402

About the 402

The Ikeda 402 cartridge is a product of Ikeda Sound Lab, founded by Mr. Ikeda, who has over sixty years of experience in analog audio design. This cartridge is notable for its innovative design that eliminates the traditional cantilever and stylus assembly. Instead, it uses a tiny hemispherical yoke similar to the cutter heads of mastering lathes, resulting in extraordinarily low moving mass and the absence of stylus haze. This design promises exceptional resolution, dynamic life, and electrostatic-like transparency. The cartridge is handmade by Mr. Ikeda himself, reflecting a lifetime of dedication to analog audio craftsmanship. It requires careful matching with a low-noise, high-output phono preamplifier and a tonearm with sufficient mass to achieve optimal performance. The Ikeda 402 is considered world-class, delivering prodigious dynamics, expansive soundstages, and fast, clean transients with a neutral tonal balance slightly leaning toward cool. It is