Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum Moving Coil Cartridge
The Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum occupies a distinctive position within the celebrated Japanese manufacturer’s range. It combines the traditional rosewood body that established Koetsu’s reputation with the most refined components from the Platinum series. It therefore forms a natural bridge between the historic Rosewood models and the brand’s prestigious stone-bodied cartridges. Its body is fashioned from carefully selected natural rosewood, aged to stabilise its mechanical properties. The wood is then shaped by hand and protected with several layers of lacquer. This construction helps control unwanted resonances while preserving the warmth and harmonic richness traditionally associated with Koetsu’s wooden-bodied cartridges. Natural variations in the grain make every example visually unique. At the heart of the cartridge, the Platinum generator uses ultra-high-purity silver-plated copper coils combined with a magnetic system incorporating platinum. This architecture, also employed in Koetsu’s most prestigious stone-bodied models, is designed to preserve the faintest signals and retrieve the finest nuances contained within the record groove. Its boron cantilever combines exceptional rigidity with very low mass. It transmits the stylus movements to the coils with great precision, allowing the cartridge to follow the smallest groove modulations. The result is improved definition, stability and naturalness, without the presentation becoming artificially analytical. In listening terms, the Rosewood Signature Platinum is distinguished by the density of its tonal colours, the richness of its midrange and the remarkably tangible presence of voices. Acoustic instruments possess a palpable sense of substance, while strings, woodwinds and brass are reproduced with exceptional colour and texture. The presentation remains warm and fluid, but the Platinum generator brings greater openness, transparency and precision than the more conventional Rosewood models. The soundstage unfolds with impressive width and depth, while maintaining excellent coherence between the different instrumental layers. Detail is abundant, yet always integrated into a continuous and deeply musical performance. The bass has weight, depth and a natural sense of flexibility. The treble is refined, airy and free from hardness, making long listening sessions effortless. The Rosewood Signature Platinum does not pursue a spectacular display of resolution; instead, it places naturalness, texture and musical emotion at the heart of the performance. With its low output of 0.3 mV, it requires an exceptionally quiet moving-coil phono stage with sufficient gain, or a very high-quality step-up transformer. Its 12.4 g weight also calls for a compatible tonearm and counterweight. Koetsu recommends a tracking force between 1.8 and 2.0 g, together with a load impedance of 75 to 500 ohms. Through its balance of the organic warmth of rosewood and the refinement of the Platinum generator, the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum delivers a presentation that is sensual, open and remarkably expressive. It is intended for music lovers seeking Koetsu’s traditional tonal richness, combined with the resolution and transparency of the brand’s most prestigious cartridges. Technical specifications Type: low-output moving-coil cartridge Body: aged and lacquered natural rosewood Coil wiring: ultra-high-purity silver-plated copper Magnetic system: platinum Cantilever: boron Output voltage: 0.3 mV Net weight: 12.4 g Recommended tracking force: 1.8–2.0 g Recommended load impedance: 75–500 ohms