The Koetsu Urushi Wajima is a handcrafted moving coil phono cartridge made in Japan, continuing Koetsu’s tradition of combining precision audio engineering with Japanese artistry. Its distinctive Urushi finish reflects the meticulous craftsmanship that has defined Koetsu for generations.

Rosewood with Beech Resin Layer and Hand Lacquering

The Urushi lacquer is applied in multiple layers, similar to a piano-grade finish, and continues to cure and harden over the course of many years. As a result, the resonance characteristics of the cartridge body evolve over time, leading to reduced resonances. The lacquering process can take up to six months, as each individual layer must be fully cured before the next is applied. Only then is the lacquer ready for packaging and shipment.

Silver Cladding Process

A thin silver shield is drawn over the copper wire (it is not simply silver-plated), making this a highly complex and demanding process. The (Black, Gold, Blue, Tsugaru and Wajima) is manufactured using a single coil. This design  features an output voltage of 0.4 mV versus the Vermillion, which has an output voltage of 0.2 mV.

Load Impedance and Tonearm Mass

Specifications for load impedance and tonearm mass may vary. Sugano-san specifies load impedance values ranging from 5 ohms to 100 kΩ. This means that, in practice, careful experimentation and gradual optimization are essential to determine the ideal setting within any given system.

Type

Moving Coil

Body

Rosewood with Urushi lacquer

Coils

High-pure 6-N Cu (99,9999%), Silver coated – silver, Cladding process

Magnet

Samarium Cobalt or Permendur

Stylus

Fine Line or Line Contact

Output

0.4 mV at 1kHz 5 cm/sec

Frequency Range

20Hz – 100kHz

Channel Separation

30 db at 1kHz

Resistance

5 ohm

Channel Balance (db / 1kHz)

0.5 db / 1kHz

Tracking Force

1.8 to 2.0 pond (at 20° Celsius)

Cantilever

Boron, pre-aged rubber damper

Compliance

5 x 10 – 6 cm/dyne at 100Hz

Weight

9.37 grams

Recommended Load

5 – 40 ohm with Step up, 100 – 1000 ohm MC Phono

Recommended Tonearm Mass

Medium to high, 12 to 20 grams