Hi-Fi Essentials
Hardware and treatment for a system you already own: headphones, DACs, amplifiers, streamers, isolation, racks and grounding. The next purchase after the system exists.
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Where to spend next
This is the upgrade section rather than the starting point. It assumes you have a system, know roughly what it does well, and want to work out what to change next.
The order that usually works starts with the mechanical foundation. A rack that resonates undermines everything sitting on it, so proper support and isolation come first. Then the source, because nothing downstream can recover what a poor source has already lost. Then the electronics, and last the treatments that sit around the edges of a system, such as grounding.
Some of what is here is uncontested. Speaker stands, isolation feet and a rigid rack do measurable and audible things. Other categories, grounding in particular, divide opinion sharply, and we say so on the pages where that applies. What we will not do is recommend something we have not heard, or call a component essential when your system does not need it. Tell us what you are running and what you want to improve, and we will give you a straight answer.
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Soundsmith
Soundsmith Zephyr MKIII High-Output HiFi Turntable CartridgeSKU: Soundsmith Zephyr MKIII
£1,249.17Ex. VATThe Zephyr MKIII by Soundsmith is their mid-range high-output cartridge, borrowing features from its more expensive siblings, like its nude diamond stylus engineered in the Line Contact shape- this means that it is shaped similarly to the stylus used for cutting vinyl records, ensuring maximum contact with your record. Like the other cartridges in the Fixed Coil range, it benefits from minimal noise being introduced to your record and much less 'stylus jitter', delivering sound with clarity and detail. -
£1,665.83Ex. VATSoundsmith's Aida is a high-end, high-output cartridge delivering exceptional performance. Featuring a sapphire cantilever and nude diamond stylus engineered in the Line Contact shape, this is a cartridge that ensures maximum contact with your record and excellent responsiveness. As with other Fixed Coil models, Aida ensures minimal noise being fed back to your vinyl record and low levels of 'stylus jitter' to deliver sharp and clear sound.
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£2,499.17Ex. VATThe Voice is the pinnacle of the high-output range by Soundsmith. With each one handcrafted by Soundsmith President & Chief Engineer, Peter Ledermann, The Voice delivers unparalleled high-output performance with its ruby cantilever and nude diamond, Line Contact stylus. The Line Contact stylus is shaped very similarly to the stylus used to cut vinyl records and ensures optimal, constant contact with the record. Once again benefitting from Soundsmith's Fixed Coil technology, by minimising the amount of noise sent back to your record and all-but eliminating 'stylus jitter' The Voice can make your record collection sound brand new again.
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£1,665.83Ex. VATThis may be the entry-level in Soundsmith's medium-output range, but Norma is much the same as Aida, the high-end high-output cartridge. Featuring a ruby cantilever and an optimised Line Contact stylus made from nude diamond which ensures maximum contact with the grooves in your record, Norma is composed of the highest quality materials. It also benefits from Soundsmith's innovative Fixed Coil design, which significantly reduces mass and noise returned to the record, as well as minimising 'stylus jitter' to deliver clean and detailed sound. -
£2,499.17Ex. VATAlmost identical to The Voice- the top-of-the-line high-output cartridge by Soundsmith- the Sotto Voce also features a ruby cantilever and optimised Line Contact stylus formed of nude diamond which is designed to be almost the same shape as the original stylus used to cut records, which ensures maximum contact with your vinyl records. Soundsmith's innovative Fixed Coil design significantly reduces the overall mass of the cartridge, and minimises both the transfer of noise back to your record and 'stylus jitter', which results in exceptionally clear and detailed sound. Each Sotto Voce is handmade in New York State by Peter Ledermann, the President & Chief Engineer of Soundsmith. -
£3,332.50Ex. VATLike the other cartridges in Soundsmith's Fixed Coil range, the Nautilus benefits from greatly reduced mass and minimal noise transferred back to your record, as well as almost eliminating 'stylus jitter' to deliver clear and detailed sound. Featuring a cantilever made from an aluminium alloy specially developed by Soundsmith, and a nude diamond, Line Contact stylus- which is a stylus shaped similarly to the stylus used for cutting vinyl records, ensuring maximum contact- the Nautilus is essentially a medium-output version of the Paua MKII, the high-end low-output cartridge. Each Nautilus is handmade in upstate New York by Peter Ledermann, President & Chief Engineer of Soundsmith.
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£4,165.83Ex. VATThe Mezzo is essentially a medium-output version of the Sussurro- a high-end low-output cartridge. It features a ruby cantilever and nude diamond stylus, engineered in the Contact Line shape. This special shape mimics that of the stylus used to cut grooves in vinyl and ensures maximum contact with your record. The Mezzo, like all the other cartridges in Soundsmith's Fixed Coil range, benefits from a drastic reduction in mass and noise returned to the record itself, and also avoids suffering from 'stylus jitter' to produce wonderfully clear and detailed sound. Each Mezzo is handmade in upstate New York by Peter Ledermann, President & Chief Engineer of Soundsmith. -
£6,665.83Ex. VATThe Helios is the medium-output version of the Hyperion- the top-of-the-line high-output cartridge by Soundsmith. Helios features a specially-designed, hand-formed "cactus spine" cantilever and nude diamond stylus, with the stylus available in Contact Line or Optimised Contour Contact Line shapes. The Contact Line shape is specifically designed to ensure maximum contact by matching the shape of the stylus used to etch grooves in vinyl records. As a part of Soundsmith's Fixed Coil range, Helios also benefits from drastically reduced mass and noise relayed back to your record, as well as the ability to minimise 'stylus jitter', allowing this cartridge to deliver exceptionally clean and detailed sound with minimal distortion. Every Helios cartridge is handmade in upstate New York by Peter Ledermann, President & Chief Engineer of Soundsmith. -
£832.50Ex. VATThe Irox Blue is the entry-level cartridge in Soundsmith's "Unbreakable" range, providing high-output and high performance. This cartridge is designed to be robust without sacrificing detail, making it an ideal option for use in busy environments where multiple people with varying levels of skill can be expected to operate the turntable. Like all of Soundsmith's cartridges, the Irox Blue also benefits from Soundsmith's innovative Fixed Coil technology. In addition to drastically reducing the overall weight of the device, this technology also prevents your cartridge from returning noise to your record and reduces 'stylus jitter' which is a cause of distortion, ultimately meaning exceptionally clear and detailed sound.
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Soundsmith
Soundsmith Irox Ultimate High-Output "Unbreakable" Phono CartridgeSKU: Soundsmith Irox Ultimate
£1,665.83Ex. VAT -
£499.17Ex. VATThe MMP4 MKII is Soundsmith's entry-level phono preamplifier, but it certainly does not sacrifice on performance. Borrowing technology from the higher-end MMP3 MKII, the MMP4 is designed for use with cartridges from Soundsmith's Medium & High-Output lines (and other similar cartridges), and every one is handmade in upstate New York. -
£665.83Ex. VATThe MMP3 is Soundsmith's top-of-the-line preamp designed specifically for use with their medium and high-output cartridges, or other similar cartridges. The handmade preamp circuits deliver high performance with ultra-low distortion and minimal noise, and each one is made-to-order by Soundsmith engineers in upstate New York.
