Goldring 1042 Moving Magnet Cartridge

The Goldring 1042 sits at the top of the company's 1000 Series moving magnet range, above the 1022GX and 1012GX, and represents the point at which the series reaches its full engineering potential. Designed for audiophiles who demand the highest level of musical resolution from a moving magnet cartridge, it combines a premium Gyger S stylus profile with the low-mass Pocan body and high-efficiency magnetic circuit that define the entire 1000 Series, resulting in a cartridge that retrieves groove detail with exceptional precision while remaining compatible with a wide range of tonearms.

Gyger S Stylus Profile

The single most important factor in cartridge performance is the shape of the stylus tip, and the 1042 uses a nude, natural-diamond stylus ground to the Gyger S profile. This is a line-contact type whose 6 μm radius is shaped to more closely resemble the original record cutting head than conventional elliptical or standard line-contact designs. The extended side-wall contact of the Gyger S diamond reaches groove detail that shorter-contact profiles cannot trace, eliminating high-frequency sibilance and producing what Goldring describe as an exceptionally detailed, smooth, and musical presentation. The stylus is nude — mounted directly without a shank — which reduces the effective tip mass to just 0.45 mg, improving high-frequency traceability.

Low-Mass Pocan Body

The 1042 uses the same one-piece body construction shared across the 1000 Series, moulded from Pocan — a glass-reinforced polyester with a high strength-to-mass ratio that keeps the total cartridge mass at 6.3 g. The body bolts directly to the tonearm headshell, and the user-replaceable stylus carrier locates on a precision pin to prevent unwanted vibrational modes. An integral mu-metal can shields the generator assembly from hum-inducing stray magnetic fields. The low overall mass, combined with moderate compliance, keeps the arm/cartridge resonance within safe limits for compatibility with a wide range of tonearms.

High-Efficiency Magnetic Circuit

The generator uses finely etched mu-metal laminations forming the pole pieces, around which two formerless coils of 4,000 turns each are wound. Removing the former reduces the mass of the moving assembly and increases the efficiency of the magnetic circuit, producing a higher-than-average output voltage of 6.5 mV. The formerless construction also reduces high-frequency losses inherent in conventional designs, contributing to the smooth and extended frequency response of 20 Hz–20 kHz ±3 dB.

Ultra-Low-Mass Alnico V Magnet

The magnet system uses a micro-miniature Alnico V magnet made to a tolerance that Goldring state no other manufacturer achieves. A gold-plated nickel tie-bar is welded to the magnet to provide an earth path for vinyl static charge dissipation and to stabilise the cantilever against unwanted vibrational modes. The complete ultra-low-mass assembly is mounted in a butyl rubber polymer chosen for its optimised damping characteristics.

Factory-Set Azimuth

Goldring factory-set the stylus azimuth — the angle of the stylus vertical centre-line relative to the record surface — to exactly perpendicular. Incorrect azimuth causes uneven channel balance and increased inter-channel crosstalk, degrading the stereo image. Because most tonearms do not provide user azimuth adjustment, the accuracy of the factory setting is critical, and the 1042 is aligned to Goldring's precision standard before leaving the factory.

User-Replaceable Stylus

The D42 stylus assembly (sold separately) is the direct replacement for the 1042. The stylus slides out of the cartridge body and the replacement clips in without tools, allowing the stylus to be renewed without replacing the cartridge body and generator.

What the Press Says

• "…it provides a superb suite of frequencies that will engage and delight. This is one serious moving magnet design and one that you can buy with confidence." — The Audiophile Man