Good value for (forgiving) moving coil
Erica from MINNEAPOLIS, MN on 2/10/2025
This is a fine-sounding cartridge at the "value" price point for moving coil. You'll get excellent detail throughout mid-range and treble with a spacious stereo image. I find that it's a touch thin in bass response, but that's okay for me with most of what I listen too. I find it's performance comparable to the very fine AT VM540-ML moving magnet cartridge that I also own. I've compared these cartridges on the same Technics SL-100C turntable through a Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2 phono preamp. (You'll need an MC-capable pre-amp in order to use the Blue Point low.) The VM540-ML is even a bit punchier on the low end and has the great tracking performance of a microline stylus (versus elliptical on the Blue Point). And the 540 costs half as much! That said, the Blue Point will perform well through a wider range of vertical tracking angle, making it a good choice on turntables lacking tonearm height adjustment. Either of these will be a huge step up from an AT VM95C, the cartridge that came with the SL-100C which I also own and use for junkier records. One last thing: Crutchfield has given me great customer support which is super valuable when buying expensive cartridges!
Pros: Detailed, spacious sound through midrange and treble Forgiving vertical alignment requirement Excellent value for moving coil
Cons: Though it produces accurate, present bass, it could be punchier Low output version will require purchase of a moving-coil phono stage if you don't already have one.
1 of 1 found this helpful
Awesome
Carlos from Miami, FL on 10/18/2024
This cartridge is excellent. coming from a Sumiko Moonstone MM and boy am i glad i did. the difference in sound truly is impressive. the highs are so much more aloof and clear. the overall tone is just so much more refined and pleasant to listen to. it sounds like a veil has been lifted from the music and sounds so much more Hi Fi. truly a great buy. using a Schitt Skoll phono stage with fully balanced connection with my Project RPM 1
Pros: great sound
Cons: none
4 of 4 found this helpful
Sumiko Blue Point No. 3 Low
Mark from Prescott, AZ on 9/10/2024
0 of 0 found this helpful
Fantastic sound and depht of sound!
John from Monroe, GA on 6/11/2024
With the help of my Crutchfield tech sales, we determines that a Low OP MC cartridge was needed vs the High OP cartridge that came with my Rega P6. My Anthem STR Integrated Amplifier pair with CM 9's and the Sunil Low OP cartridge is outstanding and the dynamic sound is very clear and really clean. Highly recommend
Pros: Great sound and high quality
Cons: Had to order a stylus scale and alignment tool separately.
2 of 2 found this helpful
Sumiko Blue Point No. 3 Low
Jose from Trujillo Alto, PR on 5/19/2024
Excellent cartridge. Beautiful sound. Never harsh. Good extension. Tracks very well. Easy to mount and align. Good soundstage. Great with voices.
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1 of 1 found this helpful
A very nice sounding phono cart
James from MONTEVALLO, AL on 4/9/2024
I received this cartridge in a timely manner and it was securely packaged. Now Sumiko list this cartridge dynamic compliance as 12x10-6 cm/dyne @100 hz. All well and good but 100hz doesn't help me or anyone else walking the planet. I need @10hz. There are tricks to convert but they are not accurate. So if multiplying 12 x1.8 you can guess the dynamic compliance is 21.6 or there about. But I reckon this is medium compliant cart and I have a Technics 1200 GR. I used the stock Technics head shell-7.6 grams. Set the tonearm height to 0 and set the cart at 52mm. Set the VTF to 20. It played very good. After adjusting the VTA to 2.065 it played exceptionally good. The top end and mids sound great, bottom end is where this cart lacks a wee bit. But it tracks fantastic. It's not a very warm sounding cart, warm of neutral. More bottom end would make this a very warm cart. Set up with the 1200 GR is quick and painless. This cart matches Technics tonearm as if it were specifically designed for it. This is my 3rd MC cart. I have a Denon 103, and no it's not the same as the greatest cart I ever owned-Shute V15-II, I also have an AT OC9 XEN. I didn't get on with this cart at all. And now the Blue Point 3. Of the 3 I like the Sumiko the best. If you own a Technics turntable this would be a cart I would recommend. I used this cart with my 1200 into a Marantz 40n, Project Tube Box S2, and Heresy 4 speakers. Cart loaded at 470 ohm, gain 60 db.
Pros: Tracks exceptionally well, top and midrange is excellent.
Cons: Price is a bit much, but that's probably my Scottish blood lines reaction.
3 of 8 found this helpful
Great Upgrade
Tom from Savannah, GA on 1/9/2024
I purchased this to replace a first generation Blue Point. I waited way too long. The sound is amazing, great sound stage and imaging. Favorite albums sounded better than I remembered. Alignment can be tricky as the blue outer case is not quite parallel to the inner black body. I like that the cantilever sticks out making it easier to spot dust build up.
Pros: The sound. Treaded body makes it easy to mount.
Cons: Alignment can be tricky depending on your tonearm.
5 of 6 found this helpful
My second blue point
Billy from Tuscaloosa, AL on 11/23/2023
I used a Blue Point #2 for several years, the high output MC cart had exelent performance, at least until it died. Was using a Rega P3 and it had a problem so I bought a new one, and this cart to go with it. Except this is a low output, which is more common with MC carts. Anyway it sounds amazing, shows you don't have to break the bank to have a world class MC cart. It does have a great deal of detail, so a dirty album will telegraph every spec of dirt. But with decent recordings the sound is magical. You think you're hearing everything, try this cart. I have some nice gear, a JC Junior, a nice preamp, and a pair of 702s2 from Bowers, but I believe that even on modest equipment this cart will give a great performance. If you want to give an MC cart a try this is a great way to start. My last Sumiko lasted several years. BTW the stylus can't be replaced but I like to trade out carts anyway. And you can't go wrong with this one
Pros: Inexpensive. Great sounds at an inexpensive price
Cons: Can't replace the stylus but the company does have a program for that
3 of 3 found this helpful
A+ Cart
Gerald from Jackson, MI on 11/16/2023
The Blue Point No. 3 is an excellent cartridge. The soundstage is full and the sound of every instrument is clear, precise and warm. Vocals are true and engaging (think Joni's record "Blue"). Percussion is brought out with precision. The bass is accurate, great tone without being boomy. The midrange is warm without sacrificing detail. Highly recommended.
Pros: All around great sounding cartridge, a steal at this price range.
Cons: None
6 of 6 found this helpful
Sound Gamechanger
Davie from Crystal Lake, IL on 11/1/2023
I replaced my Rega Elys MM with the Sumiko cartridge. The sound difference is profound. I am now hearing subtleties I never knew existed on some LPSs. Strong bass with crisp high. Bravo! Dave K
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4 of 5 found this helpful
Sumiko Blue Point No. 3 Low
Terry from Elizabethton, TN on 9/14/2023
0 of 0 found this helpful
Great cartridge.
Robert from Las Vegas, NV on 5/1/2023
Amazing well-balanced sound. Great soundstage. Nice smooth bass with clear highs. Recommended.
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3 of 3 found this helpful
Sumiko Blue Point No. 3 Low
Eric D. from HOUSTON, TX on 3/18/2023
Wonderful mc cartridge! I have a vintage Thorens TD146 turntable that I recently tuned up to start playing vinyl records again. I'm still breaking this cartridge in but wow! The bass is nice and tight and the high end is very crisp and clean. I would characterize the sound as nice and full and will only get better once fully broken in. The owner's manual must be downloaded but is very thorough in explaining both the theory behind things like VTA, VTF, azimuth, etc and how to set them properly. Great value!
Pros: Wonderful overall sound Great value Cartridge alignment procedure well explained
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5 of 5 found this helpful
I Was Hesitant But Know I Made The Right Choice.
Jeff from Huntsville, AL on 1/20/2023
It's been a few years since I've owned a MC cartridge. In the past I've had a Denon DL-103R and a Sumiko Blue Point No.2 (which came with a turntable I had purchased.) I didn't care for the Blue Point No. 2 so it was very hard to pull the trigger on this newer iteration. But with several positive reviews I had read, I decided to take a chance. Crutchfield's satisfaction guarantee made the decision much easier. After just 4-5 hours listening to this cartridge I can say that I know I made a good choice. The Blue Point No. 3 Low is an absolute pleasure to listen to. The dynamic range, detail and incredibly wide soundstage are stunning for a cartridge in this price range. If you can swing it and are contemplating whether or not to get this cartridge, do no hesitate. Get it. You'll love it!
Pros: The detail retrieval is stunning. Beautiful, wide soundstage. Nice, tight non muddy bass.
Cons: None.
9 of 9 found this helpful
If you have the bucks, go for this cartridge
Lee from Lincoln, NE on 11/5/2022
This is the first new cartridge I have purchased in over 25 years, because I haven't been paying much attention to my vinyl collection. Then, when young'uns around me began to extoll the virtues of vinyl (having "discovered" this ancient artifact), I decided to revisit the medium. I started by buying a Technics SL-1210 GR from Crutchfield, selected because of its use of standard headshells so I could easily swap my collection of cartridges from the 70's and 80's. I quickly discovered that only one of them -- my cherished Shure V15-III, sounded really good. But there is no way to replace the stylus for this long ago-discontinued gem when it finally gives out. So, I looked for something "as good" (I hoped.) Careful reading of reviews led me to the Sumiko Blue 3, and I opted for the Low version because it was said to be slightly smoother than the "High" output, and my McIntosh C53 preamp has a superb MC section. It proved an excellent choice. Out of the box, the Sumiko sounded great - - at least as good as my cherished Shure. It brings out sonic nuances from the old vinyl that -- well, who knew? -- were there all along. My one reservation is the 2 gm recommended tracking weight, which is about double the standard for cartridges from the "golden age" of vinyl. So, there's some added wear going on there, but I'm an old coot who won't outlast my vinyl collection anyway. Meantime, great sound. If you've got the bucks to buy this one, go for it! You won't be sorry.
Pros: Excellent, nuanced sound, and especially firm bass.
Cons: Relatively high recommended tracking weight puts a bit of extra wear on vinyl.
9 of 11 found this helpful
Sound is amazing
Crutchfield customer from Pineville, LA on 12/27/2021
0 of 2 found this helpful
All around excellent cartridge
Crutchfield customer from Fort Mc Coy, FL on 11/8/2021
What a stunningly nice cartridge! I've long been a Sumiko believer, have 4 different ones now including the Amythest. I bought this for a second system, in my rec room. It sounds so good it replaced the Amythest in my main listening room. It was very easy to set up properly. Didn't take long at all to "break in". Nothing but praise for this cartridge!
Pros: Sounds fantastic. Easy to set up. Quick break-in period. Inexpensive for the quality.
Cons: Nothing I can think of
8 of 8 found this helpful
Sumiko Blue Point No. 3 Low
Bardia from San Francisco, CA on 10/16/2021
I don't usually put reviews but after listening to this cartridge, I decided to do so. It replaced the Sumiko Blue Point No.2 that came with my Project Audio RPM 5.1 turntable. First thing I noticed was that the surface noise and pops were gone. The sound is more refined, better lows, mids and highs and I can hear some little sounds in the background that didn't make themselves as obvious before. I highly recommend this but only if rest of your system is up to par. My turntable is going to a project audio DS tube phono amp and then going to a Bel Canto Pre 6 analog amplifier connectors to a Classe CA-5200 and that amp is powering a pair of Totem Element Metals.
Pros: Imaging, depth, no more surface noise, overall much better sound
Cons: None
13 of 18 found this helpful
