ORTOFON OM10 with JICO Hyper-elliptical Stylus

When people ask for my recommendations regarding cartridges I always encourage them to purchase a cartridge that has a line contact style of diamond (such as hyper-elliptical, MicroLine, Shibata etc). This is because the V-shaped tip traces the grooves more precisely, giving better detail retrieval, improved tracking, lower surface noise, and lower wear.
Unfortunately, these more complex diamond tips are considerably more expensive than elliptical or round diamonds, so cartridges including them typically range from $300 upwards.  The most popular over the last few years has been the Audio Technica AT440ML series. These are now superseded by the VM540ML which is $440. A recent addition to our product line is the JICO JR645SE at $275 which is excellent value for money.

We recently asked JICO to make a hyper-elliptical version of the OM10 stylus and can now offer this with an OMB10 body for just $180. 

SPECIFICATIONS of the OM10

- Output voltage at 1000 Hz, 5cm/sec: 4 mV

- Channel balance at 1 kHz: 1.5 dB

- Channel separation at 1 kHz: 25 dB

- Channel separation at 15 kHz: 15 dB

- Frequency range at - 3dB: 20-27,000 Hz

- Frequency response: 20-20,000 + 2 / - 1 dB

- FIM distortion at recommended tracking force, DIN 45.542: < 1%

- Tracking ability at 315Hz at recommended tracking force: 80 µm

- Compliance, dynamic, lateral: 25 µm/mN

- Stylus type: Elliptical

- Stylus tip radius: r/R 8/18 µm

- Equivalent stylus tip mass: 0.4 mg

- Tracking force range: 1.25-1.75 g (12.5-17.5 mN)

- Tracking force, recommended: 1.5 g (15 mN)

- Tracking angle: 20°

- Internal impedance, DC resistance:: 1 kOhm

- Internal inductance: 580 mH

- Recommended load resistance: 47 kOhm

- Recommended load capacitance: 200-400 pF

- Cartridge colour, body/stylus: Black/Black

- Cartridge weight: 5 g