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Etsuro Urushi | moving coil stereo cartridge made in Japan

Elegant & Gorgeous Japanese Traditional Craft Gold Leaf and Urushi crafting
Elegant & Gorgeous Japanese Traditional Craft Gold Leaf and Urushi crafting
Etsuro Flagship Etsuro Gold - Japanese Kinpaku Finish
Elegant & Gorgeous Japanese Traditional Craft Gold Leaf and Urushi crafting

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A superb product, combining Japanese technology and tradition.

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OUR FORMALITY

The Etsuro MC cartridges series was jointly developed by Mr. Masao Okada, CEO/CTO of Excel Sound Co., Ltd., which has more than half a centuryʼs experience manufacturing MC cartridge, and Mr. Etsuro Akiyama of Dai-Ichi Shoji Co., Ltd. which has been exporting audio equipment including phono cartridges and electronic measuring instruments since the 1970’s. The two companies started manufacturing the Etsuro MC Cartridge series to aim for the highest Japanese quality, which has never existed in the past, and to challenge high-end audiophiles around the world with this work of art.

President Okada of Excel Sound created the Etsuro model by focusing on the high-fidelity characteristic of the sound being transferred from the groove of the record to the audio equipment while being a low output MC Cartridge. With this characteristic, the cartridge is able to extract natural sounds from the record with transparency in all sound ranges. You will be able to enjoy the reality of multiple atmospheres, ranging from an orchestra playing classical Western music to a piano, vocals, a brass band, indoor music, and a symphony played by an orchestra in a concert hall.

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The “Microline” stylus tip,  which has an ideal contact surface of 80 μm against the record grooves, is used for the Etsuro series to achieve high reproduction performance, especially in the high frequency range.
The Etsuro Gold model has adopted the diamond cantilever, and due to the diamond's characteristics, the vibration transmittance speed can be increased to improve the sound quality. At the same time, unnecessary resonance is reduced to emphasize the transparency of the reproduced sound. The magnetic circuit is based on the combination of electromagnetic soft iron and samarium cobalt, proven by many of its achievements, and has achieved magnetic characteristics consistent with the coil vibration to ensure the overall balance and thickness of the sound. The sapphire base will firmly support each of these highest quality materials, and the Japanese traditional craft technique of, gold leaf has been applied to the housing, which is made of extra-super duralumin (A7075). Its performance, together with its elegant, and gorgeous finish, means that it deserves to be the top model.
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The Etsuro lacquer model in Bordeaux and Cobalt blue has adopted ultra-precision sapphire pipe material for the cantilever. Because of its high hardness without distortions, its high-speed vibration transmission is superb and brilliant, with even clearer sound reproduction. Just like the Gold model, the magnetic circuit is combined with the electromagnetic soft iron and samarium cobalt magnet, to achieve magnetic performance consistent to coil vibrations. We are securing overall balance and thickness of the sound.

Likewise the Gold model, Bordeaux uses pure sapphire for the base and has been assembled as one vibration transmitting unit, direct method, in order to eliminate the loss of the signal till the limit.

Extra-super duralumin (A 7075), which applied lacquered Japanese traditional craft after the special reinforcement treatment, is adopted for the housing. The gloss and textures given are truly a miniature work of art.

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The Etsuro Urushi Cobalt model has used the same stylus tip as the Bordeaux version “Microline tip” and moving coil materials to maintain the same high quality fidelity performance of the record sound, and by using applying the Extra-super duralumin (A7075), we have aimed for high cost effective product. The housing has been treated by special reinforcement treatment and then applied by Japanese traditional craft lacquer coating. The hardened lacquer body together with the shine of the cobalt blue color will not only fascinate the beautiful traditional craft but the rigidness provided to the cartridge will also overwhelm the common knowledge of the sound production.
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The core part of the transformer has an EX Type 78% permalloy core installed, which has superb inductance properties, creating a wide performance range. Likewise, the shield case utilizes the same material in order to decrease the noise components. The damping material Sorbothane with its high vibration absorbing characteristics located on the transformer support works effectively to improve the distortion of the sound. The outer base and aluminum housing have the Japanese traditional craft URUSHI・漆 lacquer applied, creating art with a beautiful shine and texture, which also contributes to the overall rigidity. Each piece is hand lacquered by traditional craftsmen, creating an inventive work of art.

The Etsuro series are low-volume production items that are produced one by one with full care by skilled craftsmen using carefully selected materials. The surfaces of the cartridge housings have gold leaf and lacquer applied, thereby imbuing the cartridge with the Japanese culture that has been passed down from ancient times to the present.

This crafting technique is similar to that used in the architecture and art objects of shrines and temples in various parts of Japan, and we were able to create a product with brilliance and class, which high-end audio equipment deserves to have. Please prepare the Etsuro series, combined with performance and quality, for use by every audiophile around the world.

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