Benz Micro Cartridges

Benz-Micro Switzerland

The Latest Advancements from Benz-Micro - Series 2

New output levels - ideally match with today's best phono preamps.

LOW OUTPUT .3mV @ 3.54 cm/sec - Ruby 2, Ref 2 Silver, L2, new Glider L2 are ideal with 60+dB gain phono stages such as the PP-1, the Phonomena, the Aesthetix Io, and most high-gain tube and solid-state phono stages.

Ruby 2 & Ruby H
The pinnacles of Benz engineering and performance.

MEDIUM OUTPUT .8mV @ 3.54 cm/sec - Ruby H, Woodbody M2, Glider M2 are ideal with 50+dB gain phono stages, typical of most tube phono stages such as the ARC PH3, CAT, and Conrad-Johnson.

Ref 2 Silver

HIGH OUTPUT 2.5mV @ 3.54 cm/sec - the Woodbody H2 and Glider H2 are ideal with moving magnet and 40+dB gain phono stages, typical of tube phono stages such as the Audible Illusions and Cary.

The L2, H2, & M2
Three output levels to match any system requirements
with the famous Benz wood-body sound.

New 2 year warranty All the Series 2 advancements create a synergy exceeding the sum of the parts. Our improved production techniques provide great performance and reliability backed by a 2 year warranty against manufacturing defects.

Better definition and transparency from lower moving mass coil Many Series 2 models enjoy a reduction 1/3 or 1/2 the mass of their Swiss hand wound coil. This allows faster response time and even better tracking.

Increased dynamics achieved with a new rear pole piece. Featured on ALL Series 2 models, this new rear pole piece increases generator efficiency up to 20%for better musical drive.

Higher output level with increased magnet strength & size. All Series 2 models featuring a cross-coil armature have stronger Hybrid magnets consisting of neodymium, boron and iron. The Ruby 2 and Ruby H feature larger Hybrid magnets by virtue of their non-magnetic Ruby armature, doubling their output voltages without increasing the number of windings on the coil.

More music with new mirror-polished line contact styli. All are hand mounted at the Benz factory, side-bonded to the laser trimmed edge of a solid boron cantilever for ultra-low tip mass. These new styli are included on ALL Benz re-tips, depending on model and regardless of age or series.

Benz Cartridges Enhanced tracking using aerospace suspension technology. ALL Series 2 models use a soft butyl rubber O-ring damper, custom made in the U.S. for Benz by a high tech company that supplies gaskets and O-rings to the aerospace industry. The O-ring's rounded profile, strength, and resistance to temperature fluctuation provide better consistency and longer life to the cartridge with less wear.

Greater signal conductivity with the Ref 2 Silver's new silver coil windings. Easier and more precise VTA adjustments ALL Series 2 models feature a reduction of vertical tracking angle from 22 to 20 degrees, allowing a more parallel orientation for proper VTA settings.

Gold plated for lasting beauty Series 2 Gliders feature a new machined aluminum frame, produced by the Swiss Industrial Group (SIG), and 24 karat gold plated.

Benz-Micro Series 2 Cartridges

x Output
Voltage Stylus
Shape Internal
Ohms Loading
Range Weight Compliance Tracking

Ruby 2 .3 mV 5 X 120 µm 40 >400 9.6 15 1.8 - 2.2

Ruby H .8 mV 5 X 120 µm 85 >1000 9.6 15 1.8 - 2.2

Ref 2 Silver .3 mV 5 X 120 µm 8.5 >100 9 15 1.8 - 2.2

L2 .3 mV 6 X 40 µm 13 >100 9 15 1.8 - 2.2

M2 .8 mV 6 X 40 µm 24 >200 9 15 1.8 - 2.2

H2 2.5 mV 6 X 40 µm 90 >1000 9 15 1.8 - 2.2

Glider L2 .3 mV 6 X 40 µm 12 >120 6.8 15 1.8 - 2.2

Glider M2 .8 mV 6 X 40 µm 24 >200 6.8 15 1.8 - 2.2

Glider H2 2.5 mV 6 X 40 µm 90 >1000 6.8 15 1.8 - 2.2

MC Gold .4 mV .3 X .7 mil 20 >200 5.7 15 1.8 - 2.2

MC Silver 2.0 mV .3 X .7 mil 120 >1000 5.7 15 1.8 - 2.2

MC20E 2 2.2 mV .3 X .7 mil 110 47 k Ohms 4 10 2 -2.5

Lukaschek PP-1 Phonostage

Winner of the

Golden Ear Award 2000
for Best Component.
Issue 127, December 2000

The small size of the PP-1 allows close placement to the turntable, minimizing signal leads from the tonearm. The whole power supply is inboard the PP-1 chassis except for an external power transformer, which is outboard to eliminate magnetic field interaction.

The miniature size of the PP-1 also allows all circuit components to be very close to one another. This significantly reduces circuit board traces, which could introduce noise and sonic degradation. The PP-1 is optimized for moving coil amplification, thus does not provide switches and or jumpers for gain setting or resistive loading. This elimination of unneeded circuit junction points preserves the low noise/high performance characteristics of this superb phono preamp.

SPECIFICATIONS

RIAA Equalization	+/- 0.5dB
Integrated Rumble Filter	10 Hz (-1dB at 20 Hz)
Gain at 1kHz	1280 (62dB)
Crosstalk	below measuring range
Signal/Noise Ratio (0.5mV 0 ohm)	82dB (IHF "A")
Maximum Input Voltage	5mV (1 kHz)
Input Impedance	22k Ohms

In his latest revision of the PP-1, Albert Lukaschek has redesigned the regulation circuitry of the unit's power supply, bringing across-the-board improvements in the areas of clarity, focus, and bass control.

The net sonic result is a PP-1 of far greater refinement than any before. Tonal balance is slightly warmer than the previous versions, yet with far more resolution and extension. Bass is bigger and more solid; highs are effortless, open, transparent and totally devoid of smearing. Focus, soundstage depth and dimensionality, particularly on the edges of the soundstage, are much improved.

As we transition between centuries, it might seem ironic that we ask ourselves "Which is the right phono cartridge for my record collection?" Yes, today in our high tech world of pc's, the internet, and digital, we still find ourselves most enjoying music reproduced by our cherished vinyl records. Alas, phono cartridges do wear out, but as we learn, with proper care and a new cartridge every 3 to 5 years, our record collection will provide a lifetime (or more!) of musical enjoyment

Benz Micro Switzerland, an industry leader in record playback equipment for the past 30 years, offers music lovers numerous choices and upgrade plans for building their dream music system. Often that dream begins with the MC Gold, MC Silver and MC20 E2. Look to Benz Micro to meet your needs no matter your budget or audio system requirements.

Choosing your Technology
When selecting a phono cartridge today, one faces the same choices as in the past, but technology has redefined the rules. As before, there are moving magnet cartridges (typically mass produced and inexpensive), moving coil cartridges (very specialized and pricey), and sundry other less impressive offerings. Benz Micro was one of the leading diamond stylus suppliers in the 1970s, selling diamond needles to phono cartridge manufacturers of virtually every type and style. At one point, they even purchased a well known New York cartridge company named Empire and manufactured cartridges in the United States. But these were the moving magnet type and the engineers at Benz Micro knew that moving coil phono cartridges were the superior technology.

Like music, audio engineering is extremely complex to master, but once you do, it sounds like you are a prodigy. The engineers at Benz Micro, having mastered the "read end" or stylus design and manufacture of a phono cartridge, now set themselves to perfecting the other end: the moving coil generator. Designing specialized machinery for manufacturing under high powered Swiss microscopes, Benz perfected moving coil cartridge design.

Why Moving Coil?
To best convey the expression and message of a musical performance, an audio playback system must be free of the mechanical colorations and distortions of the system itself. Today's best speakers, like the ones you own, have gone to great lengths to minimize these problems with loudspeaker cones of high tech materials, low resonance cabinets, special crossover components and powerful speaker magnets. As such, these speakers can recreate a three dimensional soundstage which involves you the listener in the music. A moving coil cartridge also uses similar techniques because the cartridge is like a miniature modern loudspeaker acting in reverse. Thus, the moving coil cartridge outperforms other cartridge designs in its ability to resolve the musical nuances and soundstage information encoded in your record collection.

This is not to say that the moving coil cartridges of yesteryear did not have their problems. They were lower in output, requiring a more specialized phono pre-amp; heavier than other designs, requiring a more sophisticated turntable/tonearm; and more expensive than other designs to both purchase and later re-tip. Benz Micro Switzerland took it upon themselves to develop a wider range of quality moving coil cartridges that solved the limitations of their competitors. Benz hand-made cartridges are produced in a variety of output levels designed to optimize with a complete range of phono pre-amps. The cartridges are of medium weight and compliance, allowing top performance in a wide range of turntable/tonearm combinations. Benz Swiss made cartridges, while not inexpensive, are designed for extremely cost effective re-manufacture at the factory, effectively reducing the cost of ownership over the long term.

Two Industrial Giants
The Benz Swiss factory, being designed for research and specialized hand-building, can only produce a finite quantity of phono cartridges. To satisfy the growing market of music lovers searching for quality and affordable moving coil cartridges, Benz went to Japan and established a relationship with an automated factory to produce a series of cartridges reflecting the Benz philosophy. These cartridges had to possess flat frequency response to accurately reproduce the natural tonality of recordings, not the accentuated high frequencies of lesser designs. These Benz designs have exceptional trackability and exemplary channel separation, resolving musical subtlety and 3 dimensional imaging. These cartridges had to be compatible with a wide range of turntable/tonearms due to their reasonable weight and size, and be offered in a variety of output levels to match every preamp.

Trust in an industry leader and you can enjoy cost effective re-tipping and upgrade services for the rest of your life. Experience the superior sound of moving coil phono cartridges. Compare these Benz cartridges and you'll agree that these may be your best choice for the next 100 years.

For more information: email: Vince Scalzitti