Benz Micro cartridges have been in production since the 1980s, earning recognition throughout the world as one the top brands in the field. Ernst Benz, founder and designer of the original Benz-Micro cartridges, retired in 1994 and sold the cartridge production to Albert, his close associate and designer of the Benz-Micro PP-1 phono stage. Albert relocated and modernized the factory, employed a highly skilled workforce, introduced many new models, and expanded his OEM cartridge manufacturing.
In the past year, Albert has stream-lined his factory, focusing on the most popular high-end Benz models: the LP-S MR, Ruby Z, Gullwing SLR. With the proliferation of many new high-performance, high-gain phono stages, such as the Musical Surroundings Nova II, these models will be offered only in low output versions.