“ …the Black sounded surprisingly extraordinary in the areas of palpable instrumental/vocal timbre, transparency, speed, and clarity right out of the box.”
APRIL 2, 2026
Threading the sonic needle nearly perfectly, the Umami Red is, as noted, exceptionally balanced, with upper-tier dynamics, instrumental separation, soundstaging, and realism. If this cartridge is set up properly in a capable system on a quality tonearm and phonostage, many listeners will surrender to its allure.
Read the entire review on The Absolute Sound website.
RECENT NEWS
Join Us at AXPONA 2026 APRIL 10-12th, 2026: We invite you to experience world-class analog playback at AXPONA 2026. You can schedule a private appointment or simply stop by — walk-ins are welcome. You’ll find us on the main floor in the Connection Room, Perfection Room and Knowledge Room, alongside our Chicago dealer, Quintessence Audio.
MARCH 31, 2026
Simply put, the Excel Sound team has delivered a masterpiece.
FEBRUARY 11, 2026