Sumiko Black Pearl Phone Cartridge Stylus

The RS Black Pearl — A Spherical Tip, and Not the Pearl's Part

Sumiko's replacement stylus for the Black Pearl moving magnet cartridge, sold singly. A 0.7 mil spherical diamond on an aluminum cantilever, it fits the front of a Black Pearl body without the cartridge leaving the arm.

The name causes more trouble than anything else about it. The Pearl and the Black Pearl are different cartridges with different diamonds, and Sumiko lists a different replacement stylus for each. One will not do for the other.

Fit, Profile and Compatibility

Which Bodies It Belongs On

Sumiko names one replacement stylus unit for the Black Pearl, and this is it. The Pearl's elliptical assembly is a separate part number, so check the badge on your cartridge rather than going by memory.

Sumiko's current moving magnet cartridges — Rainier, Olympia, Moonstone, Wellfleet and Amethyst — share one interchangeable group of styli. This is not part of it. Those assemblies will not serve here and this one will not serve there.

The Numbers That Matter at Setup

On a Black Pearl body Sumiko publishes 4.0 mV of output, a frequency response of 18 Hz – 20 kHz, 23 dB of channel separation at 1 kHz, compliance of 10 × 10⁻⁶ cm/dyn and an internal impedance of 1,130 Ω.

Tracking force is 1.5 to 2.0 g with 2.0 g recommended. A spherical tip is the most forgiving profile there is of a slightly imperfect setup, which is a large part of why the Black Pearl was fitted to so many turntables as standard.

Who Is the RS Black Pearl Best For?

• Your Black Pearl is worn — Sumiko no longer builds the cartridge, so the stylus is how it stays in service
• Your records are not perfect — a 0.7 mil sphere rides above surface damage an elliptical drops into
• Your setup is basic — a spherical profile tolerates arm geometry that a finer tip would not
• You keep a spare — cheap insurance on a cartridge that cannot be replaced new
• Yours is a Pearl, an Oyster, or one of the current Sumikos — this is not the matched part for any of them; theirs are in replacement styli

How Do You Fit It?

The cartridge stays in the headshell throughout. Hold the fitted assembly by its plastic housing, pull it straight forward off the body, and press this one on until it seats. Set tracking force to 2.0 g and nothing else needs adjusting.

Pairs Well With

What most Black Pearl owners shop alongside.

• Stylus force gauges — how you set the 2.0 g this one asks for
• Stylus cleaning — what decides how long the new tip lasts
• Record cleaning solutions — a clean record is the cheapest stylus insurance there is
• Record brushes — a pass before each side keeps grit out of the groove

Frequently Asked Questions

Will it fit my cartridge?

It fits the Sumiko Black Pearl alone. The Pearl uses a different assembly, the Oyster another again, and the current Rainier, Olympia, Moonstone, Wellfleet and Amethyst share a separate interchangeable group.

How do I tell a Pearl from a Black Pearl?

Read the badge on the cartridge rather than the color. If you are unsure, the diamonds differ too: the Pearl is elliptical and the Black Pearl spherical.

What tracking force should I set?

Sumiko specifies 1.5 to 2.0 g and recommends 2.0 g. Set it after fitting; a fresh assembly need not weigh exactly what a worn one did.

How long does a stylus last?

Around 1,000 hours is the usual figure, though it turns on how clean your records are and how accurately the cartridge is set up. A worn tip damages records, so replace it on schedule rather than by ear.

See It in Action

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