Intro
Contents
Le Son is a small manufacturer of turntable Moving Coil (MC) cartridges in Shanghai. The Le Son SL1 MkII cartridge is available online and the company offered us one for review after noticing our multi-test of phono preamplifiers. The review turned out to be a small adventure with a (spoiler alert) happy end.
The tricky thing about reviewing a turntable cartridge is that there are so many factors that affect the sound. The same cartridge on a different tonearm, using a different turntable preamp, can give a completely different experience.
We, Yung and Martijn, dare to review this cartridge because Le Son has clear conditions: you can return the cartridge within 60 days. Marketing aside, you can only afford this as a manufacturer if you are convinced of the quality of your product. So for those seriously interested after this review, the conditions are favourable enough to take the plunge.
During the test period, we were in touch with Le Son’s owner Gregory de Richemond. The support and information were impeccable (pronounce this in French svp). Apart from the SL1 high output cartridge, Le Son offers the LS10 mkII low output MC cartridge.
The pros and cons of a high gain MC cartridge
A ‘high gain’ MC cartridge has the advantage that you can connect it to a ‘regular’ Moving Magnet (MM) turntable preamp and you do not need a moving coil preamp. This allows you to use the turntable input of an amplifier, if the amplifier has a phono stage, or choose a fitting preamp from a very wide range of affordable preamps.
This advantage (in general) also comes with disadvantages: to achieve that high output, the mass of the coils on the cantilever, the rod to which the stylus is attached, is bigger than with a low output cartridge. More mass comes at the expense of the speed at which the needle can respond, which can potentially come at the expense of the openness/airiness and transparency that MC cartridges are generally known for.
Le Son SL1 MkII: as if receiving a present
The Le Son SL1 MkII cartridge comes in very nice wood packaging; it looks like a jewellery box. Care has clearly been taken to transport the product robustly and communicate to the recipient the feeling of holding something beautiful in their hands. But more importantly, the packaging is complete, with necessary screws and screwdriver for mounting and clear instructions on how to adjust the sensitivity and gain of the turntable preamp.
All you need to provide yourself is a good quality pair of pliers with a thin, flat jaw to slide the wires from the arm onto the cartridge’s 4 connection points.
Get everything ready, place within reach and take a deep breath
Assembling the cartridge was exciting for us. We do not do this every day! But with enough time, zen and calmness, a clean and spacious work surface and nerves of steel, we got it done. The Le Son has bolts that screw into the cartridge, so no hassle of clamping the cartridge between two bolts and nuts.
Pfew, we got through the disassembly and assembly process unscathed, and we are ready to start listening!
Le Son International – Response
Hi Andrew, thanks for sharing your experience. For readers’ clarity, here are the facts:
Silver interconnects: The cable was delivered on Jan 8, 2025. On Jan 14, you wrote that the sound was “great” and later confirmed your Marantz 2230 had been mis-wired, after which things were “perfect all around.” We offer a 60-day money-back guarantee on all products. Instead of returning the cable, you filed a bank dispute citing “product not received.” The bank refunded you and charged us dispute fees, while you kept the cable.
Warranty going forward: Because of that dispute and the retained product, we ended the business relationship and declined further service. This was about trust and process, not avoiding support. We do honor valid returns and warranties for our customers.
SL1 MKII cartridge claim: Your cartridge claim arose months later and relied on a third-party inspection outside our chain of custody. We cannot verify how the cartridge was handled or tested after it left our care, and given the relationship had already been terminated, we did not proceed.
Build & materials: Our cartridges are hand-assembled with high-grade components (including genuine diamond styli) and are used by satisfied customers worldwide. They are not “cheap knock-offs.”
We care deeply about our community. We back this with a 60-day return policy and a minimum 12-month warranty for legitimate claims. Questions about our processes or quality checks? Reach us at in**@***on.org
I have tried both their silver interconnects and they were bad, open ground, bad construction. I have also had their new mk2 cartridge. The sound was like all the reviews, but they are made cheaply! My rt coil burned out in 6 months. I sent it in to a professional and they said that the coils was open and that there was a small burn mark. After some back and fourth with Gregory, he cut me off and pulled my warranty??? Gregory is real nice…until he is not. There goes $500.00 dollars, Thanks Le Son for your cheap knock-off china cartridges! I learned my lesson, Buyer beware, and move on, and go to an established, real company!