The latest Cardas cartridges are the Myrtle Heart and the Myrtle Silver Heart. They are highly evolved cartridges built on a unique Benz chassis. A well seasoned Myrtle Heart cartridge performs well at a high input impedance of 47 k, if the system is quiet. A lower impedance of 500-1.5 k works if the system tends to hum or the cartridge is not broken-in. The Myrtle Heart has a standard output of 0.3 mV, which is within the capability of most modern high quality pre-amps.
The character of the Cardas Myrtle Heart is lasting musicality. It is well engineered, strong and majestic. It brings the lasting luxury of detailed, life like music.
Myrtle Heart Specifications:
Body: Machined Vented Myrtlewood
Cantilever: Solid Boron rod, 0.28 mm diameter
Stylus: Nude line-contact diamond, mirror polished
Stylus Tip Radius: 5 x 120 µm
Vertical Tracking Angle: 20-22 degrees
Coil: Square Ruby jewel plate, Copper wire
Weight: 9.1 grams
Output Voltage: 0.3 mV @ 3.54 cm/s
Internal Impedance: 45 ohms
Frequency Response: 10-50,000 Hz ± 1 dB
Channel Balance: Better than 0.5 dB
Channel Separation: Better than 35 dB @ 1 kHz
Tracking Ability @ 315 Hz with a tracking force of 2 grams: >80 µm
Dynamic Compliance: 15 µm/mN
Recommended Loading: 500-47,000 ohms
Optimum Tracking Force: 1.8-2.0 grams
Recommended Tone arm Mass: Medium to high
Recommended Break-in period: 40 hours
Warranty: 2 years
Specifications subject to change without notice.
The Cardas Myrtle Heart body is made from America's most beautiful hardwood, the legendary Myrtle tree. Rarest of all woods, this symmetrical, broadleaf, evergreen Myrtle grows only in Southwestern Oregon (Coos and Curry counties) and the Biblical Holy Lands. Myrtlewood has a very complex grain structure. The coloring of the wood is unique, varying from a sedate, satiny gray to riotously, multicolored grains of red, yellow, and brown, with many burls and shapes in its grain. Denser than Oak, unseasoned Myrtle logs will not float.
