Koetsu's platinum-magnet stone-body generator in a polished tigereye body.
The Tigereye Platinum uses the same generator as Koetsu's Onyx Platinum and Blue Lace: rare platinum-alloy magnets, silver-plated copper coils on tightly matched coil and core sets, and a boron cantilever. What changes is the body, machined from a block of tigereye stone selected for its grain and polished to a fine finish. Stone gives the generator a dense, inert mounting, and each body is unique. Koetsu was founded by Yoshiaki Sugano and carried on by his son Fumihiko; after Fumihiko's death in 2023 the brand was revived in 2025, with the original craftsmen and suppliers again building the cartridges by hand in Japan.
Reviews of the Onyx Platinum, which shares this generator, describe a rich, lush midrange, deep and controlled bass and a smooth, linear balance, with strong rhythmic drive and texture. The stone body changes the cartridge's character subtly, so it is worth hearing both if you can. At 12.5 g, the Tigereye wants a rigid, medium- to higher-mass tonearm, and at 0.3 mV a quiet MC stage with about 65 dB of gain or a good step-up transformer.
| Type | Low-output moving coil (MC), stone body |
| Output | 0.3 mV |
| Recommended load | 75–500 Ω |
| Tracking force | 1.8–2.0 g |
| Weight | 12.5 g |
| Body | Tigereye stone |
| Coils | Silver-plated copper, tightly matched coil and core sets |
| Magnet | Platinum alloy |
| Cantilever | Boron |
| Also available | Onyx Platinum and Blue Lace (same generator, different stone bodies) |
Pearl Audio is an authorized Koetsu dealer. Call or visit our Portland showroom to talk about matching a cartridge to your tonearm and phono stage.
