Benz Micro LP MC Cartridge, Low Output

The Benz Micro LP is a handmade Swiss moving-coil cartridge with an ebony body and an iron-free ruby cross generator.

It's the slim variant of the LP family: aged ebony as the body, a ruby cross plate as coil former, a mirror-polished diamond on a solid boron rod – and deliberately no extra metal frame. At 10.7 g it stays light enough for practically any medium-weight tonearm, without you having to fiddle with the counterweight.

Why the LP?

Because it plays with body and emotion without ever tipping into analytical coldness. The iron-free ruby core keeps magnetic distortion out of the signal path, and the fine Micro-Ridge diamond still reads the tight inner grooves cleanly. In systems that get everything technically right yet still sound a bit clinical, the LP is astonishingly often the missing ingredient.

What you get

A low-output MC at 0.34 mV for a proper MC phono stage: aged ebony, ruby generator, Micro-Ridge diamond on a boron rod, built by hand piece by piece in Switzerland. We take care of mounting, tracking force, VTA and azimuth completely on request – an MC cartridge rewards you for it with years of clean tracking.

Who is the LP for?

Plainly put: for pleasure listeners who put on jazz, classical or singer-songwriter records in the evening and want a warm, natural tonal foundation. At 0.34 mV it needs a proper MC preamp; on a simple combi input it stays pale and quiet. And if you run a heavy arm and want maximum stability, you're better off with the 16.4 g LP S – the LP is the more agile of the two.

Our verdict

The LP is the right medicine for systems that play precisely but somewhat dry. Ebony and the iron-free ruby core give a tonal foundation with meat on the bone, without sacrificing detail. At 10.7 g it fits almost any medium-weight arm, with no counterweight acrobatics. For most vinyl listeners it's not the stepping stone to the LP S, but the destination itself.

Technical data

• Cartridge type: Moving Coil (MC), Low Output
• Generator: iron-free ruby cross
• Output voltage: 0.34 mV (at 3.54 cm/s)
• Internal impedance: 38 Ω
• Recommended load impedance: > 400 Ω
• Stylus profile: Micro-Ridge (bare diamond), 5 × 120 µm
• Cantilever: solid boron rod, 0.28 mm
• Body: aged ebony, without metal frame
• Frequency response: 10 Hz – 50 kHz (±1 dB)
• Channel separation: > 35 dB (1 kHz)
• Compliance: 15 µm/mN
• Tracking force: 1.8 – 2.0 g
• VTA: 20°
• Weight: 10.7 g
• Included: individual frequency response chart, mounting screws, stylus brush

Frequently asked questions

What load impedance suits the Benz Micro LP?

Benz specifies more than 400 ohms. In practice, 500 to 1000 ohms sounds most balanced: enough damping for clean highs without robbing the cartridge of substance. Higher values are possible and open up the treble further. We set the right value on your phono stage.

How much tracking force should the LP have?

The manufacturer states 1.8 to 2.0 grams. In our workshop we usually land around 1.9 grams, where tracking accuracy is right with minimal wear. It's important to measure with a precision scale at record height, not off to the side on the platter. We do the fine adjustment on request.

What's the difference between the Benz Micro LP and the LP S?

Electrically nothing: same ruby generator, same 0.34 millivolts, same diamond. The difference is mechanical. The LP has a pure ebony body and weighs 10.7 grams, while the LP S additionally sits in a solid brass frame and tips the scale at 16.4 grams. More mass, more stability, needs a heavier arm.

Why buy the Benz Micro LP from HD Zürisee?

Because an MC cartridge lives or dies by its setup. We at HD Zürisee in Wädenswil mount the LP, adjust tracking force, VTA and azimuth, and tune it to your tonearm and phono stage. Our technician Mauri has been doing this for years. Call us on 044 680 22 00 or message us on WhatsApp at 076 534 22 00 (text only, no calls).

Goes well with

Choose the matching turntable under Turntables, the gain behind it among the Phono Preamps. More cartridges are in the Cartridges overview, the brand's full range under BENZ Micro, and everything else around the groove under All Vinyl.