Michael Fremer’s Unequaled Intellectual Honesty and True Comparative Review Rigor

[Ron Resnick]

Michael Fremer’s Analog Corner column in the April 2018 issue of Stereophile, titled “More Cartridges,” is a paradigm of intellectual honesty, self-reflection and an explicit acknowledgment of the legitimacy of the subjective preferences of others.

In re-reviewing the Kuzma Ltd. CAR-50 and CAR-60 cartridges Michael exceeds even his usual true comparative review rigor by re-hearing the cartridges in question using (1) an Ypsilon phono stage and step-up transformer, and (2) the voltage amplification input of the CH Precision P1/X1 he did not use in the first review, as well as (3) the current amplification input of the CH Precision P1/X1 he did employ in the first review. He also compared his reference Transfiguration Proteus D cartridge to the Kuzma CAR-60 on the same SAT tonearm on the same turntable, allowing a perfect apples-to-apples comparison!

I think the intellectual honesty, the introspection and the rigorous (and extremely time-consuming) comparative review technique displayed by Michael in this review is a benchmark to which all reviewers should aspire!

 

[GSOphile]

Kudos, Ron. I don't often see reviewers praised on audio forums for excellent work.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I am a big fan of Michael’s work at Stereophile and Don Saltzman’s work at TAS.

 

[Jeffy]

What about the analog guru Andre Jennings of The Absolute Sound

 

[XV-1]

Frank Kuzma complaining quite vocally might have pushed Fremer to superficially re-review the Kuzma cartridges.
He still did not like them, that is for sure.

 

[Ron Resnick]

What about the analog guru Andre Jennings of The Absolute Sound

I am not familiar with Andrew’s work.

 

[Ron Resnick]

. . .
He still did not like them, that is for sure.

That is far from “sure.” I did not read it that way at all. I think Michael’s comments were nuanced and specific, and he took pains to describe the sound he heard through the prism of different audiophiles’ subjective preferences. I totally understood what he was saying, and the different subjective perspectives from which he was analyzing what he heard.

 

[Tango]

Frank Kuzma complaining quite vocally might have pushed Fremer to superficially re-review the Kuzma cartridges.
He still did not like them, that is for sure.

XV. You once asked me about the sound of AS Palladian. Knowing you like the sound of AtlasSL which we both own, I said the Palladian is unlikely suit your preference. Now I listened to Mr. Fremer's recording of both proteus and Car60, although they were just heard through files and headphone, the comparison reminds me of the sound differences between Palladian and my other Japanese carts. I asked Dietrich of AS once who he contracts to manufacture the Palladian for him. He said it is a secret but the place is in europe. But if I were to guess, I would say Kuzma.

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[dcathro]

I have to say that I have a great appreciation of Michael Fremer as a reviewer, audiophile and music lover. I know that he can sometimes be abrasive, but I sense he has a lot of heart.

My other favorite reviewer is Martin Colloms. He can be very dry, but I always feel that I have gotten a true sense of the product under review.

 

[XV-1]

XV. You once asked me about the sound of AS Palladian. Knowing you like the sound of AtlasSL which we both own, I said the Palladian is unlikely suit your preference. Now I listened to Mr. Fremer's recording of both proteus and Car60, although they were just heard through files and headphone, the comparison reminds me of the sound differences between Palladian and my other Japanese carts. I asked Dietrich of AS once who he contracts to manufacture the Palladian for him. He said it is a secret but the place is in europe. But if I were to guess, I would say Kuzma.

Kind regards,
Tang

Tang, only one thing amiss with that plan. Kuzma have their carts made in Japan by an OEM. My guess is HANA cartridges make the Kuzma carts.

Btw, it was good advice. Never had another though about the Palladian since.

 

[GSOphile]

I have to say that I have a great appreciation of Michael Fremer as a reviewer, audiophile and music lover. I know that he can sometimes be abrasive, but I sense he has a lot of heart.

My other favorite reviewer is Martin Colloms. He can be very dry, but I always feel that I have gotten a true sense of the product under review.

+1 for Martin Collooms

 

[NorthStar]

I've been reading Michael Fremer's reviews for a long time, very long time.
...And not just about turntables and tonearms and cartridges.

We all have our favorite audio reviewers, and over the years we get to know their style and see their audio evolution, and ours too through them.
Some periods over the span of say forty years, are more or less better.
Today Michael Fremer is a force to be reckon with, on Analog Planet, and abroad.
Me, I like him...his style, directness...all that jazz. I, and others, don't care what they say.
We all have our preferences and experience in music, in audio, in hi-end, in life, in audio reviews, in audio magazines, in audio websites, in audio forums, in audio friends, in audio reviewers, in audio dealers, in audio analysts, in audio jazz, ...Michael Fremer is one cool guy...no matter what others say...I don't care.

 

[Down Under]

+1 for Mikey AND he has a sense of humour-something that is often not found in our hobby.

 

[Don Hills]

+1, Ron. Not everyone shares your admiration for MF, but for them your post reads equally well as a piece of dark sarcasm...

 

[Bso]

+1, Ron. Not everyone shares your admiration for MF, but for them your post reads equally well as a piece of dark sarcasm...

+1

 

[spiritofmusic]

I may be one of the few not enamoured by MF.
Yep, I like his battling style and lack of airs and graces.
But after the somewhat embarrassing IMHO personal retraction of his words for a phono stage review he wrote in Stereophile in 2005, I kinda went off him as a reviewer.

 

[Ron Resnick]

+1

I agree. Of course not everyone has the same opinion about Mike Fremer; not everyone has the same opinion about anything.

But how could even an unhappy curmudgeon misinterpret my post as sarcasm?

 

[Don Hills]

... But how could even an unhappy curmudgeon misinterpret my post as sarcasm?

It's so perfectly worded, with a finely judged excess of fulsome praise, that it can be interpreted either way.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I guess I’m a perfect-word’in, fine-judg’in fella.