NEW SD Tip Stylus (Synthetic Unplated Diamond Tip) - with Black package

We are pleased to announce the commencement of sales for our new SD Tip (synthetic diamond Tip). Due to material shortages for bonded diamond Tip, we have successfully revived 363 types of replacement styli that had been unavailable for production for approximately 2 years.

We will begin accepting orders from September 1st, 2023 (Friday).

 

  •  CUSTOM SHOP series

    we have expanded the variety of replacement needles for SHURE M44 and different variations of JICO original MM cartridges.

　The N44-7 features a blue design, while the N44G incorporates a clear blue knob.

  • Replacement Stylus

　Lineup of replacement stylus from many manufacturers.

SD items here

Comparison SD and NUDE

Furthermore, we have completed durability tests and other evaluations within our company to ensure that our products now meet the quality standards necessary for you to feel confident in selling them. When it comes to sound quality, we’ve conducted multiple listening sessions in our newly established headquarters listening room since last fall. We’re proud to say that the sound produced is on par with, if not better than, our previous bonded diamond tips.

Amidst the challenges posed by inflation, we have implemented strategic measures to maintain the stability of the product prices. This decision is our way of providing support to strengthen and reinforce your sales initiatives, ensuring sustained progress and success in the ever-changing market conditions.

We sincerely ask for your support in providing the JICO brand to music enthusiasts all over the world.

President

Yukihiro Nakagawa

SD Tip (Synthetic Unplated Diamond Tip)

Synthetic Diamonds refer to diamonds that are artificially created and share the same chemical composition, crystal structure, and optical/physical properties as Natural Diamonds.

While Natural Diamonds (ND) are those formed naturally, Synthetic Diamonds (SD) are manufactured, often referred to as Synthetic Diamonds.

Natural Diamonds vary in hardness due to their natural formation, whereas Synthetic Diamonds offer the advantage of consistent hardness.

Synthetic Diamonds are more affordable compared to Natural Diamonds and their supply is stable, making them suitable for a wide range of applications.

[Features]

・SD Tip (Synthetic Unplated Diamond Tip) has a full diamond structure like the

    NUDE Tip (Natural Unplated Diamond Tip).

・The tip’s diameter is φ0.25mm, the same shape as Bonded Diamond tips.

・It possesses the same hardness as Natural Diamonds.

・The tip shape is conical and the lifespan is approximately 200 hours.

When the size and shape of the tip change, it also affects the sound quality.

This is particularly noticeable with NUDE and SAS tips, which are designed to fit snugly into the grooves of vinyl records. This design allows for a high-quality and elegant sound reproduction, capturing the essence of the recorded audio on the vinyl records

【Regarding the SD Tip】

By Technical Department, Kazuma Taniguchi

 

In the introduction of the SD tip this time, we have conducted numerous tests to assess its performance.

 

One of the key test items was the durability and wear resistance test. We conducted these tests for hundreds of hours using dedicated continuous playback machines to carefully assess the condition of the chips before and after the tests.

 

Furthermore, apart from tip wear, we found that the degradation of the cantilever damper rubber significantly impacts sound quality. To maintain the internal standard hardness, our company handles the in-house kneading, formulation, mixing, and molding of the damper rubber, subtly adjusting the chemical composition depending on the season of production.

Additionally, we perform several other tests to evaluate the success or failure of the new stylus tips. The data presented below is based on an individual examination of every single stylus in our company, and we have also compared the results with NUDE, SAS, and other stylus tips.

Both of the NUDE and SD stylus tip types have passed the tests set by JICO, and we have established a playback time guarantee of 200 hours for the SD tip.

Furthermore, regarding the tonal quality, multiple individuals, including the president and the audio testing staff, spent considerable time in our listening room, each using their own reference, to carefully evaluate it.

Of course, I also had the opportunity to confirm this. Even when compared to our previous Bonded tips, it produces a delightfully pleasant sound without any compromise in quality.

In addition to the existing SAS, NUDE Elliptical, NUDE Diamond, Conical Diamond, and Shibata stylus options, we have now introduced the SD stylus, bringing the total to six different tip configurations available.

 

For our MM cartridges – J44, J50, and IMPACT – along with the original MORITA cantilever and the SAS series, you can now enjoy JICO’s sound with a wide variety of combinations, including multiple tip shapes. We invite you to explore the distinctive audio experience that JICO offers.

[Order Acceptance Date]

October 2, 2023

 

[Shipping Date]

End of November , 2023