Clearaudio Charisma v2
High-end moving magnet (MM) cartridge from Clearaudio, with an ebony wood body inlaid with silver, for demanding turntables.
Description
The Charisma v2 is a moving magnet (MM) cartridge designed by Clearaudio to be fitted to a turntable and convert the signal engraved in the groove into an electrical signal for a phono stage. It occupies a high-end position within the brand's MM cartridges.
The cantilever is made of boron and holds a diamond stylus cut in Gyger S profile, double polished, precisely mounted. This combination aims for an extended frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz and channel separation of 30 dB at 1 kHz, with a channel balance of 0.2 dB. The output voltage, approximately 3.6 mV at 1 kHz at a velocity of 5 cm/s, is relatively high for an MM cartridge, allowing it to work with less sensitive phono stages without requiring significant additional gain.
Electrically, the cartridge has a coil impedance of 0.66 kΩ at 1 kHz and an inductance of 400 mH; it is designed for a load resistance of 47 kΩ and a load capacitance of 100 pF, values that should be matched on the phono preamplifier side to preserve the stated frequency response. The recommended tracking force is 2.4 g ± 0.3 g, and the stylus compliance is 17 μ/mN, a parameter that affects its behaviour when dealing with groove irregularities.
The cartridge body is made of ebony wood and adorned with a German silver inlay, for a total mass of 9.0 g (± 1 g), to be taken into account when adjusting the tonearm's effective mass.
This cartridge is aimed at turntable enthusiasts with a quality tonearm and phono preamplifier, capable of making the most of a high-end MM cartridge and complying with its recommended load values.
Technical specifications
| Frequency response | 20 Hz - 20 kHz |
| Output voltage (1 kHz, 5 cm/s) | ~ 3.6 mV |
| Channel separation (1 kHz) | 30 dB |
| Channel balance (1 kHz) | 0.2 dB |
| Tracking ability | 90 μm |
| Recommended tracking force | 2.4 g ± 0.3 g |
| Coil impedance (1 kHz) | 0.66 kΩ |
| Coil inductance | 400 mH |
| Load resistance | 47 kΩ |
| Load capacitance | 100 pF |
| Cantilever / stylus | Boron / double polished Gyger S |
| Compliance | 17 μ/mN |
| Cartridge body | Ebony wood with German silver inlay |
| Cartridge mass | 9.0 g (± 1 g) |
What to check before buying used
The Gyger S cut diamond tip deserves examination under a loupe to detect wear or a flat spot invisible to the naked eye, a sign of a stylus at the end of its life. The boron cantilever, particularly thin, is vulnerable to impacts and micro-cracks that affect groove tracking. The internal suspension can stiffen or slacken over time, which shifts the optimal tracking force and undermines the channel balance stated at 0.2 dB. The ebony wood body and its silver inlay also deserve a visual inspection, as a crack near the mounting thread could compromise coupling with the tonearm.
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