Cartridges by Mutech
In the past decade, a group of Japanese designers with centuries of combined cartridge design experience are finally gaining the attention of U.S. analog lovers.
Deservedly gaining recognition alongside the likes of Koetsu, Fidelity Research, Kiseki and Supex, U.S. audiophiles are discovering My Sonic Lab (and all the companies they are an OEM manufacturer for), Murasakino, Hana, and Mutech.
We jokingly comment that they must gather for sushi and saki on a regular basis, because (while they are all unique), there are many shared aesthetics amongst these designers.
Mr. Eiji Kanda of Mutech has (for example) had his hand in some Supex designs.
Mutech Hayabusa
The Hayabusa - $5,000
Hayabusa
The Hayabusa shares some key design attributes with the My Sonic Lab cartridges - most notably, extremely low coil impedance, while still maintaining a .45mV output.
Low coil impedance translates to less wire, and therefore less moving mass.
One might conclude that because the Hayabusa "only" has a semi-line contact stylus (not microridge, replicant, etc.) that it fails to retrieve subtle details. One would be wrong.
The Hayabusa honors the entire frequency spectrum and doesn't play favorites.
Listen to it, and it may become your favorite.
Frequency Response | 10-45 kHz |
Cantilever | φ0.3ｍｍ nude boron （3Mm.m×30Mm.m） |
Stylus | semi-line contact |
Magnetic Circuitry | Yokeless Ring Magnet |
Magnet | Neodymium.＃50 |
Output Level | 0.45mV ( 1kHz, 3.45cm/sec) |
Internal Coil Impedance | 1.5Ω |
Tracking Force | 1.8 - 2.0g |
Channel Balance | <= 0.5 dB @ 1kHz |
Channel Separation | >= 30dB @ 1kHz |
Terminal Plating | Rhodium |
Mass | 9 g |
