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.

Galibier Design - Ikeda Kai Cartridge

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Galibier Design - Ikeda 9TS Cartridge

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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

Galibier Design - Ikeda-9TT Cartridge

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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


Magnetic Circuit

Neodymium Magnet

Galibier Design - Ikeda 9 Mono Cartridge

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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

Galibier Design - Ikeda-SAI Cartridge

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Sai - $7,800

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

Galibier Design - Ikeda Kai Cartridge

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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

Magnetic Circuit

Samarium Cobalt

Galibier Design - Ikeda 9Gss Cartridge

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9Gss - $11,900

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

Magnetic Circuit

Neodymium magnet

Galibier Design - Ikeda Akiko Cartridge

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Akiko - $16,500

The Akiko distinguishes itself as being the first Ikeda cartridge with a diamond cantilever.  

All things being equal (which they of course, never are), diamond cantilevers improve on the already high speed of boron cantilevers due to their rigidity.



Output Voltage

0.35 mVrms (1kHz 35.4mm/sec. at 45°peak)

Coil Impedance

6.0 Ohms (1kHz)

Stylus Force

2.0 - 2.25 Grams

Frequency Response

10Hz - 45kHz

Channel Separation

Over 30dB (1kHz)

Channel Balance

Within 0.5dB (1kHz)

Stylus

Microridge

Cantilever

Diamond

Body

Titanium

Weight

15.0 Grams

Compliance

10 x 10 -6cm/dyne

Magnetic Circuit

Neodymium magnet /  PCOC Coils

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