Goldring Ethos Moving Coil Cartridge
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We're an authorized dealer for every brand listed on this site, so your warranty is valid and fully supported. We're a real brick-and-mortar shop in Chestertown, MD with shelves of actual inventory, not a drop-shipper. Family-owned and run for three generations, since 1978.
Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Free shipping for most items over $100! Local delivery up to 500 miles more with minimum qualifying purchase.
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The Goldring Ethos Moving Coil Cartridge is a high-end model that combines meticulous engineering with innovative features to deliver exceptional sound reproduction. Featuring a vital-shank, line-contact diamond stylus, the Ethos ensures precise tracking and detailed audio performance, making it an ideal choice for discerning listeners.
Key Features
- Vital Line-Contact Diamond Stylus: Polyhedral profile with a very low tip-mass and large contact area for enhanced high-frequency detail and reduced distortion.
- Hand-Built GOL-1 Moving-Coil Generator: Cross-shaped, soft-iron armature paired with a low resonance aircraft-grade aluminum chassis for superior performance.
- Alloy Cantilever: Stiff and lightweight, optimized for stability and accurate groove tracing.
- Cross-Shaped Armature: Improves channel separation and minimizes cross-talk, delivering a realistic soundstage.
- Optimized Suspension: Bespoke butyl rubber damper and tensioned tie-wire ensure ultra-stable performance during complex passages.
- Neodymium Magnet: Lightweight and powerful, providing a uniform magnetic field for a flat and extended frequency response.
- Aluminum Body Shell: Precision-milled, aircraft-grade aluminum reduces unwanted resonances and maintains low effective mass.
Design and Build
The Ethos cartridge features a robust aluminum body shell, precision-milled from aircraft-grade aluminum for low density and high rigidity. This construction minimizes vibrations, ensuring stable performance. The vital-shank, line-contact diamond stylus is mounted on a stiff and lightweight alloy cantilever, optimized for stability and ride height. The hand-built GOL-1 moving-coil generator, featuring a cross-shaped, soft-iron armature, is integrated with the aluminum chassis, ensuring precision tuning and exceptional performance.
Performance
Designed to trace the smallest groove details with complete fidelity, the Ethos delivers smooth, extended highs with low distortion. The vital line-contact diamond stylus, combined with the low-mass alloy cantilever, provides excellent trackability and transient response, allowing for accurate reproduction of ultrasonic frequencies. The cross-shaped armature enhances channel separation and produces a highly detailed and dynamic soundstage. Optimized suspension and the neodymium magnet setup ensure a flat and extended frequency response, providing a detailed and immersive listening experience.
Versatility and Compatibility
The Goldring Ethos is designed for turntables fitted with a low to medium mass tonearm, and it requires a dedicated moving coil phono input to perform. Whether upgrading an existing cartridge or enhancing a legacy system, the Ethos provides a versatile solution for achieving exceptional vinyl playback.
The Listening Room Experience
At The Listening Room, we take pride in offering more than just high-fidelity audio equipment. We provide expert advice, personalized service, and a commitment to helping you find the perfect sound system for your space. From delivery to custom setup, our goal is to ensure that every piece of equipment you purchase performs at its absolute best in your environment. Trust us to be your partners in the pursuit of exceptional sound.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Stylus Profile | Vital line-contact |
| Cantilever | Aluminum alloy |
| Stylus Type | Factory Replaceable |
| Frequency Range | 10 Hz - 32 kHz |
| Frequency Response | ± 2 dB (35 Hz - 20 kHz) |
| Channel Balance | <1 dB at 1 kHz |
| Channel Separation | >30 dB at 1 kHz |
| Sensitivity | 0.5 mV ±1 dB @ 1 kHz @ 5 cm/sec (RMS) |
| Static Compliance | 25 mm/N |
| Dynamic Compliance | 15 mm/N |
| Vertical Tracking Angle | 20° |
| Stylus Radius | 35 x 8 µm (0.3 mil) |
| Load Resistance | 100 Ω |
| Load Capacitance | 100 - 1000 pF |
| Internal Inductance | 7.5 µH |
| Internal Resistance | 4 Ω |
| Cartridge Mass | 7.7 g |
| Total Mass (incl. Fixings) | 8.5 g (without stylus cover) |
| Fixing Centers | 12.7 mm (0.5 in) |
| Playing Weight | 1.5 - 2.0 g (1.75 g) |
Goldring Ethos or Ethos SE?
Goldring Ethos or Ethos SE?
The Ethos SE adds pure silver coils, pole shoes treated for lower reluctance and a black anodized body. Its output is lower, 0.35mV against the Ethos's 0.5mV, and its static compliance higher, 28mm/N against 25. Both use Goldring's GOL-1 generator and a vital line-contact stylus.
Which tonearms suit the Ethos?
Which tonearms suit the Ethos?
Goldring's support team says it works well with any medium to low-mass arm, anything 12g or less; its printed instructions give a wider range of 4 to 18g effective mass. It uses a vital-shank nude diamond with a polyhedral line-contact profile, chosen for very low tip mass and a large contact area, on a GOL-1 generator in a precision-milled aircraft-grade aluminum body.
What loading should I set for the Ethos?
What loading should I set for the Ethos?
Start at 100 ohms. Goldring says going higher, 470 ohms and above, increases high-frequency transient response by reducing electrical damping, while going below about 75 ohms reduces output and treble transients. Nothing you choose will harm the cartridge, so Goldring says to set it where you prefer the sound.
How do I mount the Ethos?
How do I mount the Ethos?
The body has threaded mounting holes, so no nuts are needed. Goldring supplies M2.5 screws in 6mm and 4mm lengths; use the shortest that gives a secure fit. The recommended tracking force is 1.75g, and Goldring asks you to refit the stylus guard when not in use.
How long does the Ethos's stylus last?
How long does the Ethos's stylus last?
Goldring says a well-cared-for line-contact diamond can last up to 1,000 hours before wear noticeably affects performance. The stylus cannot be replaced by the user; when it is worn, your dealer or Goldring arranges for it to be replaced at Goldring's factory.
