Michell CUSIS S Moving Coil Cartridge

What You Need to Know

What Is the Michell Cusis S?

A phono cartridge is the device at the end of your tonearm that holds the stylus—the tiny diamond that rides inside your record's groove. As the stylus traces the groove's microscopic modulations, the cartridge converts those movements into an electrical signal that is amplified and reproduced as music.

The Michell Cusis S is a premium low-output moving coil (MC) phono cartridge designed for listeners seeking a substantial step up in analog performance. Positioned between the entry-level Cusis E and flagship Cusis models, it combines advanced stylus technology, premium materials, and precision engineering to deliver exceptional detail, dynamics, and musical realism.

Why Choose a Moving Coil Cartridge?

Unlike a moving magnet cartridge, a moving coil design attaches tiny coils directly to the cantilever while the magnets remain stationary. Because the moving assembly is much lighter, it can react more quickly and accurately to the tiny groove modulations in your records. The result is faster transient response, greater low-level detail, improved resolution, and a more lifelike presentation.

The Cusis S employs a powerful samarium-cobalt magnetic circuit with precision-wound 30μ pure copper coils, creating a highly stable magnetic field while keeping moving mass extremely low.

Shibata Stylus for Reference-Level Playback

One of the biggest upgrades over the Cusis E is the Cusis S's Shibata diamond stylus mounted on a premium boron cantilever. Originally developed to reproduce ultra-high-frequency quadraphonic recordings, the Shibata profile provides significantly greater groove contact than elliptical designs. This allows it to retrieve more musical information while reducing tracing distortion and inner-groove distortion.

The boron cantilever complements the stylus perfectly. Its exceptional stiffness and extremely low mass preserve transient speed while allowing the stylus to track complex musical passages with outstanding precision.

Built to Eliminate Resonance

Every Cusis cartridge is engineered to suppress unwanted vibration before it reaches the stylus. A rigid aluminum chassis provides a stable mounting platform for the generator assembly, while the precision-machined Acetyl body further damps resonance without adding unnecessary mass.

The stylus assembly is supported by a specially developed suspension that keeps the stylus precisely centered in the groove, improving tracking stability, stereo imaging, and channel balance throughout the frequency range.

Award-Winning Performance

The Cusis S has earned widespread praise from respected audio reviewers. Hi-Fi Choice named it Group Test Winner, describing its ability to reveal "weight and potency that no other offering here can come close to." Reviewers also praised its tonal realism, expansive three-dimensional imaging, outstanding bass extension, and emotional engagement.

hi-fi+ similarly called the Cusis S "a rocking good cartridge," noting that careful setup rewards listeners with remarkably low distortion and truly exceptional musical performance.

Designed for Serious Analog Systems

The Cusis S is a low-output moving coil cartridge intended for use with phono stages that provide moving coil gain. Properly matched, it rewards listeners with greater transparency, wider dynamic range, lower background noise, and an effortless sense of realism that fully reveals the capabilities of high-quality turntables and tonearms.

Building Your System

• Phono Preamplifier – Requires a moving coil-compatible phono stage or step-up transformer.

• Turntables – Standard ½-inch mount fits most quality tonearms.

• Record Cleaning – Clean records maximize stylus life and preserve performance.

• Alignment Tools – A quality alignment protractor and stylus force gauge are highly recommended to realize the full performance of the Shibata stylus.

Features & Specifications

Precision Moving Coil Generator

A powerful samarium-cobalt magnet and ultra-light moving coil assembly with 30μ pure copper windings produce exceptional speed, dynamics, and low-level detail.

Shibata Diamond Stylus

The advanced Shibata profile retrieves significantly more musical information than conventional elliptical styli while reducing distortion and improving stereo imaging.

Premium Boron Cantilever

The lightweight boron cantilever offers exceptional rigidity, allowing the stylus to respond rapidly and accurately to complex groove modulations.

Resonance-Controlled Construction

A rigid aluminum chassis and high-density Acetyl body work together to suppress unwanted vibration and preserve signal purity.

Reference-Level Performance

With frequency response extending from 20Hz to 35kHz and 25dB channel separation, the Cusis S delivers exceptional openness, precision, and musical realism.

Specifications

• Type: Low-Output Moving Coil

• Stylus: Shibata Diamond

• Cantilever: Boron

• Coil Material: Pure 30μ Copper

• Magnet: Samarium-Cobalt

• Body: High-Density Acetyl

• Chassis: Aluminum

• Frequency Response: 20Hz–35kHz

• Channel Separation: 25dB

• Mounting: Standard ½-inch

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the Cusis S work with my phono stage?

The Cusis S is a low-output moving coil cartridge and requires a phono preamplifier with moving coil gain or a compatible step-up transformer. It is not intended to plug directly into a standard moving magnet input.

Why choose the Cusis S over the Cusis E?

The Cusis S upgrades to a premium Shibata stylus and boron cantilever, providing greater detail retrieval, improved tracking accuracy, wider frequency response, and superior stereo imaging.

What tonearms does it fit?

The Cusis S mounts using the industry-standard ½-inch mounting pattern and is compatible with most medium-mass audiophile tonearms.

Is setup important?

Yes. Like most cartridges using advanced line-contact styli, careful alignment, azimuth, and tracking force adjustment allow the Cusis S to deliver its full performance potential.

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