A light, rigid Clearaudio moving coil that reviewers found fast, transparent and neutral, with much of the flagship Goldfinger's energy.
The da Vinci V2.1 uses an aluminum body with a hard 30-micron ceramic coating, which keeps it stiff, light and well damped. The whole cartridge weighs just 6.8 g. Inside, Clearaudio's patented eight-magnet system sits around 24-karat gold coils. The coils are arranged symmetrically about the pivot point so both channels see the same conditions. A long boron cantilever carries a Clearaudio Prime Line diamond.
Reviewers of the da Vinci V2 described it as neutral and transparent. They heard airy treble, quick transients, a quiet background and a deep, stable soundstage. One placed it close to the Goldfinger Statement in energy and balance, with the flagship ahead in dynamics and focus. It will not flatter a bright system, so it is best with speakers that are not forward up top. Setup takes care. Track at about 2.8 g, and reviewers liked it loaded between roughly 160 and 300 Ω. The long cantilever makes overhang critical, so check your tonearm's headshell slots before you buy. An arm with on-the-fly VTA adjustment helps, too. You'll need an MC phono stage with about 60 dB of gain or a step-up transformer.
| Type | Low-output moving coil (MC) |
| Output | 0.5 mV (5 cm/s) |
| Internal impedance | 50 Ω |
| Recommended load | Not specified by Clearaudio; reviewers used 160–300 Ω |
| Tracking force | 2.8 g ±0.2 g |
| Compliance | 15 µm/mN |
| Tracking ability | 80 µm |
| Weight | 6.8 g |
| Stylus | Clearaudio Prime Line |
| Cantilever | Boron |
| Coils | 24-karat gold, pivot-symmetrical |
| Body | Aluminum with 30-micron ceramic coating |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz – 20 kHz |
| Channel separation / balance | 25–30 dB / <0.5 dB |
Pearl Audio is an authorized Clearaudio dealer. Call or visit our Portland showroom to talk about matching a cartridge to your tonearm and phono stage.
