Jico Clipper headshell and cartridge
Who has most fun with hi-fi? Not, I suspect, those for whom building the perfect system through the application of ever escalating funds is the destination. While potentially hugely satisfying, the process probably has more in common with an episode of television’s Grand Designs than the joy of casually messing around with… Well, tubes for a start. The ability to experiment with sound by ‘rolling’ the valves of your valve amplifier keeps curiosity fed and the fascination of gently massaging sonics to taste or mood or simply meeting the desire for something different simmering away contentedly.
Up to now, vinyl enthusiasts in the UK who share a similar urge to sweeten the addiction by routinely ringing the changes haven’t had it quite so easy. Again, there’s a distinction to be made. Throw enough money at a turntable set-up and you can have sprouting supplementary platforms to support exotic arm-tubes and moving coil cartridges of varied provenance. It might be sufficient to scratch that high-end vinyl itch to deliver a sonic profile du jour. Back down in the world of detachable headshells, replaceable moving magnet cartridge styli and navigating the inevitable divide between robust DJ and fragile audiophile usage, however, playing the options is undeniably less of a hassle, not to mention expense.
But I believe there’s never been anything quite as liberating as the Clipper cartridge, made by Japanese stylus and vinyl accessory specialist Jico. With roots stretching back to 1873 when it supplied sewing machine needles to Kyoto’s fashion industry, a nascent Jico produced phonograph ‘needles’ in the ‘50s and its first turntable stylus in 1966. Now it offers a remarkable 2,000 plus handcrafted stylus models, as well as replica Shure 44 series cartridges.
The Clipper – so named because its vertical Apexglide integral finger lift is styled like the tailfin of a passenger jet, referencing Pan-Am’s ‘70s Clipper (later Business) class cabin – is a moving magnet cartridge that, in the manner of a standard headshell, slots straight into a tonearm’s locking collar. Sidelining the actual headshell, it’s a union that should offer superior overall structural rigidity for obvious reason. The big news, however, is that its durable black UVCRM resin body boasts a dual-fit design which lands the opportunity to tickle the ficklest shell likes with a host of stylus options, including the original Shure 44 series, Jico’s ND (nude diamond), SD (synthetic diamond), Morita (wood cantilever), and SAS (super analogue) models and Jico’s N44-7 and N44-G (beloved by DJs); there’s even with compatibility some of Shure’s vintage golden oldies.
Out of the box, it comes fitted with its own snugly contoured Clipper stylus which gives by far the neatest look. The stylus has a solid nude diamond conical tip and is claimed by Jico to deliver a clear, smooth and balanced sound which seems like a good starting point. The Clipper MM also features a unique tapered S cantilever design – not unlike the designs of Audio Empire and Swing record needles – which claims to reduce the tip mass for better tracking precision and dynamics.
Apart from a highish output, there’s nothing particularly remarkable about the Clipper on paper spec. The frequency response is given as 20Hz to 20kHz, output voltage as 5.0mV to 8.0mV, load impedance as 47kohms, DC resistance as 1.38kOhms, channel balance as <1.5, channel separation as 20dB, tracking force as 2.0g ±0.2g.
Submitted for review is the Clipper cartridge with its own CRCP/Mk1 stylus and, for comparison, an original Shure V15 III and a selection of swappable styli to fit that classic but which are also available for the Clipper. These consist of the so-called Basie from the Artist series, the wood cantilever Morita and the SAS which, as we know, doesn’t stand for Special Air Service or Super Army Soldiers but Super Analogue Stylus and is quite a big deal. All three have elliptical styli but the tip of the SAS is carefully chosen from single-crystal natural diamonds laser-cut to closely resemble the stylus on a cutting lathe used to produce the acetate master discs. The aim is to reach into the deepest part of the record groove to dig out the most information, including bandwidth.
Sound quality
A Technics SL-1200 Mk7 direct drive turntable with its S-shaped arm and detachable headshell is the perfect host. A little background. The VN35EBN ‘Basie’ references the jazz kissa (cafe) Basie which is the most popular jazz cafe in Japan. The significance here is Jico developed its Basie version of the VN35EBN with Shoji Sugawara, the owner of the Basie café. Now that’s niche voicing.
The Morita stylus is named after its maker, Kotaro Morita, and is a continuation of his avowed mission to produce ‘true sound coming from the cantilever made of special carved natural wood’. It’s the latest of three Morita-designed wood cantilever styli Jico produces.
Finally, the company’s SAS series comprises three models distinguished by three different cantilever materials: boron, sapphire and ruby toting three different sonic profiles according to Jico – respectively delicate, deep and clear and realistic and sharp. I’ve got the ‘delicate’ boron version. More on that in a while.
But it’s the Clipper CRCP/Mk1 and its dedicated stylus that gets the first go. The rest of the system, chosen to keep the budget total sensible, consists of an iFi Zen phono stage, a dinky, single input Spotless D1 Class A/B integrated amp and Ruark R9 2-way, bass reflex standmount speakers. Modest but surprisingly mighty. With the Clipper’s stylus having a conical rather than elliptical tip, hopes aren’t buzzing for a high quotient of ‘inner groove’ detail retrieval but, initially at least, it’s hard to point to any obvious shortfall. I’m mindful of the almost insane, off-the-charts quality served up on American jazz chanteuse Lyn Stanley’s latest (and allegedly last) 45rpm One-Step audiophile double LP, Tribute to 1924 (and 1913 as it turns out… You Made Me Love You, but all good). Stellar production, a golden voice, sophisticated arrangements and musicianship so immaculate it almost hurts tends to capture your attention, too.
Question is, can the Clipper possibly do justice to a recording of Hard-Hearted Hannah mastered on ¼-inch tape running at 30psi? Tracking securely and quietly at 2 grams, yes, it can. If there’s more detail and insight to come, and there is, its omission isn’t in the least jarring because the core quality does shine through with on point balance, believable tonality and fine temporal coherence. As Lyn Stanley by turns growls and purrs her way through the lyrics to the accompaniment of Ricky Woodward’s rasping alto sax, Chuck Berghofer’s plump, walking upright bass and Mike Garson’s laid-back ivory tickling it’s clear there’s plenty of dynamic stretch, too. Generally, though, it’s hard to single out facets of the sound because everything meshes so seamlessly, which is how it should be. By mid-market MM cartridge standards, I reckon the Clipper can hold its own with the sector’s better performers, and that’s without exploring the many stylus permutations used to tailor its sound.
As for the Shure V15 III, for which I do have a few choices, I can quite understand the appeal of ‘stylus rolling’. The differences between Basie, Morita and SAS aren’t nearly as stark as Jico might lead you to believe but I’d argue there’s extra satisfaction to be had in their subtlety. All three best the standard Clipper stylus by offering extra fine detail, texture and finesse while revealing a yet more nuanced take on Lyn Stanley’s vocal shading and emotional intent. And yes, the SAS, pulls slightly ahead in these respects. But it turns out I’m a sucker for the wood cantilever Morita, which has a warmth and naturalness that simply takes you on a more relaxed journey into the music. Best of all, there are versions of these styli that fit the Clipper which should sound at least as good. Happy rolling.