Sumiko Starling Cartridge Sumiko's Story

Sumiko's Story

Most distributors are just that: importers of equipment. Sumiko, though, started out as much a manufacturer as it did an importer, its roots appropriately being in cartridges and tonearms. In the 1970s, the MC revival had yet to spread from Japan to the West, and legendary designer and Sumiko co-founder Dave Fletcher is credited with bringing Grace tonearms and Supex cartridges to the USA. He is also said to have introduced Linn's founder, Ivor Tiefenbrun, to the Grace/Supex combination that partnered the fledgling Linn LP12 turntable, until Linn's own arm and Asak cartridge took precedence.

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Over the decades Sumiko gave us the MDC-800 (known as 'The Arm') and the Virtuoso DTi pick-up, among many other cartridges, before evolving into one of the USA's top suppliers of high-end hardware. More recently it has joined the Fine Sounds Group team, distributing in-house brands including Sonus faber – the latter also supplying Sumiko's active subwoofer range. This success in distribution has not come at the expense of its own design innovation or build quality as the exquisite micro-ridge diamond, boron cantilever and X-shaped 'moving coils' illustrate here [see inset picture]. PM

COMPANY INFO
Sumiko
Minnesota USA
Supplied by: Henley Audio Ltd, UK
01235 511166
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