Zephyr MIMC Star

The Zephyr Star, which weighs 10.27 grams, features a Sapphire cantilever -laser drilled to accept the Selected Contact Line low mass nude stylus, and borrows much of its internal technology from the $4800 Sussurro cartridge that I reviewed some time ago in Stereophile. The Zephyr Star’s compliance is suitably low at 10µm/mN, its rated channel separation at 1K is rated at greater than 28dB and 25dB between 50Hz and 15kHz.

The name is an acronym for “Moving Iron for Moving Coil preamps). In other words, with its .4mV output, the MIMC should be used with a moving coil phono preamp capable of producing between 58-64dBs of gain.

Specifications

Cartridge Type

Fixed Coil

Stylus Type

Contact Line

Output

Low

Output Voltage

.4 mV

Available As Dual Coil Mono

Yes ($300 additional)

Additional Specifications

Type: Fixed Coil / Moving Iron

Mount: Standard ½”

Stylus: Selected Contact Line low mass Nude Stylus

Radius of Curvature: 6 x 17 µm

Cantilever: Laser Drilled Sapphire

Recommended Tracking Force: 1.8 - 2.2 g

Effective Tip Mass: 0.32 mg

Compliance: 10 µm/mN

Frequence Response: 15 - 45,000 Hz ± 2.0 dB

Channel Separation @ 1000 Hz: > 28 dB

N/A (Mono version)

Channel Separation @ 50 - 15,000 Hz: > 25 dB

N/A (Mono version)

Channel Difference: < 1.0 dB

< 0.5 dB (Dual Mono w/optimal VTF setting)

Output Voltage @ 5cm/sec: > 0.40 mV (LOW)

DC Resistance (DCR): 10Ω

Coil Inductance per channel: 2.75 mH

Suggested Preamp Gain: 58 - 64 dB

Cartridge Weight: 12.2 g (ES series)

Recommended Load Resistance: ≥ 470Ω

Recommended Load Capacitance: n/a