This product is no longer available to order and will not be coming back into stock.
In Stock products are those that are currently held in stock at our Oxfordshire warehouse. This stock status is updated regularly but is subject to change at very short notice.
Products that are Awaiting Stock are items that we would normally carry on stock at our Oxfordshire warehouse, but are currently unavailable. Chances are there is already more on the way, but if you would like a more accurate availability status please feel free to Contact Us.
Urgent order items are products that we do not normally carry on stock, but they are typically held on stock by our European suppliers. Depending on availability, we will seek to order these products quickly, when we have an enquiry. They can therefore be subject to quicker availability times than "Special Order" products.
Special Order items are those that are most often built to order. For these items, we tend to experience longer lead times as we negotiate them into the production line with our suppliers.
The Blue Point No. 3 was born out of an investigation into the long-standing Blue Point No. 2's more limited anti-resonance properties. Resonance has a more significant impact than many listeners realise and Sumiko wanted to reimagine how the housing resonates around the generator in the Blue Point range. After countless hours of development, a new combination of materials alongside an improved body design and expert assembly techniques result in a cartridge where only the musical information is kept.
Thanks to Sumiko's tried and true moving coil cartridge generator system, the smoothness and subtlety one would expect from a good MC is present. Building on this, Blue Point No. 3 assembles its sonic picture from the ground up with its low-end response. Full and warm yet defined and textured, the depth of bass will invite you in to the musical image. In addition, you can expect a similar richness through the mids that remain decipherable. High-frequency attack and decay are simply sweet and airy.
Having developed such a refinement on a classic design, introducing both a high and low output variant was a logical option considering Sumiko's competency in both high and low output MC designs. So, whether you need a cartridge that can run capably on a MM-compliant phono stage, or if you have a more adept MC design, you can get the cartridge that best suits your taste and your system.
Blue Point No. 3 Review
"There are two immediately recognisable features to the sound of the Blue Point No. 3. First is the body and weight to the bottom end. I don’t know if it’s buttery, but I certainly liked it. This gives real impact to Mike Rutherford’s Taurus bass pedals when they crash in on Fly on a Windshield from the Genesis epic The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway."
Good point
"Also potentially very appealing is the fact that it is forgiving both when it comes to worn records and less than stellar modern pressings."
Henley Says...
The Blue Point no.3 sits at the top of the Oyster Series and is the most affordable of the moving coil cartridges crafted by Sumiko however, still manages to replicate the robust, enchanting presentation found in their flagship MC models.
The option to choose between both Low and High Output is very helpful to many, as the High output version enables those with phono preamps specific to Moving Magnet cartridges, the ability to integrate a Moving Coil Cartridge into their system without any additional components.
Owning a Moving Coil cartridge more accessable than ever, and the Blue Point no.3 serves as the perfect entry into pursuing more dynamic, detailed audio from your system.
Cartridge installation takes time and requires a level of understanding for the turntable/tonearm you are fiiting to. We've put together some comprehensive advice and size guides, available here, which will help you through each step of the procedure.
However, if at any time you feel uncomfortable with the task at hand, be sure to contact us or your local retailer for assistance.
