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Koetsu · Rosewood
$12,495
Not currently in our rooms. For a serious buyer we will often bring a piece in from the manufacturer for a private session — tell us about your system and what you are weighing it against, and we will advise.
Koetsu · Rosewood
Koetsu's stone-series generator, with platinum magnets and silver-plated coils, in an aged rosewood body.
Authorized Koetsu dealer · Delivery and installation by Pearl Audio · Trade-ins welcome
The story
The Rosewood Signature Platinum takes the platinum-alloy magnets and silver-plated 6N copper coils Koetsu normally reserves for its stone-bodied cartridges and fits them into a lacquered, aged rosewood body. It is for listeners who want stone-series performance but prefer the look and character of wood. The cantilever is boron, and because each body is handcrafted, no two are identical. 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.
Jonathan Scull reviewed an earlier version for Stereophile and heard a rich, deeply satisfying midrange, powerful bass and open, detailed highs on a large soundstage, with a relaxed, full-bodied character; he found light loading worked best. Koetsu also cites Herb Reichert at Stereophile calling it natural and sophisticated. At 12.4 g, it suits a rigid, medium- to higher-mass tonearm, and at 0.3 mV it needs a quiet MC phono stage with about 65 dB of gain or a good step-up transformer.
The Rosewood Signature Platinum sits above the Urushi models and just below the stone bodies, whose generator it shares. Koetsu publishes no trade-in program, but it rebuilds its cartridges at the factory in your own body; the Rosewood Signature rebuild is listed at $3,695, and a diamond cantilever can be added for $7,995.
| Type | Low-output moving coil (MC) |
| Output | 0.3 mV |
| Recommended load | 75–500 Ω |
| Tracking force | 1.8–2.0 g |
| Weight | 12.4 g |
| Body | Lacquered aged rosewood |
| Coils | Silver-plated 6N copper |
| Magnet | Platinum alloy |
| Cantilever | Boron |
| Also available | Rosewood Signature (copper coils, 0.4 mV) |
Koetsu publishes no trade-in program for this product; the factory service that applies is listed below. Ask us about trade-ins.
| Koetsu factory rebuild — Rosewood Signature | $3,695 (Koetsu's list prices the Rosewood Signature rebuild; the Platinum version is not listed separately, so confirm with us; add a diamond cantilever for $7,995; through Axiss Audio, allow several months) |
| Diamond cantilever option (any rebuild) | $7,995 (additional cost on top of the rebuild price) |
Koetsu's May 2026 US list does not price a Rosewood Signature Platinum rebuild separately. Koetsu publishes factory rebuild prices but no trade-in or exchange program; the rebuild keeps your own body and returns it with a new generator and stylus assembly. Ask us about trade-ins. Verified 2026-10-28. Source: Koetsu 2026 U.S. list pricing (Axiss Audio, May 2026).
The Koetsu cartridges Pearl Audio stocks, from least to most expensive:
Plan your Koetsu system with Pearl Audio
Pearl Audio is an authorized Koetsu dealer. Arrange an audition in our Portland showroom, and ask us about a factory rebuild when yours is due. Call (503) 222-2599 or email sales@pearlaudio.com.
Ownership
Koetsu cartridges can be returned to the maker for service rather than replaced outright. We handle the paperwork and shipping.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Koetsu factory rebuild — Rosewood Signature | $3,695 |
| Diamond cantilever option (any rebuild) | $7,995 |
Koetsu's May 2026 US list does not price a Rosewood Signature Platinum rebuild separately. Koetsu publishes factory rebuild prices but no trade-in or exchange program; the rebuild keeps your own body and returns it with a new generator and stylus assembly. Ask us about trade-ins. Verified 2026-10-28. Ask us about trade-ins.
Pricing per Koetsu - 2026-05 - US List Price (retail). Programs are set by the manufacturer and may change.
The Pearl Audio experience
A system at this level should be heard, thoughtfully matched, and properly set up. From the first audition to long-term ownership, you work with the same people, in person.
The Rosewood Signature Platinum Moving Coil Cartridge is not in our rooms at present. When it is the right piece for a client we arrange a demonstration unit from the manufacturer and set it up for a private session.
We deliver and install throughout the Portland area, taking care of placement, connections, ventilation and system configuration ourselves.
We support everything we sell for as long as you own it, whether the answer comes by phone, in your home, or through factory service.
Trade-in assistance and qualifying 100% Trade-Up options give you flexibility when your listening priorities or your system change.
