Sumiko Moving Magnet User Instructions

Thank you for purchasing your new Sumiko Oyster Series phono cartridge. Sumiko Oyster™ cartridges
are products resulting from over four decades of cartridge design. We believe that delivered high
performance can be achieved at reasonable prices. The Oyster™ line is the embodiment of this
philosophy. Oyster™ is your ticket of entry for the “high-end” – a world of high technology, where
companies go to great lengths to recreate music in your home. The Oyster™ Series offers superior
construction and sound quality with an emphasis on real world performance. Whether you have
purchased a moving magnet or moving coil Sumiko Oyster™, you can be assured of performance and
quality second to none. Enjoy your new cartridge.

User Guidelines

Mounting: The stylus/cantilever assembly is the most fragile part of any phono cartridge. Please use
extreme caution while handling the cartridge and keep the stylus guard mounted whenever possible to
prevent damage during the mounting process. Do not solder the leads to the cartridge terminals as
excessive heat may permanently damage the cartridge.

Once the cartridge is mounted, balance the tonearm for the proper vertical tracking force indicated for
each model cartridge (see specifications at the end of this manual). To set the tracking force, first balance
the tonearm. Locate the counterweight. On virtually all pivoted tonearms, it will be located at the rear of
the tonearm (meaning at the opposite end from the cartridge). Generally, it looks like a fairly large,
shallow cylinder, usually black in color and often has numbers (indicating grams of force) ranging from 0
to 3 or more printed on it. As you move the counterweight backwards, the cartridge end of the arm will
lighten (reducing stylus tracking weight), while moving the counterweight forward will increase the stylus
tracking weight. The first objective is to "statically balance" the arm, which is to achieve the proper weight
balance such that the arm "floats" level. Practice a bit and you'll find it's fairly easy to achieve. Remember
to exercise caution so that the stylus and cantilever are kept clear of any obstructions and are prevented
from striking anything that could cause damage. After achieving static balance, adjust the counterweight
to the desired tracking force by bringing the weight in toward the cartridge. Do not apply anti-skate until
the cartridge is aligned. This will be addressed later in the setup process.

We recommend the use of a high-quality alignment protractor to determine correct cartridge positioning
for the minimum tracking error. If none are available, follow the tonearm manufacturer’s guidelines for
overhang and offset angle. Now tighten the mounting bolts.

Note: Do not over tighten the mounting bolts as this may cause damage to the cartridge and is not
necessary for optimum performance.

Tracking Force: After achieving the correct alignment of the cartridge in the headshell, final adjustment
of tracking force can be made. The suspension systems and stylus types used in Oyster™ cartridges are
designed to perform optimally when a tracking force of between 1.5 – 2.5 grams is applied (pending the
model). Tracking below its recommended VTF range, the stylus will not securely seat in the record
groove, resulting in increased record and stylus wear. Tracking above the recommended range, the
suspension will no longer functioning properly and dynamics will be lost. Record damage will occur more
readily with too little tracking force, rather than too much. A recommended optimum tracking force setting is given for each model in the specification section of this manual.

Anti-Skate/Bias: Due to the rotational inertia of pivoted tonearms, the friction of the stylus on the record
groove produces a force that pulls the stylus toward the center of the record. Anti-Skate (or mechanical
bias) is added to compensate for this force in order to equalize the stylus tracking on the sides of the
groove walls. Because this is a dynamic force, do not attempt adjustment using a blank or grooveless
record as this will result in over compensation. When using a Sumiko Oyster™ moving magnet cartridge,
a value equal to the tracking force should be applied as anti-skate. Two grams tracking force = Two
grams of anti-skate.

Vertical Tracking Angle/Stylus Rake Angle: The dimensions of the cutting stylus used in mastering
each vinyl record create a rake (forward-backward tilt) of the record groove. The rake angle may change
for different records depending on the method of mastering used. The corresponding rake of the playback stylus will be one of the determining factors in the delivered performance of your Oyster™ cartridge; however, all Oyster™ cartridges are designed to give excellent performance over a very wide window of rake angles. If your tonearm does not have rake or adjustable height adjustment, you may rest assured that your cartridge will deliver a very high degree of performance. The following is intended for those who own a tonearm that allows for the adjustment of rake or arm pillar height. To optimize, start with the tonearm oriented with the back of the arm lower than the front by ≈ 1/2 inch. Listen to a recording of acoustical music, recorded in real space, to determine the tonal balance and soundstage presentation. Adjust the tonearm pivot height upwards ≈ 1/6 inch at a time and listen to the changes. When the correct orientation has been achieved, the soundstage will be better defined and the music will have a richer harmonic structure. Additionally, surface noise will be reduced dramatically. If the soundstage comes into focus and becomes very lifelike but the sound has a slight hardness to the upper frequencies, the azimuth may be off (see azimuth section for adjustment details).

Azimuth: For optimum tracking of the record grooves, the stylus must be in correct azimuth (side-to-side
tilt) alignment. Gross side-to-side tilt will result in an actual channel imbalance, but this is not a likely
scenario. More likely, any sort of an azimuth error that you will experience will result in tonal aberrations in the upper frequencies and not a channel imbalance.

Loading: All Sumiko Oyster™ moving magnet cartridges are designed to work into a standard moving
magnet phone stage at 47kΩ loading. It is normal to experience a slightly lower output from your phono
stage relative to a line stage device such as a CD player.

Note: If your receiver or pre-amp has capacitance loading capabilities, Sumiko cartridges should be
loaded with a value no higher than 200pf.

Maintenance Cleaning: Optimum performance can only be achieved by maintaining a clean stylus and
record surface. If your records are kept very clean, the brush supplied with your cartridge will suffice to
remove accumulated dust if it is used after each play. Be sure to either turn the volume down or select a
different input prior to doing this. Only use a back to front motion when contacting the stylus during
cleaning. To remove compacted debris, we recommend LAST cleaning products as the best and safest stylus cleaner available.

Important: Extreme caution should be exercised in cleaning the stylus. A single front to back motion can
permanently damage the cantilever.

Stylus Replacement: Please contact your dealer for details on how to replace and/or upgrade the stylus
on your Oyster Series™ cartridge. All moving magnet models can accept a replacement stylus/cantilever
assembly.

Sumiko offers 5 stylus options utilizing the latest Rainier Family generator. Users with Rainier can upgrade
to Olympia, Moonstone or even Wellfleet with a simple stylus swap. Owners of, say, Wellfleet may choose
to install a Rainier stylus for a party or for vinyl that may be contaminated or damaged, preserving the
pristine Wellfleet for high quality, well-cleaned albums. Owners of Amethyst can enjoy the same versatility. Although the generator for Amethyst is different from that of the rest of the Rainier Family, the physical body & mechanics are the same so it is possible to use, for example, a Rainier or Olympia stylus with an Amethyst body. This also means one can install an Amethyst stylus in a Rainier body (it sounds fabulous, but be advised it does not extract the full potential of Amethyst’s sophisticated stylus/cantilever). RS 78 works with any of the cartridges in this family, including Amethyst! Take note that our Pearl & Black Pearl styli are also physically interchangeable.