Shilabe

About the Shilabe

The Miyajima Shilabe is a premium moving coil (MC) phono cartridge renowned for its ultra-high resolution and musicality. It features a body made from African blackwood, a material typically used in clarinets and oboes, providing a beautiful luster and firmness. The cantilever is larger than usual and made of aluminum, supporting a nude Shibata diamond stylus that offers extended line contact for improved high-frequency response and stylus longevity. The cartridge employs Miyajima's patented "cross-ring" coil construction, centering the generator's fulcrum within the coil for instantaneous signal generation and enhanced stereo accuracy. It is a low-compliance design with a recommended tracking force around 3.0 grams, optimized for tracking forces between 2.5 and 3.2 grams. The Shilabe is noted for its coherent sound with a slight emphasis on upper midrange and treble, delivering fast transients without brightness or edginess. It balances warmth and slam with a clear, detailed presentation, making it suitable for discerning audiophiles seeking a rich, full-bodied analog playback experience. Installation requires careful geometry adjustment due to its design. The cartridge weighs approximately 9.7 to 10.4 grams and has an impedance of about 16 ohms with an output level near 0.23 mV. Frequency response spans from 20 Hz to 32 kHz (-3 dB).