Clearaudio Charisma V2 Moving Magnet Cartridge

The Clearaudio Charisma V2 is a moving magnet (MM) cartridge and the flagship of Clearaudio's MM range – with a diamond-coated boron cantilever, double-polished Gyger S stylus profile, and a hand-polished ebony body with a nickel-silver inlay.

Clearaudio itself calls it the new pinnacle of its moving magnet cartridges, above the Concept V2, Performer V2, Artist V2, Virtuoso V2 and Maestro V2. In short: an MM that's picked up manners from the very top.

Why the Charisma V2?

The deciding axis of this range is the cantilever and the stylus profile – and the Charisma V2 sits at the top end of both. While the elliptical models up to the Virtuoso V2 use aluminium and the Maestro V2 combines boron with a Micro HD stylus, the Charisma gets the diamond-coated boron cantilever with the fine, double-polished Gyger S profile. Add to that the nickel-silver inlay in the ebony body, which provides defined mass and calm tracking. At around 3.6 mV output voltage, it nonetheless remains an uncomplicated high-output system.

What you'll hear

A warm, colourful midrange with stable imaging, plus open treble without harshness and a bass that has contour rather than just punch. 90 µm tracking ability and 0.2 dB channel matching translate into a soundstage that doesn't collapse even on densely pressed passages. The kind of cartridge that has you putting on one more record in the evening than you'd actually planned.

Who is the Charisma V2 for?

Ideal if you have a good MM input and want the maximum out of the moving magnet world without investing in MC technology and a matching preamp. Plain talk: the Gyger S profile is a line-contact profile and demands careful alignment of VTA, azimuth and tracking force – if you never want to touch your setup again, you'll be happier with the elliptical Virtuoso V2. And if you already run a high-quality MC with its own MC stage, this isn't an upgrade you're buying, but a different character: warmer, more forgiving.

Our verdict

The flagship of the MM range – a moving magnet that borrows its cantilever and stylus profile from Clearaudio's upper moving coil class, pleasantly blurring the line between MM convenience and MC resolution. If you want to take the comfortable route and still end up right at the top, this is your destination.

What the trade press says: “This cartridge genuinely sets the absolute benchmark for musicality to date.” – Georg-Cölestin Jatta, FIDELITY, 2018

Specifications

• Type: moving magnet (MM), high output
• Output voltage: approx. 3.6 mV (1 kHz / 5 cm/s)
• Stylus profile: Gyger S, double-polished (line contact)
• Cantilever: boron, diamond-coated
• Body: ebony, hand-polished, with nickel-silver inlay
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• Channel separation: 30 dB (1 kHz)
• Channel matching: 0.2 dB (1 kHz)
• Tracking ability: 90 µm
• Recommended tracking force: 2.4 g (± 0.3 g)
• Stylus compliance: 17 µm/mN
• Coil impedance: 0.66 kΩ (1 kHz)
• Coil inductance: 400 mH
• Load: 47 kΩ / 100 pF
• Weight: 9.0 g (± 1 g)
• Mount: ½ inch standard
• Stylus replacement: factory only, cartridge must be sent in

FAQ

Do I need an MC phono stage for the Charisma V2?

No. The Charisma V2 is a moving magnet with around 3.6 mV output voltage and runs on any normal MM phono input with a 47 kΩ / 100 pF load. An MC stage or a step-up transformer aren't needed – that saves money and a potential source of error.

Can I replace the stylus on the Charisma V2 myself?

No. On Clearaudio's MM cartridges in this range, the stylus can't be swapped by the customer. The cartridge is sent in, the stylus assembly is renewed at the factory, and the cartridge is sent back. A re-alignment is then essential – all the more so with the Gyger S profile. We handle that for you properly.

What's the difference between the Charisma V2 and the Maestro V2?

Mainly the cantilever and stylus profile. The Maestro V2 uses boron with a Micro HD stylus, the Charisma V2 a diamond-coated boron cantilever with a double-polished Gyger S profile. On top of that, the Charisma has the nickel-silver inlay in the ebony body and a higher cartridge weight of around 9 grams.

What tracking force should I set?

Clearaudio recommends 2.4 g with ± 0.3 g of leeway. We precisely set tracking force, azimuth and VTA during mounting – so the boron cantilever works cleanly and the stylus lasts. A tonearm scale really is basic equipment here.

Why buy the Charisma V2 from HD Zürisee?

Because a cartridge only sounds as good as its mounting. Our technician Mauri aligns the system properly for you here in Wädenswil, and we tell you honestly whether the Charisma suits your arm, your phono stage and your taste – from experience, not from the data sheet.

Goes well with

You'll find the right foundation and electronics among our turntables, tonearms and phono preamps. Scales, templates and record care are under turntable accessories, everything else under All accessories.