They don’t make them like that anymore. For the rest of you, watch the classifieds, check your local audio swap meets, and be ready to pounce. Your vinyl collection is waiting for this upgrade.

Have you listened to the Sumiko Smile Exclusive? Share your thoughts and system pairings in the comments below.

However, if you need a cartridge you can buy a replacement stylus for tomorrow, consider the current Sumiko Rainier or Olympia, which share the "Smile" DNA but are still in production. In an era of hyper-detailed, sometimes sterile digital perfection, the Sumiko Smile Exclusive reminds us why we love vinyl. It is forgiving enough to play your beat-up thrift store finds but revealing enough to make your 180-gram audiophile pressings sound breathtaking.