Soundsmith Carmen Mk II ES

New ES Series DEMS Design

Made in the USA.Rebuild Price? ~ $199~Less Than 20% of MSRP, as always!– The Carmen features a2-year warrantyto the original owner.

A free flowing design,CarmenMk II is highly resolving, with an unparalleled purity of tone and an ultra-smooth presentation. Just slightly lush, with a well-developed midrange,CarmenMk II ultimately seduces you into long, late listening sessions. As dawn approaches and the lead-out groove begins its rumble, you will find yourself desperately fumbling for another record, just to keep the magic alive for one more side.

CarmenMk II is a very special cartridge andthe stylus is a large part of what makesit special. Starting with a very high-purity stone,the diamond is a 50x occlusion free diamond. A true elliptical design,Soundsmithgrinds the entire diamond not just the front and rear, givingCarmenMk II a huge resolution advantage over other elliptical designs and a smoothness of tone that is unique in this price range.

CarmenMk II is a medium-weight cartridge at9.2gmaking it compatible with a broad variety of tonearms and thanks to its2.12 mV output,CarmenMk II works well with most MM phono preamps. AllSoundsmithcartridges areMade in the USA.

What is DEMS?

Sometimes youcanjudge a book by its cover. Peter Ledermann.

2018s RMAF show was the official launch of Soundsmiths new ES series of cartridges, where the attendees experienced the latest exploration into overlooked areas of cartridge design and solutions from Soundsmith.

The ES line features not only a dramatic newlook,but is a significant evolution of the DEMS system design(Dynamic Energy Management System). The new Soundsmith ES cartridge designs are a significant advancement in cartridge performance due to their ability to direct internal vibrational forces without reflection and disperse them properly to thetone arm. The absence of reflections enables the stylus to stay in far greater statistical contact with the groove walls a critically important technical refinement. Increased liquidity and reduced grain, without loss of detail are some of the immediately discernible advantages of Soundsmiths new ES models.

The new line also features Azimuth adjustment built-in to each cartridge, as well as the option for electrical isolation for hum-prone systems.

Every cartridge in Soundsmiths lineup will now feature our sleek new ES body design. The upgrade is far more than cosmetic; the new shape is a departure from the reflective and boxy design of many cartridges whose internal construction contribute to uncontrolled vibrational issues adverselyeffectingperformance. Peter says, Think of how singing in an open field compares with singing in a shower. Soundsmith has always challenged conventions, looking deeper into nuances of cartridge design that dramatically affect immediate andlong termperformance. These have included extreme reductions of moving mass and the use of novel materials and designs. The new ES lineup is a continuation of that research and development.

Specifications