Output, gain & loading
Output voltage and internal impedance help determine required phono gain and loading. MM designs may also specify capacitive loading. Low-output MC designs demand especially quiet gain.
Stereophile Class A
This is a special, built-to-order, version of Etna Lambda for expert users with very high-gain, extra low noise phono stages, or alternatively a step-up transformer designed for phono cartridges of 2 - 3 ohms or less. Most users (and phono stages) will benefit from the regular Etna with much higher output and considerably more energy; resulting in a much better signal-to-noise ratio. If you are in doubt about which version of Etna that will work best in your system, please go with the regular Etna.
The Etna SL may provide extra pure and pristine sound from an audio system that is optimized for a low-impedance, low-output cartridge. However, this may be accompanied with a lesser level of energy and power. Lyra nevertheless has decided to offer SL models, as built-to-order at a 10% surcharge, for those who are confident that they can extract the benefits from such a low-output MC phono cartridge.
Designer: Jonathan Carr
Builder: Yoshinori Mishima (final build, testing), Akiko Ishiyama (preliminary build)
Type: Medium weight, medium compliance, low-impedance, low-output moving coil cartridge
Stylus: Lyra-designed long-footprint variable-radius line-contact nude diamond (3um x 70um profile, block dimensions 0.08 x 0.12 x 0.5mm), slot-mounted
Cantilever system: Diamond-coated solid boron rod with short one-point wire suspension, directly mounted into cartridge body via high-pressure knife-edge system
Coils: 2-layer deep, 6 N high-purity copper, chemically-purified high purity iron X-shaped former, 1.52 ohm self-impedance, 1.9μH inductance
Output voltage: 0.25 mV@5 cm/sec., zero to peak, 45 degrees (CBS test record, other test records may alter results)
Frequency range: 10 Hz-50 kHzChannel separation: 35 dB or better at 1 kHzCompliance: Approx. 12 X10 cm/dyne at 100 HzVertical tracking angle: 20 degrees
Cartridge body: Multi-material (titanium, duralumin, bronze, stainless steel) self-clamping construction with reduced-surface higher-pressure headshell contact area, predominately non-parallel shaping, phase-interference resonance-controlling mechanisms, body threaded for mounting screws
Cartridge mounting screws: 2.6 mm 0.45 pitch JIS standard
Distance from mounting holes to stylus tip:
9.52mm
Cartridge weight (without stylus cover): 9.2g
Recommended tracking force: 1.65 ~ 1.78g (1.72g recommended)
Recommended load directly into MC phono input: Determine by listening,
Recommended load via step-up transformer: Use a step-up transformer designed for 2 - 3 ohms cartridge impedance. The transformer output must be connected to standard 47kohm MM-level RIAA input, preferably via short, low-capacitance cable
Recommended tonearms: High-quality pivoted or linear tangential tonearms with rigid bearing(s), adjustable anti-skating force, preferably VTA
Pearl Audio can help with cartridge matching, installation, and alignment.
Call (503) 222-2599 to start a conversation.
Product: Etna Lambda SL Cartridge
Stereophile Class A
This is a special, built-to-order, version of Etna Lambda for expert users with very high-gain, extra low noise phono stages, or alternatively a step-up transformer designed for phono cartridges of 2 - 3 ohms or less. Most users (and phono stages) will benefit from the regular Etna with much higher output and considerably more energy; resulting in a much better signal-to-noise ratio. If you are in doubt about which version of Etna that will work best in your system, please go with the regular Etna.
The Etna SL may provide extra pure and pristine sound from an audio system that is optimized for a low-impedance, low-output cartridge. However, this may be accompanied with a lesser level of energy and power. Lyra nevertheless has decided to offer SL models, as built-to-order at a 10% surcharge, for those who are confident that they can extract the benefits from such a low-output MC phono cartridge.
Designer: Jonathan Carr
Builder: Yoshinori Mishima (final build, testing), Akiko Ishiyama (preliminary build)
Type: Medium weight, medium compliance, low-impedance, low-output moving coil cartridge
Stylus: Lyra-designed long-footprint variable-radius line-contact nude diamond (3um x 70um profile, block dimensions 0.08 x 0.12 x 0.5mm), slot-mounted
Cantilever system: Diamond-coated solid boron rod with short one-point wire suspension, directly mounted into cartridge body via high-pressure knife-edge system
Coils: 2-layer deep, 6 N high-purity copper, chemically-purified high purity iron X-shaped former, 1.52 ohm self-impedance, 1.9μH inductance
Output voltage: 0.25 mV@5 cm/sec., zero to peak, 45 degrees (CBS test record, other test records may alter results)
Frequency range: 10 Hz-50 kHzChannel separation: 35 dB or better at 1 kHzCompliance: Approx. 12 X10 cm/dyne at 100 HzVertical tracking angle: 20 degrees
Cartridge body: Multi-material (titanium, duralumin, bronze, stainless steel) self-clamping construction with reduced-surface higher-pressure headshell contact area, predominately non-parallel shaping, phase-interference resonance-controlling mechanisms, body threaded for mounting screws
Cartridge mounting screws: 2.6 mm 0.45 pitch JIS standard
Distance from mounting holes to stylus tip:
9.52mm
Cartridge weight (without stylus cover): 9.2g
Recommended tracking force: 1.65 ~ 1.78g (1.72g recommended)
Recommended load directly into MC phono input: Determine by listening,
Recommended load via step-up transformer: Use a step-up transformer designed for 2 - 3 ohms cartridge impedance. The transformer output must be connected to standard 47kohm MM-level RIAA input, preferably via short, low-capacitance cable
Recommended tonearms: High-quality pivoted or linear tangential tonearms with rigid bearing(s), adjustable anti-skating force, preferably VTA
Pearl Audio’s Cartridge Method
The right cartridge is the one that works as a complete mechanical and electrical match with your tonearm and phono stage. Pearl Audio evaluates the generator, output, compliance, stylus profile, and setup requirements together—so the cartridge can perform as its designer intended.
Moving-magnet and moving-coil designs ask different things of phono-stage gain, noise performance, capacitance, and loading.
Cartridge mass and compliance work with the tonearm’s effective mass. A good match supports stable tracking and controlled resonance.
Stylus geometry and cantilever construction influence groove contact, setup sensitivity, tracking behavior, and long-term care.
Alignment, tracking force, azimuth, vertical geometry, anti-skate, and the maker’s replacement or rebuild path all matter after purchase.
Selection, setup & ownership
A specification is useful when it answers a system question. Use the product details above together with the guidance below, then let Pearl Audio confirm the final match for your turntable, tonearm, records, and phono stage.
Output voltage and internal impedance help determine required phono gain and loading. MM designs may also specify capacitive loading. Low-output MC designs demand especially quiet gain.
Cartridge weight and dynamic compliance should be considered with tonearm effective mass, headshell hardware, counterweight range, and mounting geometry.
Stylus profile, cantilever material, tracking ability, and recommended tracking force describe how the cartridge traces a record—and how carefully it must be aligned.
Overhang, offset angle, tracking force, azimuth, vertical geometry, and anti-skate should be established with suitable tools and checked as a connected system.
Stereo, true-mono microgroove, and historical record formats are different use cases. The cartridge and stylus must be selected for the records it will actually play.
Confirm stylus replacement, exchange, rebuild, and inspection options before purchase. Policies differ between replaceable-stylus and fixed-stylus designs.
Look for the manufacturer’s current values for:
Do not assume that the highest-priced model is automatically the best fit. Compare adjacent models for:
A true-mono cartridge can be valuable for mono microgroove records, while older coarse-groove records require a purpose-appropriate stylus and setup. Confirm the record format, groove type, stylus profile, and electrical configuration; “mono” alone is not enough information.
Pearl Audio can help determine whether a dedicated mono cartridge, a stereo cartridge, or a second arm/headshell is the most practical approach.
Service is part of cartridge value. Depending on the model, the maker may offer a user-replaceable stylus, dealer exchange, factory rebuild, or no field-serviceable stylus at all.
For a useful recommendation, tell us:
Use the manufacturer’s current instructions for mounting hardware, tracking force, alignment, cleaning, inspection, and service. Protect the cantilever during installation, keep the stylus clean with an approved method, and recheck setup after any change to the cartridge, headshell, arm height, or mat.
Pearl Audio can install and align compatible cartridges and verify the initial phono-stage settings.