VPI Anniversary Bloodwood MC Cartridge at Vinyl Sound Buffalo NY USA

The VPI Anniversary Bloodwood is a limited-edition moving coil cartridge from VPI Industries (Cliffwood, New Jersey, USA), available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY USA. Based on the Miyajima Laboratory (Japan) Takumi cartridge platform and voiced by VPI with an exclusive bloodwood body, the Anniversary employs Miyajima's patented Cross Ring generator architecture, delivering 0.22 mV output, a 16-ohm impedance, and a 2.3-gram tracking force with an elliptic stylus. Frequency response extends from 20 Hz to 25 kHz (-3 dB). Weighing 8.9 grams in its bloodwood enclosure, the Anniversary Bloodwood has been praised by Hi-Fi News for its warm, emotive character and musical presentation.

Miyajima Cross Ring Generator: Engineering at the Fulcrum

The engineering distinction of the VPI Anniversary Bloodwood lies in Miyajima Laboratory's patented Cross Ring generator method. In conventional moving coil cartridges, the coil assembly is fixed through a rubber damper with a vague fulcrum point outside the coil structure, introducing a source of mechanical ambiguity that Miyajima identifies as a significant cause of distortion. The Cross Ring design relocates the fulcrum to the precise center point of the coil, where left and right coils cross. By making this center point the fulcrum, cantilever movements are transmitted with complete accuracy to both channel coils simultaneously, dramatically reducing distortion and improving channel separation. The iron core is replaced with a resin element, freeing the generator from the magnetic pull forces that retard cantilever movement in conventional designs and enabling lighter, more accurate stylus tracking.

Bloodwood Body and Miyajima Collaboration

VPI's choice of bloodwood (Brosimum rubescens, a South American hardwood with exceptional density and natural damping properties) for the cartridge body reflects a design philosophy shared with Miyajima: that the body material's resonance behavior fundamentally shapes the cartridge's sonic signature. The bloodwood body is a limited-edition element unique to the VPI Anniversary, distinguishing it from the standard Miyajima Takumi platform. Hi-Fi News noted the Anniversary's warm, lush midrange character, extended treble that avoids brightness, and a bass performance that surprises for a cartridge in this compliance and output class. The cartridge complies with a standard 9x10-6 cm/dyne (10 Hz) figure, making it compatible with medium-mass tonearms including VPI's own JMW 9 and 12 series.

Key Features

• Miyajima Cross Ring Generator: Patented generator design with the fulcrum at the center point of the coil for dramatically reduced distortion and improved channel separation versus conventional moving coil designs.
• Bloodwood Body: Limited-edition body carved from bloodwood (Brosimum rubescens), a dense South American hardwood with natural acoustic damping properties.
• 0.22 mV Output: Moving coil output voltage compatible with standard MC phono stages; a step-up transformer may enhance performance with the lowest-gain phono stage designs.
• 16-Ohm Impedance: Low internal impedance for connection to any MC phono stage or step-up transformer; recommended loading typically 20 to 100 ohms.
• Elliptic Stylus: Elliptical profile providing a good balance of groove contact, detail retrieval, and record wear over extended use.
• 2.3-Gram Tracking Force: Tracking force within the range of most medium-compliance cartridge designs, optimized for the Cross Ring generator's mechanical compliance characteristics.
• 20 Hz to 25 kHz Frequency Response: Extended high-frequency response to 25 kHz (-3 dB) for full resolution of high-frequency content on modern and classic recordings.
• 8.9-Gram Body Weight: Moderate cartridge weight compatible with standard headshells and tonearm effective mass calculations.

Technical Specifications

Awards and Critical Recognition

• "The Miyajima-based VPI Anniversary has a sweet nature that suits the likes of soft, smoky jazz to a tee." Hi-Fi News

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VPI Anniversary Bloodwood cartridge?

The VPI Anniversary Bloodwood is a limited-edition moving coil cartridge from VPI Industries (USA), based on the Miyajima Laboratory (Japan) Takumi platform and voiced by VPI in an exclusive bloodwood body. It uses Miyajima's patented Cross Ring generator design, outputs 0.22 mV at 16-ohm impedance, tracks at 2.3 grams with an elliptic stylus, and covers 20 Hz to 25 kHz (-3 dB). It has been praised by Hi-Fi News for its warm, musical presentation.

How does the VPI Anniversary Bloodwood compare to the Ortofon Cadenza Bronze?

The VPI Anniversary Bloodwood and Ortofon Cadenza Bronze are both moving coil cartridges in a similar performance and price tier, but differ fundamentally in generator design. The Cadenza Bronze uses Ortofon's Fine Line stylus and conventional generator architecture with a boron cantilever, delivering tighter measured channel separation and a more analytically detailed presentation. The VPI Anniversary uses Miyajima's Cross Ring generator with an elliptic stylus and bloodwood body, with a warmer, more tonally generous character that favors jazz, acoustic, and classical material. The Cadenza Bronze tracks at 2.3 to 2.5 grams at 5.5-ohm impedance versus the Anniversary's 16-ohm impedance, affecting phono stage loading requirements.

What is the Miyajima Cross Ring generator method?

The Cross Ring method is a patented moving coil generator design by Miyajima Laboratory (Japan) in which the left and right channel coils cross at their center point, making that crossing point the mechanical fulcrum of the entire generator system. Conventional MC designs locate the fulcrum in a rubber damper outside the coil, creating an ambiguous mechanical reference that Miyajima identifies as the primary source of distortion in traditional designs. By placing the fulcrum precisely at the coil center, the Cross Ring method ensures that all cantilever movements are transmitted to both channels with equal accuracy, and the iron core is replaced with resin to remove magnetic retardation of cantilever motion.

What phono stage do I need for the VPI Anniversary Bloodwood?

The VPI Anniversary Bloodwood requires a moving coil phono stage or a moving magnet stage equipped with a step-up transformer. With a 16-ohm impedance and 0.22 mV output, a phono stage with 60 dB or more of MC gain is recommended. Loading should typically be set between 20 and 100 ohms for optimal frequency response and channel balance. Compatible phono stages include the Gold Note PH-10, Parasound JC 3 Jr, EAR 834P, and Hegel V10, among others available at Vinyl Sound.

Where can I buy the VPI Anniversary Bloodwood cartridge in Buffalo, NY or the USA?

The VPI Anniversary Bloodwood is available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY USA. As an authorized VPI dealer, Vinyl Sound carries VPI cartridges alongside the full VPI turntable range and can advise on cartridge and phono stage matching. Contact Vinyl Sound Buffalo for availability and pairing recommendations.