EAT Jo No. 8 MC Phono Cartridge

A Statement Cartridge from a Small European Workshop

The EAT Jo No. 8 is a moving-coil cartridge built around a boron cantilever and a nude Shibata stylus. Its coils use 8-nines pure copper wire for a clean, low-loss signal path.

Output measures 0.3mV, with 5 ohms of internal impedance. EAT recommends a load above 15 ohms for the best match with your phono stage. That is a low-output coil. The gain your stage can muster matters more than any other number here.

Frequency response spans 20Hz to 30kHz. Channel separation exceeds 25dB at 1kHz. At 12.5 grams it suits a tonearm built for a moderate to slightly heavier cartridge, so check what your arm is rated to carry before you fit it.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Ken Kessler reviewed the Jo No. 8 for Hi-Fi News on February 17, 2020. He wrote that he'd "never seen any visitors to my listening room react so favourably, so quickly" to a cartridge.

Gary Lea reviewed it for Positive Feedback on September 1, 2020. He called it "the equal measure of any number of cartridges out there selling for 60-100% more."

He also described it as "a rare over achiever in a world of sometimes over hyped under performers."

Who Is This Cartridge Best For?

• Vinyl listeners ready for a genuine step up. Reviewers compared it favorably to cartridges costing far more.
• Anyone with a capable tonearm and phono stage already in place. A cartridge this resolving rewards the rest of a well-sorted system.
• Listeners who value a neutral, uncolored sound. Reviewers praised its balanced, unforced presentation.
• Your tonearm is worth matching — a moving coil this fine repays an arm and a stage that can track and load it properly, rather than a starter deck.
• It needs a moving coil input — the output is too low for a moving magnet stage, so check what yours provides before ordering. Given the gain it asks for, it repays a good one. Our phono preamplifiers list the gain each supplies.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

A qualified installer or dealer mounts the Jo No. 8 to your tonearm's headshell, then sets tracking force to EAT's recommended 2.3 grams. Careful alignment matters more with a cartridge this revealing.

Run its output into a phono stage set for moving-coil cartridges, with a load impedance above 15 ohms. From there, it connects to your preamp or integrated amplifier as usual.

Pairs Well With

Building your system? Here are some great companions for the EAT Jo No. 8:

• Turntables with a tonearm capable of resolving this cartridge's detail
• Phono preamplifiers with a moving-coil input matched to its output
• Preamplifiers to complete a full analog front end
• Audio racks to give your turntable a stable, vibration-free home

Frequently Asked Questions

What tracking force does it need?

EAT recommends 2.3 grams, within an acceptable range of 2.0 to 2.5 grams.

What phono stage setting does it need?

Set your phono stage to moving-coil mode, with a load impedance above 15 ohms for the best match.

How is this different from the Jo No. 5?

The Jo No. 8 sits above the Jo No. 5 in EAT's lineup, with a different stylus and cantilever aimed at a higher level of resolution.

What is a nude Shibata stylus, and why does it matter?

Shibata is a line-contact profile. It meets more of the groove wall than an elliptical tip, so it reads more of what is cut there and spreads wear along a longer edge. Nude means the diamond mounts directly, without a metal shank, which lowers tip mass.

Should I have it professionally installed?

We recommend it. Precise alignment and tracking force are essential to hearing what this cartridge can do.

See It in Action

TrueAudiophileStore takes a closer look at the Jo No. 8:

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Learn More

Want to learn more about phono cartridges, setting up your turntable, or getting the most from your vinyl collection? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.