Thinking about this cart. Relatively inexpensive as far as higher end MC carts go. Would use it on My Graham Phantom II Supreme in addition to the A90 with a separate arm wand. XG Version: (X = cross shaped modulator, G = matched crystal Gold wire coils) P= A regular carbon-nylon plastic body. Total cartridge weight is 6 gram. Suitable for arms with an effective tone arm mass of 8 gram to 14 gram. The plastic bodied version carries the -P suffix in its name. Thought's ? TIA
Christian,
very carefully close the vdH website window on your computer, delete the e-mail you were working on to the Audiogon Colibri seller, and take a deep breath.
ok....better now?
how much pain can you stand? that's all? then don't go there.
the Colibri is like a Formula One car in that it's stripped to it's essentials, but it is not perfectly made. the cantelivers are very short and coils are sticking out right at the end of this short cantiliver. so there is little compliance and everything happens right the hell now. it requires an arm with refined dampning and precision. and you may need to add more dampning than with other cartridges.
every Colibri is different. and getting one that is really right is like winning the Lottery. they are typically edgy on many Lps.......the coils hang down and can grab dust from the Lp surfaces......and if you play lots of warped Lps and you don't have sufficient VTA range on your tonearm VTA adjustment can be an issue.
i've owned 7 of them and not one was close to having the canteliver in alignment with the body. and they are difficult to deal with as they are nude and delicate.
all that said; when it was right it was as good as i've heard, amazing, like a freight train with delicacy. and it made other very highly regarded cartridges sound like they were stuck in the mud.
a Colibri is a good '3rd' or '4th' cartridge for messing with; but don't expect it to be there for you daily.
it's like that 'manic' girlfriend who was so hot; but wow could things go south fast!
consider yourself warned.