The Article

VAN DEN HUL CRIMSON ELITE XGW

9th February 2026

The next step up from the original Crimson XGW, the Elite model uses a ‘Stradivarius’ lacquer over a Koa wood body. Paul Rigby feels the grain

The so-called Stradivarius lacquer that covers the Elite looks to emulate the same lacquer seen on the notable violins with, hopefully for the company, similarly notable sonic characteristics.

And hey, it sounds good in the market pamphlets doesn’t it?

Based on a boron cantilever – a vastly under-rated part of the cartridge, too much attention is placed on the shape of the stylus tip in my opinion, although that tip is based upon the company’s own design apparently – the gold wires seen around the body area have been reduced in thickness to reduce mass while suspension has been improved.

Output is pretty high from this cartridge so gain shouldn’t be an issue. And it wasn’t, I had to lower the gain on my pre-amp by several clicks during tests, when compared to my reference Ortofon moving coil.

The tracking force is also low at 1.35-1.5g but I’ll talk more about that during the In Use section later.

Take a look at the images below. Note how the build is scarily open for this cartridge with the cantilever sticking out into no-man’s land. So be very careful during installation. Saying that, I had no issues, the wooden body and bolt holes allow you to take a good grip from the rear of the chassis while I found fitting to my turntables head shell pretty straight forward, so you shouldn’t have issues. Just take it slow, concentrate on what you’re doing and you’ll be fine.

SOUND QUALITY

For sound testing, I reached for my 1981 self-titled Level 42 album and the track Turn it On, resplendent in popified jazz funk.

VS ORTOFON CADENZA BRONZE

For my first test, I wanted to initially compare this cartridge with a lower-cost unit. One that you might upgrade from and to the Crimson Elite XGW. A good general purpose design is the Ortofon Cadenza Bronze priced at around £2,000.

Of course, I wanted to see if the potential upgrade was warranted in the first place and, if it was, in what way. What would upgrading to the Crimson Elite XGW provide?

Well, the Crimson Elite XGW increased dynamic reach for one. By comparison, there was a glass ceiling covering the Cadenza Bronze. Detail only went so far. There was only so much information coming at you. The Crimson Elite XGW increased the flow and traveled a couple of steps further down the sonic pathway, you might say.

The vocal display from the Elite added air and space around the delivery now while secondary percussion had a crisp movement. There was no sense of dragging around the mids and treble. No slurring. Lead guitar and slap bass hurried along. There was no time to waste when using the Crimson Elite XGW and that added to the groove and the swing of the music. It also confirmed the sonic differences with that low mass design in operation.

VS CRIMSON XGW

I found the original Crimson XGW to be a top performer. In fact, the original Crimson XGW was my go-to for many years alongside my AVID Acutus turntable. It was less agile than the Elite variant, though, possibly more neutral but less sensitive in its performance and slightly more dogged in its approach to music. Saying that, I can see some people preferring the basic Crimson XGW to the Elite because it is a much more straight forward cartridge in sonic terms with a solid bass, great midrange detail and delicate treble.

Then again, Crimson XGW Elite is a design for connoisseurs, you might say, it does ramp up detail and information because it pushes the sonic boundaries further so it is worth the time and effort to find sweet spots during installation.

IN USE

This design feels more organic than other cartridge types from other companies. There’s a hand-made feel to it. An artisan atmosphere to the build. Even the specs on the box are hand written.

The installation and set up reflects that.

van den Hul cartridges are hand made

Because of that and because of the reduction in mass, the Crimson Elite XGW is a super sensitive cartridge which is great for detail access and pacing but can produce control issues if handled incorrectly. So take your time when setting it up. Experiment. Tweak. Have fun, in other words and don’t be afraid to twiddle your knobs!

The company also offers re-tipping and repair services

For example, the Crimson Elite XGW requires minimal loading to run properly. In fact, the less you can get away with the better. Don’t overload it, otherwise you risk ringing mids and brittle treble. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the loading on your phono amplifier. Start at the very bottom and slowly work your way up. That’s right, I recommend not looking at the spec sheet. Do this manually. Use your ears to hit that eventual sweet spot and the Crimson Elite XGW will provide a lively, informative play back with plenty of midrange clarity, tight bass and fragile treble.

Similarly, don’t be afraid to experiment with the tracking force. I found that increasing it to 1.6g and then, finally, at least for me, 1.7g helped the sound balance, adding a touch of extra bass but better controlling the midrange. Better suiting my ears and turntable, in other words. Spend time tweaking this design to your ears. Thus, see van den Hul’s spec sheet as a starting point, not some sort of sonic gospel.

CONCLUSION

Van den Hul was not kidding when it targeted mass on the Elite version of its Crimson cartridge. Hence, if you take time to set up the Crimson Elite XGW to suit your ears and HiFi chain then this remarkable cartridge will reward you with a lightness of touch and a sprightly step that flies across your music like Tinkerbell. Flitting here and there and spreading magical sonic dust right across the soundstage. The Crimson XGW Elite is one of the most manoeuvrable cartridges I’ve ever heard and deserves a demo for anyone looking at a new cartridge upgrade.

VAN DEN HUL CRIMSON XGW ELITE

Price: £6,750, €6,450, $8,750

Website: www.decentaudio.co.uk/where-to-buy

GOOD: midrange clarity, bass impact, feather-light treble, open soundstage

BAD: careful installation required