GriT Groove MM CARTRIDGE

The standard model focuses on a complete, curated package for immediate high-fidelity performance.

New synthetic diamond tip: KAGURA implemented.
Ready-to-Play: Comes pre-mounted on a high-quality chrome-plated headshell with a specific 52mm overhang setup.
Build Quality: Features specific customizations like Japanese-made screws and high-quality lead wire tubing from Akihabara.
Tuning: The cantilever and damper rubber are adjusted in Japan to handle modern heavy-bass genres (like beat music) and narrow grooves.

There are four companies in the world that manufacture record stylus tips. Among them, NAGAOKA in Japan is the only company that produces what are called “bonded styli” (known as kangō-bari). The other three companies manufacture tips known as “nude styli.”

A diamond stylus attached to a metal base called a “shank” is referred to as a bonded stylus. A stylus composed entirely of diamond is referred to as a nude stylus. Nagaoka is the representative manufacturer of bonded styli.

High-end MC (Moving Coil) cartridges use tips polished into multi-faceted shapes, such as the MR (Micro Ridge) tip from Orbray.*

Bonded styli can be easily installed by craftsmen onto aluminum cantilevers, which allow for flexible expansion of the mounting hole diameter.

A record stylus physically vibrates by capturing the waveforms carved into the record grooves. This vibration is transmitted through a cantilever (which has a diamond tip attached) to a magnet located at its base.

The vibration of the magnet interacts with the coil inside the cartridge to generate an electromagnetic current; this converts the motion into an audio signal, which is then sent to the record player.

In analog record playback, the stylus is a crucial element that plays a role similar to a microphone diaphragm capturing air vibrations during audio recording.

regarding the diamond tip attached to the stylus: if the material is hard and of high density, the internal molecules are closer together, resulting in faster transmission of vibrations.

“Elliptical styli” increase the sampling rate* by minimizing the contact area with the record groove.

Elliptical tip and KAGURA tip image are the following..

GRIT GROOVE is a cartridge equipped with a bonded conical stylus (bonded round stylus) using synthetic diamond.

Refers to the triangular pyramid at the tip on the left side of the 200x electron microscope photo below*: It is the heart of the KAGURA sound. It possesses a hardness five times that of natural diamond. The polishing of the tip is performed accurately into a 60mil triangular pyramid.

The process with the highest level of difficulty was the machining of the base, known as the “shank,” shown on the right side.

We perform the following measures:

Applying vapor deposition to ensure the diamond absolutely never detaches from the shank.
Keeping the variation in the shank diameter to within ±0.02mm to allow for press-fitting into the cantilever hole.
Reducing the overall weight of the stylus assembly.

As mentioned earlier, “KAGURA” is a bonded stylus with a metal base. This base enhances the bonding compatibility with the aluminum cantilever.

The aluminum cantilever plays a role in the low-frequency characteristics. A thicker diameter creates a rich low end, while a thinner diameter forms a delicate low end. The GRIT GROOVE cartridge equipped with “KAGURA” possesses excellent frequency characteristics across a wide bandwidth.

The coils are wound precisely yet simply. The stylus structure is also simple. Craftsmen can concentrate on assembling them in a short time without being bothered by the complicated assembly processes peculiar to MM cartridges. We were also able to significantly suppress the price.

Grit Groove aimed to realize a “clear and sharp sound” on records.

GRIT GROOVE BLUE

The “GRIT GROOVE” MM cartridge (with headshell) extracts the sound of your turntable with density and precision at a price under 100 EURO, significantly enhancing the sound quality.

To ensure immediate installation on record players equipped with universal tonearms, the MM cartridge is pre-set so that the stylus tip is positioned 52mm from the base of the chrome-plated headshell, which features low static and low magnetism properties. Furthermore, because it is made of heavy and rigid material, the shell itself is free from unnecessary vibrations.

The gold-plated lead wire connectors are covered with tubing from Tiger Musen in Akihabara. Additionally, the M2.5 hexagonal mounting screws are made in Japan, purchased from Wilco in Yokohama. We have incorporated meticulous attention to detail throughout.

The optimal tracking force is 2.2g, but by keeping the force to just over 2 grams, the vibration of the stylus and cantilever becomes smoother.

Also, through adjustments made in Japan, we have modified the damper rubber and the cantilever. It is capable of handling 33RPM 12-inch singles of beat music that feature high compression and narrow grooves (around 60μm).

Technical Specifications

Output Impedance: 2kΩ
FREQ:10Hz-35KHz
Stylus Type: KAGURA Conical (Round) Stylus
Load Resistance: 47kΩ
Tracking Force Range: 2.0g – 4.0g
Recommended Tracking Force: 2.2g
Output Voltage: 5mV/sec @ 1kHz
Cartridge Weight: 7g
Shell Weight: 14g
Shell Material: Chrome Plated

GRIT GROOVE BLACK

The AT-3600L is the most widely distributed cartridge in the world, installed on a variety of turntables. GRIT GROOVE has equipped this cartridge with the KAGURA stylus.

It features the crystal-clear high frequencies unique to KAGURA, and a sound signature that places the center of gravity even lower than the 100-120Hz range where conventional styli typically place their low-frequency peak. You can hear “every sound carved into the groove.”

Although the AT-3600L is a very inexpensive cartridge due to its massive distribution volume, its sonic expression can be dramatically transformed by changing the stylus. GRIT GROOVE BLACK will be released soon at a significantly reduced price.

Technical Specifications

Output Impedance: 2kΩ
FREQ: 10Hz-35KHz
Stylus Type: KAGURA 0.3mm Conical (Round) Stylus
Cantilever; Alminium
Load Resistance: 47kΩ
Recommended Tracking Force: 2.2g
Output Voltage: 2.5mV/sec @ 1kHz
Cartridge Weight: 5g
Shell Weight: 14g
Shell Material: Chrome Plated