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 Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.
With the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl, the pairing gives up most on bass weight.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
powerful dynamicsvdH Frog reviews
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 decisively.
With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.
With the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
dynamicSumiko Reference-series consensus
dynamicSumiko Reference-series consensus
4 lost · Silent Path
Against the Silent Path brief, the Goldring Eroica HX MC keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
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 gives up most on bass control.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
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 gives up most on bass control.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
dynamicSumiko Reference-series consensus
dynamicSumiko Reference-series consensus
3 lost · Artisan, Reference
Against the Artisan brief, the van den Hul The Colibri keeps the slot decisively.
With the EAR Yoshino 88PB MM/MC, 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 Sumiko Songbird High MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
2 lost · Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Linn Kendo MC keeps the slot decisively.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC 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 Gold MC keeps the slot by a whisker.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC 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 Sumiko Songbird High MC 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 decisively.
With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.
With the Technics S-shape magnesium tonearm (SL-1200G), the pairing gives up most on bass control.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
1 lost · Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Koetsu Azule Platinum MC keeps the slot decisively.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC 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 decisively.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC 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 Goldring Eroica LX MC keeps the slot decisively.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
1 lost · Twin Arms
Against the Twin Arms brief, the Goldring 1042 MM keeps the slot decisively.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
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 Sumiko Songbird High MC 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 low-level clarity.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC 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.
With the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO), the pairing gives up most on bass control.
On its own merits the Sumiko Songbird High MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.
rounded bassPROXY: AT-OC9 platform
resolving Sumiko Reference-series (Songbird/Oriole) consensus· Spatial resolution
dynamic Sumiko Reference-series consensus· Transient attack
neutral Sumiko house DNA· Tonal consistency
30dB channel separation at 1kHz SPEC: channel separation 30dB @1kHz (manufacturer)· Spatial naturalness
generously voiced midrange Analog Planet (Fremer) 2019· Presence & articulation
without edginess or peakiness Analog Planet (Fremer) 2019· Harmonic texture
upper frequency focus and soundstage weaker The Audiophile Man (Rigby) 2020· Spatial naturalness
| cartridge type | MC |
|---|---|
| output mv | 2.5 |
| internal impedance ohm | 135.0 |
| recommended load ohm | 47000 |
| tracking force g | 1.8/2.2 |
| compliance dynamic um per mn | 20.4 |
| weight g | 7.4 |
| stylus profile | elliptical |
| cantilever material | aluminium |
| frequency response hz | 12/30000 |
| channel separation db | 30.0 |
| notes |