Lyra Kleos SL Moving Coil Cartridge

An ultra-low-output special order cartridge for expert users.

The Lyra Kleos SL is a special, built-to-order version of Kleos for expert users with very high-gain, extra low noise phonostages, or a step-up transformer designed for phono cartridges of 2 – 3 ohms or less.

The Kleos SL may provide extra pure and pristine sound from an audio system that is optimized for a low-impedance, low-output cartridge. However, this may be accompanied with a lesser level of energy and power. Please contact our analog team if you are unsure about running such a low-output (0.25 V) MC phono cartridge.

The Kleos SL was designed by Jonathan Carr, with Akiko Ishiyama doing the preliminary build, and Yoshinori Mishima doing the final build and testing.

The cartridge body is one-piece, machined from solid 7075 alloy billet, with reduced-surface higher-pressure headshell contact area, partially non-parallel shaping, phase-interference resonance-controlling mechanism, and body threaded directly for mounting screws.

The recommended load directly into MC phono input is determined by listening.

Use a step-up transformer designed for 2 – 3 ohms cartridge impedance. The transformer output must be connected to standard 47kohm MM-level RIAA input, preferably via short, low-capacitance cable

Recommended tonearms: High-quality pivoted or linear tangential tonearms with rigid bearing(s), adjustable anti-skating force, preferably VTA

Specifications

Type: Medium weight, medium compliance, low-impedance, low-output moving coil cartridge

Stylus: Lyra-designed long-footprint variable-radius line-contact nude diamond (3um x 70um profile, block dimensions 0.08 x 0.12 x 0.5mm), slot-mounted

Cantilever System: Solid boron rod with short one-point wire suspension, directly mounted into cartridge body

Coils: Single layer, 6N high-purity copper, square-shaped chemically-purified high-purity iron former, 2.7ohms self-impedance

Output Voltage (@5 cm/sec): 0.25 mV, zero to peak, 45 degrees (CBS test record, other test records may alter results)

Frequency Range: 10 Hz – 50 kHz

Channel Separation (@ 1 kHz): 35 dB or better

Compliance (@100 Hz): Approx. 12×10-6 cm/dyne

Vertical Tracking Angle: 20 degrees

Cartridge Mounting Screws: 2.6 mm 0.45 pitch JIS standard

Distance (From mounting holes to stylus tip): 9.5 mm

Recommended Tracking Force: 1.65 ~ 1.78 g (1.72 g recommended)

Cartridge Weight: 8.8 g