Ikeda KAI or My sonic labs platinum sig.

Mobiusman

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
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Jersey Shore- waterside
I now have about 10 hours on my My Sonic Labs Signature Platinum Cartridge and love it more with each successive record. Yesterday I went to GTT with Fabio from Alma Audio and Music from SD to listen to Bill Parrish's reference system at GTT Audio using YG Sonja XV's, four Audionet Heisenberg monoblocs, and Audionet Stern Preamp and phono stage and a very heavily outfitted Kronos Pro with a well broken in My Sonic Labs Signature Platinum Cartridge. Although my system is quite different (VSA Ultra 9's, VAC core including a pair of 452's, a full loom of MB Ultra cables, Bergamann Galder/Odin, Taiko Audio Extreme with the USB board mod and a MSB DAC, CMS footers throughout, etc., I could still hear the particular characteristics of the My Sonic Labs Signature Platinum Cartridge that appeal to me, especially in the midrange and bass.

I must say that this cartridge mates very well with my Bergmann and why I chose it instead of retipping my ZYX Optimum. I have an excitement and anticipation of listening to analog that I have not felt for years, if ever. While the Extreme with the USB board and MSB DAC is a true digital killer, I must say that for the first time since modifying the Extreme, my analog arm now sounds better than my digital arm, albeit by only a small margin. What it does do is it makes me daydream about being home and listening to my record collection. Both the digital and analog arms are now both excellent, with my already prefering the the MSL to the ZYX.

However what is most noteworthy is the service I got from my dealer who sold me the Bergmann and MSB, Alma Audio and Music in SD. For the third time in18 months they came to my house in NJ from SD to install the cartridge and make the substantial changes to my Bergmann to accomodate this cartridge, which took 3 hours, plus 3 hours of drive time to get round trip from Fabio's NJ hotel to my house, plus the offer to accompany him to GTT. They ordered this cartridge for me even though they are not MSL dealers, but sell Air Tight and use an Air Tight Opus 1 as their in store analog reference.

I have dealt with many high end audio dealers during the past 60 years and have never seen a dealer go to the lengths that they have done for me and I assume their other clients. Since I was building my bucket list system when I first met them, they also took my previous high end system and shipped it to SD and sold it in pieces out of their store, making it easier for me to purchase the Bergmann and MSB since my Bucket List System Budget was already 5x over budget, by holding my equipment as equity against the second 50% of my purchase bill. They were so effective that I now have a cash surplus with them which enabled me to buy the My Sonic Labs Signature Platinum Cartridge and a Degritter.

This is particularly important to me because I am now retired and no longer have the income I had when working. All I can say is that on a scale 0-5 stars, Alma gets 6-7 stars and are clearly in this game for long-term customer support. Bravo Alma, Alex and Fabio.
 
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Birdwatcher

Well-Known Member
May 29, 2018
223
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135
EU
Hi Op133 and Russ/Mobiusman,
how do you like your My Sonic Lab Signature Platinum after 2 years? Do you still have them?
Maybe any comparisons to Air Tight Opus 1 at home other elsewhere?
Any other opinions?
…I still hesitate between the two for my Axiom 12“…
 

shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
1,444
2,411
480
Cologne, Germany
Maybe any comparisons to Air Tight Opus 1 at home other elsewhere?
Any other opinions?
…I still hesitate between the two for my Axiom 12“…
you will find some comments from Tango in WBF, comparing the two.

For him the Opus 1 was much better.
 
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Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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Personally, I feel like the Opus 1 is much more of a known quantity than the MSL.

The Opus 1 is one of those rare components which attracts almost no criticism, even if it may not be everybody's perfect cup of cartridge tea.
 
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Audire

VIP/Donor
Jan 18, 2019
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FL Panhandle
Personally, I feel like the Opus 1 is much more of a known quantity than the MSL.

The Opus 1 is one of those rare components which attracts almost no criticism, even if it may not be everybody's perfect cup of cartridge tea.

I own both the Air Tight Opus 1 and the MSL Platinum Signature. They are installed on the same table. I prefer the Opus 1 by a hair. Better bass and dynamics IMO. However I use both. The MSL on soft rock and the Opus 1 on jazz, female vocals, etc.
 

Thomas 911

Active Member
Dec 2, 2021
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th
I own both the Air Tight Opus 1 and the MSL Platinum Signature. They are installed on the same table. I prefer the Opus 1 by a hair. Better bass and dynamics IMO. However I use both. The MSL on soft rock and the Opus 1 on jazz, female vocals, etc.
appreciate this statement joe , a very usefull information for myself!
regards thomas
 
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XV-1

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
3,619
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Sydney
Personally, I feel like the Opus 1 is much more of a known quantity than the MSL.

The Opus 1 is one of those rare components which attracts almost no criticism, even if it may not be everybody's perfect cup of cartridge tea.

Ron

You do realise the Air Tight is made by the guy from MSL.
Are you basing your known quality based on reviews?
 
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Hyperion

Well-Known Member
Oct 3, 2011
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Stockholm/Sweden
akiko_001.jpg

This is the Ikeda AKIKO flagship cartridge released last year. A rare limited edition model.

- Output Voltage 0.35 mVrms (1kHz 35.4m m/sec. at 45° peak)
- Coil Impedance : 6.0 ohms (1kHz)
- Appropriate Stylus Force : 2.0 grams - 2.25 grams
- Frequency Response Range : 10 Hz - 45kHz.
- Channel Separation : over 30 dB (1kHz)
- Channel Balance: within 0.5 dB (1kHz)
- Stylus Chip : Diamond micro-ridge
- Cantilever: Diamond
- Weight : 15 grams
- Compliance : 10 x 10 6 cm/dyne

We will mount this cartridge here on the Ikeda IT-345 CR-1 tonearm within the upcoming weeks.

Do anyone have access to and experience with this cartridge?

/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se
 
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Johan K

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2022
1,148
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Sweden
I own both the Air Tight Opus 1 and the MSL Platinum Signature. They are installed on the same table. I prefer the Opus 1 by a hair. Better bass and dynamics IMO. However I use both. The MSL on soft rock and the Opus 1 on jazz, female vocals, etc.
I’ve also had the Opus and the MSL P S on the same TT… I like both very much too. I felt the MSL had a much more quiet background than any other cart I’ve heard to date which made it very good for classical music - especially in the very silent parts of the recordings. The Opus is fantastic on jazz though I play everything all the time on all my carts. But all of them has it’s own character and do it better than the other in diffrent genre. I think it depends of the mode at the time of playing, which cart to use at that particular time.

/ Jk
 

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