If you're looking to trick out your deck, a £22k gold and diamond cartridge should be just the ticket. As the price suggests, the Clearaudio Diamond Jubilee MC is no ordinary cartridge, being constructed from the finest materials to celebrate Clearaudio's 45th anniversary.
(We know, we know: a diamond jubilee actually celebrates 60 years. But we guess 'Sapphire Jubilee MC' wouldn't have quite the same ring to it. And diamonds!)
This flagship moving coil cartridge's body is made from zirconium oxide, which is one of the hardest and most stable materials around. Its manufacturing tolerance of up to 0.001mm minimises unwanted vibrations for a purer sound, according to Clearaudio.
It builds on Clearaudio's $17,000 Goldfinger Statement V2.1 from a couple of years ago. Its ultra-thin 24-carat gold wire coils are more efficient and create an "exceptionally clear and detailed sound reproduction", Clearaudio says.
It also has the same high-frequency shielding as the original Goldfinger Statement to help eliminate interference.
High-strength neodymium magnets and the revised coil geometry deliver "unmatched dynamics and resolution", while tracking accuracy is improved by the new freshly angled cantilever.
The precision-cut Micro-HD diamond isn't just for looks. It should ensure unparalleled groove tracking for a more precise and detailed sound.
Only 45 of these will be made (see what they did there?), and it costs £22,000 / $29,000 (around AU$45,000). Apparently it will work with any high-end turntable, not just those made by Clearaudio. Of course, if you want to pair it with the brand's £92,000 Statement v2, we're sure that would please Clearaudio no end.
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