Carmen mk II

MSRP (USA)

999.99

New ES Series DEMS design : Click to learn more about these cartridges!

To purchase Soundsmith products PLEASE contact your nearest dealer or Importer to your Country ( Worldwide US dealer/Importer list: Click Here ) If you cannot buy from one of our US dealers please use the below FORM to order. You may also us it to order from Canada, Middle east, Africa, South America, Mexico.

Are you outside of the US and want to buy from us directly? You may do so, ONLY if we do NOT have an IMPORTER for your country. Please check here first https://www.sound-smith.com/dealers and if we do not import into your country, click the BUY IT NOW button on any product OR email us at
Orders@sound-smith.com. You may also call us at 914 739 2885 – Thank you!

Orders@sound-smith.com or 914 739 2885

ⓘ User Manual(s) and alignment information:

Carmen_MKII_ES.zip<-(click link)

Carmen_MKII_ES_High_Compliance.zip<-(click link)

IN STOCK!! Order NOW to insure fast shipping

We prefer you purchase from your nearest Soundsmith dealer [see list here]. If one is not available we are glad to take your order below.

for Credit/Debit card, or PayPal purchase, use Add To Cart Button

From below Drop Down Menus select Cartridge and options then Your Location/Shipping Method then Click Add to Cart. Please review your Paypal settings for correct address and Phone Number or your order may be delayed.:

PLEASE NOTE - IF YOU WISH TO USE A CARD, CLICK "CHECK OUT" (UNDER THE PAYPAL LOGO)

AND THEN SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE NEXT PAGE TO SEE & CLICK "USE CARD" !!!!!

Select location for shipping fee amount, we can ship up to three items under the shipping fee, use the Additional Item option for 2nd or 3rd item, if you have already the shipping fee in your basket

"I get emails from audio enthusiasts and music lovers around the world asking for recommendations of a relatively affordable phonograph cartridge that is warm, dimensional, musical, and has relatively high output so you don't have to use an expensive step-up transformer with it to play music..." - (click for more Positive Feedback review)

Welcome to the next level
At this point, I've played hundreds of records with this ebony-bodied wonder, and I think I'm finally starting to grasp some of the inner beauty of Peter Ledermann's inventions. - click for more: https://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-4-0

Watch Video:

Just wanted to let you know how much I LOVE the SoundSmith Carmen Mk II phono cartridge. (more...)

Created out of the desire to make a very high performance design at an affordable price, the Carmen mk II was crafted to have unparalleled purity of tone and ultra-smooth presentation. Just slightly lush with a well-developed midrange, the Carmen is surprisingly pleasing and will seduce you into long, late listening sessions. Rebuild Price? ~ $199 ~ 20% (or less) of MSRP, as always ! - The Carmen features a 2 year warranty to the original owner.

The stylus used is a large part of what makes it special; an ultra-low mass occlusion free nude diamond cut and polished into a true hyper-elliptical shape. The combination of low tip mass and the Fixed Coil design gives the Carmen a tremendous resolution advantage over MC designs selling for more than twice the price. Housed in a handmade solid Ebony case, the Carmen delivers.

Also available in dual-coil mono ($300 additional).

Why Fixed Coil Kicks Ass

Lasts A Lifetime

999.95

Warranty

Workmanship on this product is warranted for 2 full years

Specifications

Output

High

Available As Dual Coil Mono

Yes ($300 additional)

Additional Specifications

Type:	• Fixed Coil / Moving Iron
Mount:	• Standard ½”
Cartridge Height:	• WITHOUT ALUMINA inserts = .675” top to stylus tip – with two half round alumina pieces for ground isolation add .010” • WITH center slot full round Alumina (use for azimuth adjustment if your arm does NOT allow such) = .733” Stylus: • Contact Line, Nude, 0.10 mm square
Stylus:	• Elliptical Nude, 0.12 mm square
Radius of Curvature:	• 6 x 17 µm
Cantilever:	• Aluminum Alloy
Recommended Tracking Force:	• 1.3 - 1.6 g Standard (Medium Compliance) • 1.0 - 1.2 g (Special Order High Compliance)
Effective Tip Mass:	• 0.35 mg
Compliance:	• 22 µm/mN (Medium Compliance) • 28 µm/mN (High Compliance)
Frequence Response:	• 15 - 45,000 Hz ± 2.0 dB
Channel Separation @ 1000 Hz:	• > 26 dB • N/A (Mono version)
Channel Separation @ 50 - 15,000 Hz:	• > 20 dB • N/A (Mono version)
Channel Difference:	• < 1.6 dB • < 1.0 dB (Mono version)
Output Voltage @ 5cm/sec:	• > 2.12 mV (HIGH)
DC Resistance (DCR):	• 680Ω
Coil Inductance per channel:	• 190 mH
Suggested Preamp Gain:	• 38 - 44 dB
Cartridge Weight:	• 9.20 g (ES series)
Recommended Load Resistance:	• ≥ 47kΩ
Recommended Load Capacitance:	• n/a