Immutable Music, the manufacturers of Transfiguration cartridges may have been around for nearly ten years, but in global terms they are, along with Lyra, the new kids on the cartridge block. Established companies like Koetsu, ClearAudio and Ortofon received a nasty shock when the two young Turks burst onto the scene with products which didn't just match the existing standards, but set a new pace altogether. The Clavis and Transfiguration AF1 suddenly became the products to beat. Several years down the road, and the competition have responded, but the new boys continue to hold their own.

The Transfiguration Spirit is Immutable's entry into the all important £1000 low output moving-coil market (there is also a high output model called the Esprit). It is built into a bronze anodised, milled aluminium body which is threaded for mounting bolts, and which it has inherited from the more expensive Temper Supreme. It also shares the patented yoke-less construction and ring magnet that distinguishes all the Immutable Music products. The result is a solid rather than flashy cartridge, looking much more businesslike than exotic crystal bodied designs. It's an impression that matches the cartridge's performance perfectly.

All the transfiguration cartridges possess a strong family sound, although it has far more to do with the way they actually present the music, than any particular tonal or sonic aberration. Indeed, Immutable's claims for overall tonal neutrality are well founded. Listening to the Spirit for the first time, you could be forgiven for thinking that it errs on the side of a rosy warmth. But listen a little longer and you'll realise that there's no fattening of the mid-bass or rolling of the treble. The cartridge is totally even handed, top to bottom, and cymbals in particular are produced with a sense of energy and definition which makes a lot of other cartridges sound thin and splashy. In fact, what you are hearing is the absence of the edginess and glare which afflicts so many 'high definition' cartridges (and CD players), and which is so all pervasive that it is in danger of becoming a hi-fi norm. This lack of an obvious character or flashy performance are top of Immutable's list of design aims.

And while this stands testimony to the Spirit's natural tonal balance, it's also a function of it's outstanding tracking performance. Whether you're playing a long LP side with shallow grooves, or a massive orchestral climax, the Transfiguration simply sails through with none of that edge of the seat insecurity that so often accompanies journeys to the limits of LP performance, and into the realms of listening fatigue.

Combine this sense of stability with the family tendency toward deep but narrow soundstaging, and the overall result is a solid and incredibly coherent musical perspective. The Transfiguration presents both a band and its music as a single, intimately mated mass, a oneness that goes beyond simple ensemble playing. The expression 'A place for everything and everything in its place' could have been coined for this cartridge! The result is music with a real sense of propulsion and purpose. On studio rock with its pan-potted soundstages and dodgy pressings, it's little short of revelatory. Driving R and B rhythms certainly are, and drums have real kick and snap. Get the set-up just so and the Spirit is capable of explosive dynamics without ever losing control. Put on something inspirational and you'd better draw the curtains, because you are going to suffer a serious attack of the air guitars (or conductors baton, depending on your taste in music!). I should go into specific detail and musical examples, but that would detract from the Spirit's greatest strength, its holistic nature.

But what about shortcomings? Aside from the soundstage which rarely steps much beyond the speakers, the other area in which the Spirit comes up short is in terms of absolute resolution. Listen to the Temper Supreme, which shares its overall sound, and you can hear beyond what a musician is playing, to the why he is actually playing it. It simply gives you greater insight at the micro vibrational level. At a price!

Back in its own ballpark, the Spirit offers an attractive compromise. Sure, you can get better separation, and deeper bass, but no other cartridge I've tried at this price can match the Transfiguration's sense of musical coherence, impact and involvement. The togetherness of its sound thrives on 'performance' and it extracts every last bit of chemistry from a recording. At the same time its exceptional tracking, natural balance, and emphasis on the architecture of the music rather than its minutiae, make it the perfect choice for music lovers. Put simply the Spirit is going to make more out of more of your records. It will caress them rather than sticking them under a spotlight. And because of that, you will find yourself listening to more records for longer. And you can't ask for more than that.

The Technical Bits
The Spirit's milled body might seem like a Godsend when it comes to set-up time. At least compared to the spherical housing used on Transfiguration's earlier offerings. In fact, it's a case of swings and roundabouts. The alloy brick is certainly easier to handle than the aniseed ball, but it also hides the short cantilever from clear view, making precise alignment a tricky business. And be warned, the stylus guard is an extremely tight fit, so if you install the cartridge with it in place, be real careful when you come to remove it, or it may have precisely the opposite to its intended effect!

The original Transfiguration was seriously short - around 12.5mm - which necessitated the use of a spacer with tapered tube arms like the SMEs. The Spirit is taller, but still on the Alan Ladd side of average. Correct alignment in the SME 5 left the arm tube close enough to the record edge on inner tracks for rim warps to cause concern, so make sure you check this during set-up. Otherwise, arm matching was trouble free, neither the 12" JMW or ClearAudio Soother TQ1 suffered any wobbles, the Spirit performing faultlessly in both.

Output is healthy and loading is fine at the popular 100ohm value. Tracking should be set at 2g, but you'll need to set the bias by ear, as even slight adjustments around the 2g mark made obvious differences to the focus and transparency of the sound. Finally the Spirit is the most VTA sensitive cartridge I have come across. Seemingly insignificant changes in arm height can have a huge impact on the sound quality and especially the sense of life. Precise VTA adjustment is a must, and you should take that into account when considering arm matching.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Output Level Frequency Response; 0.4mV
Channel Balance; 10 - 20,000Hz, (+1.5dB)
Channel Separation: < 0.5dB at 1kHz
Compliance; > 27dB, 200Hz -10kHz
Impedance; 10 ohms
Recommended Load; 100 ohms
Stylus Type; PA
Cantilever; Boron
Playing Weight; 2.0 grams
Height; 15mm
Weight; 7.8 grams
(Manufacturer's Figures)

Price; £950.00

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