Audio T Verdict
The Sumiko Songbird High is an interesting proposition because it provides a genuine moving-coil cartridge without necessarily demanding a specialist low-output MC phono stage.
Its 2.5mV output and 47k-ohm loading are deliberately designed to work with moving-magnet phono amplification, making Songbird High an attractive route into Sumiko's Reference Series for anyone with a good MM phono stage already in their system.
Mechanically, it is considerably more ambitious than a conventional MM design. An open-body architecture leaves the generator exposed rather than enclosing it within a conventional cartridge shell, while a rigid alloy headblock and PEEK generator mounting plate are used to help unwanted mechanical energy escape through the tonearm rather than accumulating around the generator.
The stylus is a natural-diamond 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical profile mounted to a hollow, reinforced 0.5mm aluminium cantilever. It provides a sensible balance between fine groove tracing and relatively manageable setup without moving to an especially demanding Line-Contact profile.
At 7.4g, with 12 x 10-6cm/dyn compliance and a recommended tracking force of 2.0g, Songbird High should be practical with many suitably capable tonearms. Correct alignment, azimuth, tracking force and tonearm compatibility nevertheless become increasingly worthwhile at this level.
One important difference from Sumiko's moving-magnet cartridges is that the stylus is not user-replaceable. That is normal for a moving-coil design, but it makes careful handling and professional setup particularly worthwhile.
For a system ready to step beyond moving magnet but where replacing the existing phono stage is undesirable, Songbird High offers a particularly neat way of getting into a serious open-body moving-coil cartridge.
Sumiko Songbird High Output Moving Coil Cartridge
The Sumiko Songbird High is a Reference Series high-output moving-coil cartridge designed to bring the mechanical and generator advantages of an MC design to systems using conventional 47k-ohm moving-magnet phono amplification.
Its open-body architecture, reinforced aluminium cantilever and 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical stylus are combined with a 2.5mV output that makes Songbird High considerably easier to accommodate than a traditional low-output moving-coil cartridge.
Key features include:
- High-output moving-coil design
- Sumiko Reference Series
- Open-body cartridge architecture
- 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical natural-diamond stylus
- 0.5mm hollow reinforced aluminium cantilever
- Alnico magnetic system
- High-purity copper coils
- Pure-iron generator core
- PEEK generator mounting plate
- Rigid alloy headblock
- 2.5mV output
- 135-ohm internal impedance
- 47k-ohm load impedance
- 100–200pF load capacitance
- 12Hz–30kHz frequency response
- 30dB channel separation at 1kHz
- Less than 1dB channel balance at 1kHz
- 12 x 10-6cm/dyn compliance at 100Hz
- 20-degree vertical tracking angle
- 1.8–2.2g tracking-force range
- 2.0g recommended tracking force
- 7.4g cartridge mass
- Hand-assembled in Yokohama, Japan
High-Output Moving Coil Design
Songbird High uses a moving-coil generator rather than the moving-magnet principle found in cartridges such as the Sumiko Rainier, Olympia and Moonstone.
In an MC cartridge, the coils move with the cantilever while the magnetic system remains stationary. Reducing the amount of material that has to move with the stylus can help the cartridge respond to very small and rapid changes within the record groove.
The challenge is output. Conventional low-output MC cartridges usually produce only a fraction of the voltage generated by an MM cartridge and therefore require substantially more phono-stage gain.
Songbird High approaches that differently.
2.5mV High Output
Sumiko specifies:
2.5mV at 3.54cm/sec, 1kHz.
That is significantly higher than the 0.5mV produced by Songbird Low and allows the High version to be used with suitable moving-magnet phono amplification.
Moving Coil Without Requiring a Conventional MC Input
Songbird High is specifically designed for customers who want moving-coil construction while retaining a suitable MM phono stage.
Its 47k-ohm loading requirement is the same resistance commonly used by moving-magnet cartridges.
Will It Be as Loud as a Typical MM Cartridge?
Not necessarily.
A conventional moving-magnet cartridge often produces around 4–5mV, while Songbird High produces 2.5mV.
Depending on the gain of your phono stage, you may therefore use slightly more of your amplifier's volume control than you would with a higher-output MM cartridge.
This is completely normal and does not mean Songbird High requires a conventional low-output moving-coil input.
47k-Ohm Loading
Sumiko specifies a load impedance of:
47k ohms.
This is the conventional resistance used by most moving-magnet phono stages.
Do Not Automatically Use an MC Setting
Songbird High is a moving-coil cartridge, but that does not mean it should automatically be connected to a conventional low-output MC input.
Many MC settings provide substantially lower input resistance and considerably greater gain than Songbird High requires.
Use a 47k-ohm input with suitable gain unless the phono-stage manufacturer provides specific guidance for high-output moving-coil cartridges.
100–200pF Load Capacitance
Sumiko specifies:
100–200pF.
The total electrical load can include capacitance from the tonearm wiring, turntable interconnect and phono-stage input.
135-Ohm Internal Impedance
Songbird High has an internal impedance of:
135 ohms at 1kHz.
This should not be confused with its external phono-stage loading requirement, which remains 47k ohms.
High-Purity Copper Coils
The moving coils use high-purity copper wire.
Within the moving-coil generator, those coils are mechanically connected to the stylus and cantilever assembly and move within the cartridge's magnetic field as the stylus traces the record groove.
Alnico Magnetic System
Songbird High uses an Alnico magnetic system within its moving-coil generator.
Unlike a moving-magnet cartridge, the magnet itself remains stationary while the coils attached to the cantilever assembly move in response to the groove.
Pure-Iron Generator Core
A pure-iron core forms part of the magnetic circuit within Songbird High.
Sumiko combines this with carefully positioned magnetic components and high-purity copper coils with the aim of minimising electrical loss and unwanted distortion.
Open-Body Reference Series Architecture
The appearance of Songbird High is not simply cosmetic.
Unlike a conventional cartridge enclosed within a complete outer shell, much of the Songbird generator remains exposed.
Sumiko uses this open architecture to reduce the opportunity for unwanted mechanical energy to accumulate within enclosed cavities around the generator.
The Open Construction Requires Extra Care
Songbird's generator, fine internal wiring and cantilever are more exposed than they would be inside a conventional cartridge body.
When handling the cartridge, hold it only by the appropriate mounting or rear structure and keep fingers and tools away from the exposed generator and cantilever.
PEEK Generator Mounting Plate
The generator is secured to a PEEK mounting plate.
This provides a rigid mechanical interface between the generator and the cartridge's alloy headblock while forming part of Sumiko's approach to controlling unwanted resonance.
Rigid Alloy Headblock
The alloy headblock provides the cartridge with its mounting interface to the tonearm.
Sumiko intends unwanted mechanical energy that is not controlled within the generator itself to travel through this structure and onwards into the tonearm rather than remaining concentrated around the cartridge motor.
0.5mm Reinforced Aluminium Cantilever
Songbird High uses a:
0.5mm hollow reinforced aluminium cantilever.
The cantilever is responsible for transferring the extremely small movements of the stylus into the moving-coil generator.
Its rigidity, mass and construction therefore play an important part in how accurately the cartridge can respond to groove modulation.
0.3 x 0.7mil Elliptical Natural-Diamond Stylus
The stylus profile is:
0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical.
Sumiko specifies a natural diamond fitted to the Songbird cantilever.
An elliptical stylus has different radii across its two axes, helping it follow finer groove modulation than a basic spherical profile.
Why an Elliptical Stylus?
The elliptical profile provides a useful balance between:
- Accurate groove tracing
- Fine detail retrieval
- Good high-frequency tracking
- Relatively manageable alignment
- Compatibility with a wide range of records
Songbird's stylus remains sensitive to correct setup, but the elliptical profile is generally less demanding to align than the finer Shibata and Micro-Ridge profiles used further up Sumiko's Reference Series.
Accurate Alignment Matters
Correct setup may include:
- Overhang
- Offset angle
- Tracking force
- Bias or anti-skate
- Vertical tracking angle
- Azimuth
Take Your Time With Cartridge Alignment
At this level, accurate setup is worthwhile.
Use the geometry specified by the turntable or tonearm manufacturer, or a suitable cartridge-alignment protractor, rather than positioning Songbird purely by eye.
12Hz to 30kHz Frequency Response
Sumiko currently specifies:
12Hz–30kHz.
Frequency response alone should not be treated as a complete measure of cartridge performance. Tracking behaviour, moving mass, resonance control, channel performance and setup all contribute to what is ultimately recovered from the groove.
30dB Channel Separation
Channel separation is specified at:
30dB at 1kHz.
This describes Songbird High's ability to keep information recovered from the left and right groove walls electrically distinct.
Less Than 1dB Channel Balance
Sumiko specifies channel balance of:
Less than 1dB at 1kHz.
Good channel matching supports stable stereo positioning and consistent output between the left and right channels.
7.4g Cartridge Mass
Songbird High weighs:
7.4g.
This is within the operating range of many medium-mass and higher-quality conventional tonearms, but cartridge mass should not be considered in isolation.
Check Tonearm Compatibility
Correct cartridge and tonearm matching also depends on effective arm mass, cartridge compliance, available counterweight adjustment and mounting geometry.
Audio T can help check compatibility before the cartridge is fitted.
Compliance
Dynamic compliance is specified at:
12 x 10-6cm/dyn at 100Hz.
Compliance describes the flexibility of the cartridge suspension and should be considered alongside tonearm effective mass when assessing the mechanical relationship between the cartridge and arm.
2.0g Recommended Tracking Force
Sumiko specifies a tracking-force range of:
1.8–2.2g.
The recommended setting is:
2.0g.
Do Not Track Too Lightly
Reducing tracking force below the manufacturer's recommended range does not necessarily protect your records.
Insufficient force can cause mistracking and prevent the stylus from maintaining stable contact with the groove.
Use an Accurate Stylus-Force Gauge
After balancing and setting the tonearm, check the final tracking force with an accurate stylus-force gauge.
This allows the actual force at the stylus to be confirmed rather than relying entirely on markings around the tonearm counterweight.
Anti-Skate Setup
Sumiko's Songbird setup guidance suggests using approximately two-thirds as much anti-skate as tracking force as a starting point.
With tracking force around the recommended 2.0g, this equates to approximately 1.25–1.3g of anti-skate where the tonearm uses a conventionally calibrated control.
Treat Anti-Skate Numbers as a Starting Point
Different tonearms apply anti-skate in different ways and their scales are not always directly comparable.
Follow the tonearm manufacturer's setup procedure and use Sumiko's recommendation as part of the final setup rather than assuming every arm behaves identically.
20-Degree Vertical Tracking Angle
Sumiko specifies a vertical tracking angle of:
20 degrees.
If your tonearm provides height adjustment, VTA can form part of the final optimisation process once basic cartridge geometry and tracking force have been established.
Azimuth Adjustment
Azimuth describes the cartridge's side-to-side orientation when viewed from the front.
Incorrect azimuth can affect channel balance, high-frequency behaviour and the way the stylus contacts the two groove walls.
If your tonearm provides azimuth adjustment, it is worth setting this carefully rather than assuming the cartridge body itself is a perfect visual reference.
Allow the Suspension to Settle
A new moving-coil cartridge can change slightly during its initial playing time as the suspension settles mechanically.
Sumiko's Songbird setup guidance describes the first 10–20 hours as an initial settling period.
Do Not Chase Every Small Change During the First Few Records
Set the cartridge accurately from the outset, enjoy some records and allow the suspension to settle before repeatedly making very fine VTA adjustments.
A final setup check after the cartridge has accumulated some playing time can be worthwhile.
No User-Replaceable Stylus
Unlike Sumiko's moving-magnet Oyster Series cartridges, Songbird High does not have a removable user-replaceable stylus assembly.
The stylus, cantilever and moving coils form part of a much more delicate integrated moving-coil assembly.
Do Not Attempt to Remove the Stylus Assembly
The Songbird stylus is not designed to slide out of the cartridge body like a Rainier, Olympia or Moonstone stylus.
If the stylus becomes worn or damaged, contact Audio T to discuss the appropriate replacement or service options rather than attempting to dismantle the cartridge.
Stylus Care
Keeping records and the stylus clean helps Songbird maintain consistent groove contact.
Useful habits include:
- Keep records free from loose dust
- Use a suitable stylus brush or approved cleaning product
- Use a gentle back-to-front cleaning motion
- Keep fingers away from the exposed generator
- Never apply sideways pressure to the cantilever
- Use the tonearm cueing mechanism when lowering the cartridge
- Turn the amplifier volume down while cleaning around the stylus
Take Particular Care With the Open Body
Songbird exposes considerably more of its generator and internal structure than a conventional enclosed cartridge.
Avoid brushes, fingers, cloths or tools coming into contact with anything other than the stylus itself when cleaning.
Songbird High or Songbird Low?
Songbird is available in two electrical versions built around the same basic open-body concept.
Songbird High
- High-output moving coil
- 2.5mV output
- 135-ohm internal impedance
- 47k-ohm loading
- Designed for suitable MM phono amplification
- 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical stylus
- 0.5mm reinforced aluminium cantilever
- 7.4g cartridge mass
Songbird Low
- Low-output moving coil
- 0.5mV output
- 28-ohm internal impedance
- Greater than 100-ohm recommended loading
- Requires suitable MC gain
- 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical stylus
- 0.5mm reinforced aluminium cantilever
- 7.4g cartridge mass
The High version prioritises phono-stage compatibility, while the Low version reduces the number of coil windings and consequently lowers output and internal impedance.
If your phono stage provides a suitable low-output moving-coil input, Songbird Low is the more purist version of the design. If your system is built around a good moving-magnet input, Songbird High avoids the need to replace it simply to move into an MC cartridge.
Songbird High or Blue Point No.3 High?
Blue Point No.3 High
- Oyster Series
- High-output moving coil
- 2.5mV output
- 47k-ohm loading
- 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical stylus
- 0.5mm aluminium cantilever
- Enclosed resonance-controlled body
- 6.1g cartridge mass
Songbird High
- Reference Series
- High-output moving coil
- 2.5mV output
- 47k-ohm loading
- 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical stylus
- Reinforced 0.5mm aluminium cantilever
- Open-body architecture
- PEEK generator mounting plate
- Rigid alloy headblock
- 7.4g cartridge mass
Both provide 2.5mV high-output moving-coil operation and conventional 47k-ohm loading, but Songbird moves into Sumiko's Reference Series open-body architecture.
Compare the Sumiko Blue Point No.3 at Audio T.
Songbird or Oriole?
Songbird High
- High-output moving coil
- 2.5mV output
- 47k-ohm loading
- 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical stylus
- Reinforced aluminium cantilever
- 12Hz–30kHz frequency response
- 30dB channel separation
- MM phono-stage compatibility
Oriole
- Low-output moving coil
- 0.3mV output
- 5.5-ohm internal impedance
- Greater than 55-ohm loading
- Nude Shibata stylus
- Reinforced aluminium cantilever
- 12Hz–45kHz frequency response
- Requires suitable MC phono amplification
Oriole is a more specialised low-output design with a nude Shibata stylus and substantially lower-impedance generator. It therefore requires an appropriately capable moving-coil phono stage, whereas Songbird High is deliberately designed around easier 47k-ohm phono-stage compatibility.
Explore the Sumiko Oriole at Audio T.
Moving Magnet or Songbird High?
Choosing a high-output MC is not simply a question of moving to a more expensive cartridge.
Consider:
- The quality and effective mass of the tonearm
- Whether the turntable allows accurate cartridge setup
- The gain and loading provided by the phono stage
- Whether a replaceable stylus is important to you
- The quality of the rest of the system
A high-quality moving-magnet cartridge can make more sense than Songbird on a turntable or tonearm that cannot exploit the MC design properly.
Equally, on a suitably capable deck, Songbird High provides a route into moving-coil construction without forcing a change of phono stage.
A Phono Stage Is Essential
Do Not Connect Songbird Directly to AUX or CD
Even though Songbird High has considerably more output than a conventional low-output MC cartridge, it still produces only a tiny phono-level signal.
It requires phono amplification and RIAA equalisation before connection to a normal amplifier line input.
Using an External Phono Stage
If your amplifier does not include an appropriate phono input, use a suitable external phono stage.
The signal path becomes:
Turntable ? phono stage ? amplifier line input.
Browse phono stages at Audio T.
Professional Cartridge Fitting
Installing Songbird High correctly may involve:
- Careful physical mounting
- Tonearm compatibility checks
- Overhang adjustment
- Offset-angle alignment
- Tracking-force setup
- Bias or anti-skate adjustment
- Vertical tracking angle adjustment where available
- Azimuth adjustment where available
- Phono-stage gain matching
- 47k-ohm loading confirmation
- Capacitance checking where appropriate
Given the cartridge's exposed open-body construction and the level of performance available from it, professional installation is particularly worthwhile if you are not comfortable carrying out these adjustments accurately.
Who Is the Sumiko Songbird High For?
Well Suited To
- Customers moving from MM to moving coil
- Systems with a high-quality MM phono stage
- Turntables with capable medium-mass tonearms
- Customers wanting Reference Series construction
- Customers who prefer high-output MC convenience
- Turntables allowing accurate alignment and setup
- Systems able to reveal improvements in cartridge performance
Check Before Buying
- 2.5mV output
- 47k-ohm loading
- 7.4g cartridge mass
- 12 x 10-6cm/dyn compliance at 100Hz
- 2.0g recommended tracking force
- Open-body construction requires careful handling
- Stylus is not user-replaceable
- Tonearm compatibility should be confirmed
Key Features
- Sumiko Songbird High
- Reference Series
- High-output moving-coil cartridge
- Open-body architecture
- Natural-diamond stylus
- 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical profile
- 0.5mm hollow reinforced aluminium cantilever
- Alnico magnetic system
- High-purity copper coils
- Pure-iron generator core
- PEEK generator mounting plate
- Rigid alloy headblock
- 2.5mV output
- 135-ohm internal impedance
- 47k-ohm loading
- 100–200pF capacitance
- 12Hz–30kHz frequency response
- 30dB channel separation
- Less than 1dB channel balance
- 12 x 10-6cm/dyn compliance
- 20-degree vertical tracking angle
- 1.8–2.2g tracking-force range
- 2.0g recommended tracking force
- 7.4g cartridge mass
- Non-user-replaceable stylus
- Hand-assembled in Japan
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Sumiko Songbird moving magnet or moving coil?
Songbird is a moving-coil cartridge. This Audio T model is the high-output Songbird High version.
How do I know this is Songbird High?
Songbird High produces 2.5mV and uses 47k-ohm loading. Songbird Low produces 0.5mV and is designed for a low-output moving-coil phono input.
What is the output of Songbird High?
2.5mV at 3.54cm/sec, 1kHz.
Can I use Songbird High with an MM phono stage?
Yes. Songbird High is specifically designed to provide moving-coil performance with suitable moving-magnet phono amplification.
What loading does Songbird High require?
47k ohms.
Does Songbird High need an MC phono input?
No. A conventional low-output MC input may provide too much gain and unsuitable loading. Songbird High is intended for 47k-ohm phono amplification with appropriate gain.
Why might it be quieter than my MM cartridge?
Songbird High produces 2.5mV, while many moving-magnet cartridges produce around 4–5mV. Depending on your phono stage, you may therefore need slightly more amplifier volume.
What stylus does Songbird High use?
A natural-diamond 0.3 x 0.7mil elliptical stylus.
What is the cantilever made from?
A hollow reinforced 0.5mm aluminium pipe.
What is the internal impedance?
135 ohms at 1kHz.
What is the frequency response?
12Hz to 30kHz.
What is the channel separation?
30dB at 1kHz.
What is the channel balance?
Less than 1dB at 1kHz.
What is the compliance?
12 x 10-6cm/dyn at 100Hz.
What tracking force should I use?
Sumiko recommends 2.0g within a specified operating range of 1.8–2.2g.
What anti-skate should I use?
Sumiko's Songbird setup guidance suggests approximately two-thirds of the tracking-force value as a starting point. At 2.0g tracking force, this is around 1.25–1.3g where the tonearm uses a conventionally calibrated anti-skate control.
What is the vertical tracking angle?
20 degrees.
How much does Songbird High weigh?
7.4g.
Does Songbird have a replaceable stylus?
No. Like most moving-coil cartridges, Songbird does not use a user-replaceable stylus assembly.
Can I fit a replacement stylus myself?
No. Do not attempt to remove or replace the stylus and cantilever assembly. Contact Audio T for advice if the cartridge becomes worn or damaged.
What is the difference between Songbird High and Songbird Low?
Songbird High produces 2.5mV and uses 47k-ohm loading for compatibility with suitable MM phono stages. Songbird Low produces 0.5mV, has a 28-ohm internal impedance and requires suitable low-output MC amplification.
Does Songbird need careful alignment?
Yes. Correct overhang, offset angle, tracking force, anti-skate and, where adjustable, VTA and azimuth are important for extracting the best performance from the cartridge.
How long does Songbird take to run in?
Sumiko describes the first 10–20 hours as an initial period during which the suspension settles and the cartridge may change slightly in character.
Why is the cartridge body open?
Sumiko uses an open architecture to minimise unwanted resonance around the generator and allow remaining mechanical energy to travel through the mounting structure into the tonearm.
Where is the Sumiko Songbird made?
Sumiko cartridges are hand-assembled at Excel Sound in Yokohama, Japan.
Can Audio T fit and align the Sumiko Songbird?
Yes. Contact your local Audio T store to discuss tonearm compatibility, cartridge fitting, alignment, tracking force, phono-stage matching and final setup.
Related Sumiko Products and Audio T Guides
Why Buy From Audio T?
- Turntable and cartridge matching
- Moving-coil cartridge advice
- High-output MC phono-stage matching
- Cartridge fitting and alignment
- Tracking-force setup
- Bias and anti-skate adjustment
- VTA and azimuth guidance
- Tonearm compatibility checks
- Phono-stage gain and loading advice
- Stylus-care guidance
- Turntable setup
- Part-exchange options
- Ongoing after-sales support
Contact your local Audio T store to discuss whether the Sumiko Songbird High is the right match for your turntable, tonearm and phono stage, or to arrange professional cartridge fitting and alignment.