Cartridges by Ikeda
These cartridges are the result of Ikeda-san's 40 years' design experience, beginning with Fidelity Research tonearms and cartridges, and now reborn as the Ikeda company.
The sonic palette they paint with is very much like that of Koetsu.
Prices below are effective August, 2022.
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9TS - $3,200
The entry point to the Ikeda line.
It has slightly more output at .35mV and will be compatible with a broader range of phono stages.
Output Voltage | 0.35mVrms (1kHz 35.4mm/sec. at 45°peak) |
Coil Impedance | 6.0 Ohms (1kHz) |
Stylus Force | 2.0 Grams ±0.2 Grams |
Frequency Response | 10Hz - 45kHz |
Channel Separation | Over 27dB (1kHz) |
Channel Balance | Within 1.0dB (1kHz) |
Stylus | Oval-shaped solid diamond |
Cantilever | Double layered duralumin pipe |
Weight | 10 Grams |
Compliance | 7 x 10-6cm/dyne |
9TT - $4,900
The 9TT's body is machined from a solid billet of aluminum alloy.
The cantilever is made of a double layered duralumin pipe in order to reduce its moving mass.
Other key features include a line contact stylus, a highly highly efficient permalloy core, low impedance coils, a powerful neodymium magnet and an optimized magnet yoke for linear magnetic response.
Output Voltage | 0.16mVrms (1kHz 35.4mm/sec. at 45°peak) |
Coil Impedance | 2.0 ohms (1kHz) |
Stylus Force | 1.8 grams ±0.2 grams |
Frequency Response | 10Hz - 45kHz |
Channel Separation | Over 27dB (1kHz) |
Channel Balance | Within 1.0dB (1kHz) |
Stylus | Diamond, Line Contact |
Cantilever | Double layered duralumin pipe |
Weight | 10 Grams |
Compliance |
9 Mono - $4,900
Designed from the ground up as a mono cartridge, the 9 Mono has two independent coils - right and left, located separately in the housing so that the electrical circuit is isolated.
Two low resistance coils have vertical winding. A high efficiency permalloy core generates power only in the horizontal motion.
This architecture eliminates extraneous hum.
Output Voltage | 0.22mVrms (1kHz 50mm/sec. Peak) |
Coil Impedance | 2.0 Ohms (1kHz) |
Stylus Force | 1.8 Grams ±0.2 Grams |
Frequency Response | 10Hz - 45kHz |
Channel Balance | Within 0.5 dB (1kHz) |
Stylus | Oval-shaped diamond |
Cantilever | Dual structure duralumin pipe |
Weight | 10 Grams |
Compliance | 7 × 10-6cm/dyne |
Sai - $7,200
The Sai is the evolution of the 9MUSAM, and is designed to work with arms using a traditional, removeable headshell.
Output Voltage | 0.3 mVrms (1kHz 35.4mm/sec. at 45°peak) |
Coil Impedance | 2.5 Ohms (1kHz) |
Stylus Force | 2.0 Grams ±0.2 Grams |
Frequency Response | 10Hz - 45kHz |
Channel Separation | Over 30dB (1kHz) |
Channel Balance | Within 0.5dB (1kHz) |
Stylus | Micro-ridge |
Cantilever | Boron |
Weight | 30 Grams |
Compliance | 7 x 10-6cm/dyne |
Kai - $9,600
The physical construction of the Kai is all about resonance control, with multiple materials targeted at different areas.
The main body is machined from an aluminum billet due to its damping properties, and the top and base of the generator are titanium for strength and rigidity.
With a boron cantilever, efficient permalloy core, low impedance coils, ideally shaped magnet yoke and a generator unit and samarium-cobalt magnet, each cartridge is hand assembled, precisely aligned and inspected.
Output Voltage | 0.19 mVrms (1kHz 35.4mm/sec. at 45°peak) |
Coil Impedance | 2.5 Ohms (1kHz) |
Stylus Force | 1.8 Grams ±0.2 Grams |
Frequency Response | 10Hz - 45kHz |
Channel Separation | Over 27dB (1kHz) |
Channel Balance | Within 1.0dB (1kHz) |
Stylus | Micro-ridge solid pure diamond |
Cantilever | Boron |
Top Panel | Titanium |
Weight | 11.5 Grams |
Compliance | 7 x 10-6cm/dyne |
9Gss - $11,200
Building on the Kai, the 9Gss was introduced in April, 2018 and is limited to 200 cartridges world-wide.
The 9Gss picks up where the Kai left off. We'll try to unpack the the flowery prose you'll find in the Japanese literature.
As with the Kai, resonance control receives equal equal attention to the signal generator which employs a neodymium magnet and a yoke structure optimized for linearity.
Also as with the Kai's construction, different materials are targeted at various sections of the cartridge in order to optimize rigidity and resonance control.
The internal frame construction consists of a central pillar fabricated from an alloy known for its damping properties and an upper base of titanium for rigidity. Both of these parts receive a surface treatment of 5 micron gold over 5 micron rhodium.
Similarly, the outer aluminum alloy body receives a surface treatment of 5 micron gold over micron silver.
These surface treatment techniques are adopted from brass instruments.
Output Voltage | 0.3 mVrms (1kHz 35.4mm/sec. at 45°peak) |
Coil Impedance | 3.0 Ohms (1kHz) |
Stylus Force | 2.0 Grams ±0.1 Gram |
Frequency Response | 10Hz - 45kHz |
Channel Separation | Over 30dB (1kHz) |
Channel Balance | Within 1.0dB (1kHz) |
Stylus | Solid pure square diamond |
Cantilever | Boron |
Top Panel | Titanium |
Weight | 14.0 Grams |
Compliance | 10 x 10 -6cm/dyne |
