Analog Relax – EX500 Phono Cartridge
Our price:£4,998.00
What HFL Thinks
EX500 MC – Analog Relax was founded by Yasushi Yurugi, an avid record collector, musician, jazz fan and innovative cartridge designer. A keen saxophonist, Yurugi has a deep appreciation of that sax maestro, jazz legend Zoot Sims, so much so that he founded the Zoot Sims Fan Club. That kind of musical obsession made him want more, knowing the vinyl groove contained yet more heart and soul to be revealed. “I never doubt that records have the best sound quality for listening to music, and I live with a collection of several thousand records and eight turntables.” This inspired him to create moving-coil cartridges which would exceed the capabilities of those available – a challenge he could not resist.
EX500 MC – Transducer MC Stereo Phono Cartridge
Analog Relax looked to Romania for the body of the EX500, which is made of the finest hard maple, found primarily in that country. Just as the EX2000 pays homage to Stradivarius, so does the wood of the EX500 acknowledge the neck backboards of the finest violins which are fashioned from this maple.
The body is made with hand-selected tone wood maple, a wood used specifically for violins
Analogrelax insists on using only all natural wood for the bodies of our cartridges. Why?
Making cartridge bodies with resin or metal produces much greater yield, and is more efficient at manufacture.
Why would we go out of our way to use wood?
It is because we believe that cartridges are instruments to play records in their own right.
What are most famous musical instruments made with? Yes: they are made with wood.
And this is nearly inevitable.
This is because, as you know, each and every cell within wood is surrounded by a cellular wall made with cellulose. The cells lose their water when the wood is dried, but the cellular walls allow them to maintain their form, leaving uneven spaces (holes) throughout. Air vibrating within these holes creates an organic sound.
This is why wood always was, and remains the main material used in musical instruments to this very day.
Resins and metals result in an even material, but do not produce the same sound as wood.
It is for this reason that we insist on using wood for our bodies.
The EX500 model that we are offering has brought this insistence to the next level.
The body of the EX500 uses the finest hard maple, which is used in the necks backboards of violins.
It is made with the finest hand-selected maple wood for instrument manufacture, found primarily in Romania.
Enjoy a tone only possible with tone wood selected specifically for instruments.
The EX500 cartridge nourishes the heart
It uses custom hyper elliptic stylus, which are polished more precisely than standard products, with coils carefully wound with pure silver wire.
The sound obtained from the unique resonance of the body’s hard maple tone wood will fill resonate throughout any room and bring it a refreshing atmosphere.
Experience the sounds of raw instruments and vocals.
You will hardly be able to suppress a smile at the unexpected appearance of the real stage spreading out before you.
It produces sound that will nourish your soul.
Take the opportunity to experience it for yourself.
Specifications
Coil Material: Pure silver
Cantilever: Aluminum
Stylus: Special ellipse stylus Solid Diamond
Body: All natural Romanian hard maple solid wood (violin tone wood)
Output voltage: Over 0.5mv (1kHz)
Impedance: 15Ω
Tracking force: 2.0g
Magnet: Multiple Neodymium Magnet
Weight: 約10.0g
・All products are made by artisans within Japan.
・The solid wood body is made with natural materials, there will be differences in color, grain, weight, etc. between products.
・The body color of the grains will change with age.