Audio specialist Goldring has unveiled its latest moving coil cartridge. The new Goldring Ethos SE is a special edition of the brand's established Ethos model (hence "SE"), with the manufacturer proclaiming the new accessory to "sit at the very top of Goldring's range of moving coil cartridges". That's a lot to live up to straight off the bat.
Goldring makes cartridges to suit most budgets, with its E3 model currently holding a What Hi-Fi? Award for best cartridge under £100, while the newer E4 moving magnet cartridge sits around the £199 / €259 / $299 mark.
The premium Ethos SE, though, is a big step up in cost and, most likely, performance. The Special Edition comes with new pure silver coils with fewer windings and higher conductivity, all of which should lower the overall tip mass for improved tracking and greater transient response. A low-mass cross-armature core, meanwhile, is designed to improve channel separation and convey a more realistic soundstage to the listener.
Elsewhere, a bespoke diamond stylus also boasts a narrow, low tip mass, with a broad contact area for an "enhanced high-frequency response" and "minimised distortion and colouration". The entire cartridge frame is constructed from aircraft-grade aluminium with a low density and high rigidity, while newly designed pole shoes aim to deliver a clean, extended frequency response.
The new aluminium cartridge itself weighs in at around 7.7g, while the SE's diamond stylus measures in at 0.3 x 0.7 mil. The stylus isn't replaceable, but Goldmund does offer a re-tip service via its official website.
With the addition of the cartridge's new features and bespoke internal upgrades, Goldring vows that the premium Ethos SE will set "new standards in terms of detail retrieval, channel separation and low colouration". Bold words, indeed.
The Goldring Ethos SE moving coil cartridge is available now, priced at £1299 / €1599 / $1999.
MORE:
Read our Award-winning Goldring E3 review
Moving magnet vs moving coil cartridges: which is right for you?
