Turntables, Arms & Cartridges

While the Oriole is pitched as a lower output, lower cost sibling to the flagship Starling MC [HFN Mar ’20] – it has an alloy pipe cantilever instead of the latter’s boron rod – both share hallmark qualities in their extended response, superb tracking prowess and distortion profiles. The Oriole certainly has fewer coil turns and a reduced 5.5ohm coil impedance versus 28ohm for the Starling – hence the lower 282μV vs. 580µV output, respectively, (re. 1kHz/5cm/sec). Also, while the Oriole has a slightly ‘looser’ 0.4dB channel balance it does offer a superior 28dB separation through bass and midrange that holds to a full 25dB at 20kHz.

Once again, VTA looks closer to 26° than the claimed 20° while the 10-11cu suspension compliance, combined with the modest 7.3g bodyweight, renders it very compatible with a wide range of medium mass tonearms. Contradicting this relatively low (stiff) compliance, the Oriole remains a very secure tracker at its recommended 2.0g downforce, achieving ~80μm via the left/right channels, respectively, and keeping hold of the highest +18dB groove modulation (re. 315Hz/5cm/sec) at 0.4% THD.

Also seen with earlier Sumikos, there’s some slight generator asymmetry, the right channel possessing a hotter response that lifts to +5.7dB/20kHz vs. +4.3dB/20kHz on the left [dashed trace, Graph 1]. The lateral output [L+R, black trace] is also stronger than the vertical [L-R, red], favouring central/in-phase performers in the soundstage. Do also bear in mind that this extra ‘brilliance’ really only kicks in above 10kHz... Distortion is uniformly high on both channels – up to 12%/12kHz [stereo, –8dB re. 5cm/sec; Graph 2] – not because the Oriole is especially non-linear, but mainly because of this uncommonly extended HF response. PM