Sumiko Blue Point No. 3 Low

MC Cartridge for Turntables with a Warm and Musical Sound.

It was a day like any other, except I had received a package the previous afternoon that I hadn't been able to open due to various parental occupations. Let’s see... Oh, AudioHUM! Of course, thanks Francisco, for sending over the Sumiko cartridge we had discussed. I’ll install it right now, but first: three cups of very strong espresso. You know, the usual routine before performing a delicate operation that requires a steady hand. Here we go. With a firm yet trembling pulse.

First of all, we say good morning to the turntable, remove its dust cover, and open the lid. We are greeted by a veteran and somewhat tired AT-OC9 III MC cartridge. A hero of a thousand battles (no exaggeration). Against all odds, it continues to perform well, but look, retirement age comes for everyone. It’s not a goodbye, but a see you later (or in other words, until we miss that sound and decide to switch back). Okay, step 1: remove the cartridge. Unfortunately, the carbon arm of the Pro-Ject is not the type that allows for a quick change. Patience. Done, we have carefully and affectionately removed the Audio-Technica. The Sumiko goes in without any problems or worries. A few touches here and there, everything aligned without setbacks.

Time to configure the Cyrus 40 PPA; its remote control makes it quick and easy. In reality, I haven't changed the parameters much from the previous cartridge. Additionally, the audio channel graphic allows us to see if we are well-aligned, as it maintains proportion between one and the other. That is, of course, if we don't trust our ears.

Construction

Sumiko has been in the business of producing turntable cartridges for many years now. In fact, the Blue Point No. 3 Low is a sort of 40th-anniversary celebration. It is a step beyond the experience created by the Blue Point No. 2 and, consequently, a critical analysis of the opportunities to improve a cartridge that had generated a positive consensus among audio enthusiasts for years. In the words of the brand, a proven generator design has been improved through a study of resonance and a redesign of the housing.

As is almost mandatory, the design consists of a plastic body or shell that houses a coil inside to produce the signal the stylus generates as it moves within the record groove. Talking about construction in cartridges is difficult, as they are small elements that shouldn't be handled excessively. The most relevant information will come, of course, from both listening and technical data. It is worth noting that all Sumiko cartridges are made in Yokohama, Japan, the birthplace of this and other exceptional brands of similar products.

How It Sounds

The equipment associated with the review was as follows:

• Preamp: McIntosh C504

• Amplifier: McIntosh MC502

• Turntable: Pro-Ject Xpression 1 Carbon, acrylic platter, 8.6-inch Carbon Evo arm

• Phono Preamp: Cyrus 40 PPA

• Interconnect Cables: Stager Silver Solids

• Power Treatment: Lampizator Silk

• Power Cables: Bazco Audio L1 (custom)

• Speakers: Axxess L1

• Speaker Cables: Viablue SC-4

• Rack: Artesanía Audio Prestige 4 / Artesanía Audio Glass Turntable Rack

• Accessories: Artesanía Audio Damper / Gutwire Ultimate Ground Cable

Everything is going well; a few weeks have passed since we installed the cartridge, and we have been attentive to its break-in. We have double-checked the configuration a couple of times, and everything seems to be in order. Now, let’s take a vinyl and test it. The choice: one of the recent releases from Speakers Corner, a label we have great affection for as their specialty is the AAA reissue of titles from the Atlantic catalog and other labels with great material. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band – The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw. The Paul Butterfield Blues Band was one of the decisive formations in the electrification of white blues in the United States during the sixties. Led by harmonicist Paul Butterfield, the band distinguished itself from its beginnings by a respectful but non-imitative approach to African-American blues, fueled by direct coexistence with Chicago musicians and scenes.

The sound we perceive through the equipment is good, very organic. The extension and contrast between instruments show good channel separation and frequency response; the soundstage is projected with ease and good extension. The live recording transmits the atmosphere of the event, an absolute joy.

We switch things up a bit and continue with A Love Supreme by John Coltrane, a very carefully produced edition for the work’s 60th anniversary. A vinyl in a transparent tone (we’ve already lost the purists here) but which, nevertheless, preserves a dynamic sound with good presentation. The Sumiko makes the grooves its own and reproduces a sound with body, warmth, and detail. The bass, above all, was presented with a lot of body and good punch. It’s a pleasure to hear such a wide presentation with a well-defined body. The midrange is the big winner with the cartridge change; it has opened up more, and the sound (slightly warmer) has moved closer to what I identify as the analog sound of vinyl.

Technical Data

• Mass and Dimensions: 6 g, 17.37 x 17.16 x 23.94 mm (W x H x D)

• Stylus: 0.3 x 0.7 mil Elliptical

• Cantilever: Aluminum pipe

• Coils: High-purity copper

• Internal Impedance: 28 Ω

• Load Impedance: >100 Ω

• Frequency Response: 13 Hz – 35 kHz

• Output Voltage: 0.5 mV at 1 kHz

• Channel Separation: 30 dB at 1 kHz

• Channel Balance: <1 dB at 1 kHz

• Compliance: 12 × 10-6 cm/dyne at 100 Hz

• Capacitance: 100 pF – 200 pF

• Vertical Tracking Angle: 20°

• Tracking Force Range: 1.8 g – 2.2 g

• Recommended Tracking Force: 2.0 g

Conclusions

I believe the great benefit of this cartridge lies in its quality/price ratio. It is very well-balanced in terms of these considerations due to the excellent, detailed, and well-presented sound it grants us, relative of course to its retail price: €600 at the time of the review.

With its elliptical stylus, the detail and information present in the vinyl have been extracted without setbacks, with precision and good balance. Offering a balanced, wide, and pleasant sound, its midrange (where much music lives and dies) is truly a pleasure to listen to. The price of the Blue Point No. 3 is an investment worth making for vinyl fans. I invite you to consider it for your next update or change of this component which, unfortunately and as we all know, is an element that suffers from wear and tear.

This and other excellent cartridges for your turntable are available through AudioHUM.

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