Benz Micro Zebra H MC Cartridge, High Output

The Benz Micro Zebra H is a high-output MC cartridge that, at 2.5 mV, works directly with a standard MM phono input.

It brings the Benz wood sound to everyone who doesn't own a high-gain MC preamp – or simply doesn't want one. Body, boron cantilever and diamond are the same as on the L and M; only the generator has more windings and delivers correspondingly more voltage.

Why the Zebra H?

A genuine moving coil with MM-compatible output is the most elegant shortcut to MC sound without extra electronics. The milled, vented zebrawood body and the bare, mirror-polished line-contact diamond with 3 × 60 µm radius remain unchanged – so you're not saving on the tracing stylus, only on the chain behind it. With 95 Ω internal impedance and a recommended load from 1 kΩ up, it feels at home on any clean MM input.

What you get

Warm, colourful, with the fusion Benz is known for in the midrange – without the detour via an expensive MC stage. Compared with a classic MM cartridge, the H delivers more fine detail, a calmer soundstage and noticeably more order in dense passages. The obvious step for anyone who wants to move from MM to MC level without rebuilding half the system.

Who is the Zebra H for?

For anyone with an MM phono input (47 kΩ) or an AV receiver without a dedicated MC section. Plain talk: if you already own a top-class MC preamp, the Zebra L squeezes out a touch more resolution. So the H isn't the weaker Zebra – it's the one for the other kind of system. It just doesn't belong on a high-gain MC stage: there you'd overdrive the input.

Our verdict

The most straightforward Zebra: MC construction, MM connection. For many systems, the most sensible variant, because it demands the least extra investment – and settles the question of the right phono stage along the way.

Technical data

• Type: MC cartridge (High Output)
• Output voltage: 2.5 mV (at 3.54 cm/s)
• Internal impedance: 95 Ω
• Recommended load: 1 kΩ – 47 kΩ (MM input)
• Body: zebrawood, milled and vented
• Cantilever: boron, solid, 0.28 mm
• Diamond: line-contact, bare and mirror-polished, 3 × 60 µm radius
• Generator: pure iron cross armature
• VTA: 20°
• Frequency response: 20–20,000 Hz ±1 dB
• Channel balance: better than 0.5 dB
• Channel separation: better than 35 dB (1 kHz)
• Dynamic compliance: 15 µm/mN
• Tracking ability: 80 µm at 315 Hz and 2 g
• Tracking force: 1.7–2.0 g (optimal 1.7–1.8 g)
• Recommended tonearm mass: medium to heavy
• Break-in time: around 40 hours
• Weight: 9.6 g

Frequently asked questions

Does the Zebra H run on a normal MM phono input?

Yes. With an output voltage of 2.5 mV, the Zebra H is designed for MM inputs and AV gear – you don't need a separate MC preamp. A load between 1 kΩ and 47 kΩ is recommended, so the usual MM value of 47 kΩ sits right in the middle of that window.

Zebra H or Zebra L – which is right?

That's decided by your phono stage, not the price. If you only have an MM or AV input, the H is right. If you have a low-noise MC stage from 60 dB up, the L teases out a bit more fine resolution. Construction, body and diamond are identical on both.

Does a high-output MC sound worse than a low-output one?

No, just wired differently. High-output generators have more windings and therefore higher internal impedance, but in return you skip an entire amplification stage and a possible source of noise along with it. In practice, the result depends heavily on the quality of the respective phono stage.

How heavy is the Zebra H, and does it fit any headshell?

It weighs 9.6 g and is designed for medium-to-heavy tonearms. It sits without issue in a standard half-inch mount headshell; with very light arms you should check the resonance frequency. Send us your tonearm model and we'll give you a clear answer.

Why buy the Zebra H at HD Zürisee?

Because we look at your chain first and then recommend a variant – so you end up with the right Zebra, not the most expensive one. Mounting and alignment are handled on request by our technician Mauri in Wädenswil, and we manage the warranty properly as an authorised dealer.

Goes well with

It suits turntables with an MM phono input and rounds off nicely with matching cables. No phono input yet? Then you'll find what you need among the phono preamps. See the other cartridges at BENZ Micro and under Everything Vinyl.