What should be my next cart and tonearm?

[abeidrov]

Now that I have a phonostage with several inputs, I would like to get another cart and tonearm. Maybe a mono cart or should I get a different flavour of a stereo one? I have some mono records, mostly early 50-s or 60-s. Although I think if had a mono cart, I would have bought more mono records. Do you guys have any recommendations? I was looking at Miyajima lab Zero cart, it looks like a solid choice. Any other options for a mono cart? What tonearm would you advise for this cart at a reasonable price?

Thanks in advance,
Aziz

 

[mtemur]

IMHO a mono cartridge is not necessary. You can get very good and sometimes better results with precisely aligned stereo cartridge. Of course a stereo cartridge is never a substitute for mono cartridge but modern stylus profiles is a major advantage of stereo cartridges. IMO a mono cartridge can find a place at the third or fourth arm. Second tonearm can be used for different stereo flavors.

I’m very familiar with AF3P. It’s a very robust, grounded and clean sounding turntable which needs a very dynamic arm.

I heard AF3P with Sasha DAW many times at my friends’ setups. IMHO cartridge choice is related with speakers. Speakers should like the source. Lyra, Benz or top Audio Technica cartridges match well in my opinion as well as your current cartridge or it’s TechDas equivalent.

 

[shakti]

As I own the AF3P as well, I would recommend a faster/more dynamic Tonearm for the Air Tight Opus 1.
Please try the Glanz MH-1200s Tonearm plus the Phasemation 1200 Headshell .
If you like Kuzma, the Kuzma Safir 9" is nice as well.

As second cartridge you can go into an even more soft and warm direction, like Miyajima.
Or you can try out a high resolution cartridge with diamond cantilever, like Ortofon Anna Diamond

Both carts would give you an alternate view into the music.

But at first, I would try to get the best out of Opus 1.

 

[abeidrov]

Thank you both for the advice. Interesting, that Shakti is the third person, who tells me Kuzma 4P is not good enough a tonearm for Opus. Other experienced people recommended to try Graham Phantom III. But these tonearms are expensive. I would like to stay within $10K for both cart + arm.
I definitely have enough resolution with the Opus. What about SME 3012R? I could get one in good condition for about $3K.

 

[Audiohertz2]

I would look into the Triangle arts carts and tonearms , as an alternative , very competitive sound wise ..!


Regards

 

[tima]

Thank you both for the advice. Interesting, that Shakti is the third person, who tells me Kuzma 4P is not good enough a tonearm for Opus. Other experienced people recommended to try Graham Phantom III. But these tonearms are expensive. I would like to stay within $10K for both cart + arm.
I definitely have enough resolution with the Opus. What about SME 3012R? I could get one in good condition for about $3K.

Although I've not heard it with an Opus 1, the 3012R is an excellent idea.

 

[shakti]

What about SME 3012R? I could get one in good condition for about $3K.

SME 3012R is a nice middle class tonearm, which created a hype in WBF,
as this arm has a nice synergy with the different vdh colibri cart derivatives .

I do have a SME 3012R on my Techdas AF3p, as many people do have this tonearm at home,
so this arm is always a good start for a tonearm shoot out.

In direct comparison, using a typical Japanese low compliance cartridge,
I would prefer a Fidelity Research FR64s tonearm (if we are looking for a used classic tonearm).

If you like to have a matching Design on your techDAS, I do prefer the 4point 9" Version over the longer 4point tonearms, fortunately this is the cheapest version.

 

[DasguteOhr]

For Opus the tw 10.5 tonearm ultra deep bass with spectacular dynamic ~ 4.5k€
For Mono a used Ortofon Rmg 309 tonearm with orotofon spu cg25 mk II mono~ 3k€

 

[Argonaut]

Although I think if had a mono cart, I would have bought more mono records. Do you guys have any recommendations? I was looking at Miyajima lab Zero cart, it looks like a solid choice. Any other options for a mono cart? What tonearm would you advise for this cart at a reasonable price?

Thanks in advance,
Aziz

Murasakino Sumile mono :

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/murasakino-sumile-mono-cartridge.35775/page-2

OR

DaVa :

AnalogSound | DaVa MONO Vintage FC cartridge starts the line of DaVa MONO cartridges | Facebook

DaVa MONO Vintage FC cartridge starts the line of DaVa MONO cartridges. Everybody knows, that old mono vinyls were recorded in direct cutting way. It needed minimum of recording equipment. It gave...

www.facebook.com

 

[abeidrov]

SME 3012R is a nice middle class tonearm, which created a hype in WBF,
as this arm has a nice synergy with the different vdh colibri cart derivatives .

I do have a SME 3012R on my Techdas AF3p, as many people do have this tonearm at home,
so this arm is always a good start for a tonearm shoot out.

In direct comparison, using a typical Japanese low compliance cartridge,
I would prefer a Fidelity Research FR64s tonearm (if we are looking for a used classic tonearm).

If you like to have a matching Design on your techDAS, I do prefer the 4point 9" Version over the longer 4point tonearms, fortunately this is the cheapest version.

Can I use 3012R with a mono cart like Miyajima Zero?

 

[mtemur]

SME 3012R is a nice middle class tonearm, which created a hype in WBF,
as this arm has a nice synergy with the different vdh colibri cart derivatives .

I do have a SME 3012R on my Techdas AF3p, as many people do have this tonearm at home,
so this arm is always a good start for a tonearm shoot out.

In direct comparison, using a typical Japanese low compliance cartridge,
I would prefer a Fidelity Research FR64s tonearm (if we are looking for a used classic tonearm).

If you like to have a matching Design on your techDAS, I do prefer the 4point 9" Version over the longer 4point tonearms, fortunately this is the cheapest version.

Completely agree.

 

[shakti]

Can I use 3012R with a mono cart like Miyajima Zero?

The Zero has a compliance of 8, like many other Japanese carts too,
they like tonearms with effective mass above 30 or even higher.

You can use 3012R, but you will get a better performance with FR64s, which is similar (or cheaper) to find in the used markt.

 

[tima]

SME 3012R is a nice middle class tonearm, which created a hype in WBF,
as this arm has a nice synergy with the different vdh colibri cart derivatives .

My understanding finds the SME 3012R having synergy with far more cartridges than just the van den Hul Colibris. It is a great match with the Aidas Mammoth Gold, which is what I have on mine. I'll bet a nickle it is the most popular tonearm on this forum. (I could be wrong. Maybe it's the 4Point.) Just the other day we were reminiscing about Tang selling his high class SAT and Acoustical Systems tonearms and keeping multiple 3012Rs.

 

[audioblazer]

Can I use 3012R with a mono cart like Miyajima Zero?

SME 3012R performing admirably with Miyajima Infinity. I was using Zero with the same TA before I upgraded it

 

[bonzo75]

Can I use 3012R with a mono cart like Miyajima Zero?

The tonearms are not as picky about mono and stereo as some of the audiophiles are

 

[abeidrov]

If 3012 is so good, maybe I should move Opus to it and use Kuzma for another cart?

 

[Argonaut]

If 3012 is so good, maybe I should move Opus to it and use Kuzma for another cart?

Only you may answer such musings to your own satisfaction within the context of your own system , do try not to be brainwashed by the enabler of one particular doctrine.

 

[shakti]

If 3012 is so good, maybe I should move Opus to it and use Kuzma for another cart?

80 pages about SME 3012R:

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/sme-3012-r.24765/

nothing to add.

Just buy one and find out!

easy to buy, easy to sell.

Your AF3P can host 4 Arms.
you can use the old Micro Seiki AX SME Tonarmbases without any problem
(to avoid high TechDAS costs and lead times for this trial)

as already said, I prefer MSL carts (and derivatives) on more heavy tonearms :

My personal journey to MY SONIC LAB

Over the last decades I used a lot of different cartridges and it took me some time to understand, that many of my favorite carts, even beeing from different brands (Supex, Air Tight, Koetsu, Miyajima) were from the same man (co) developed and produced: Master Yoshiaki Matsudaira It seemed...

www.whatsbestforum.com

Just get a Fidelity Research FR64s tonearm as well and compare.

easy to buy, easy to sell as well.

Will be great fun!

 

[Argonaut]

The Zero has a compliance of 8, like many other Japanese carts too,
they like tonearms with effective mass above 30 or even higher.

You can use 3012R, but you will get a better performance with FR64s, which is similar (or cheaper) to find in the used markt.

An excellent recommendation , perhaps something in the Glanz line also for an arm that can be purchased ‘off the shelf’ consider also a 12" Thomas Schick .

 

[tima]

If 3012 is so good, maybe I should move Opus to it and use Kuzma for another cart?

I have both arms. I have had only the Aidas cartridge on both thus far, so limited experience. On orchestral, the 3012R yields more interior detail, more energy and definitely better articulation and tonal nuance in the bass.

With its relatively higher effective mass of 19g, the 4Point works well with lower compliance carts, such as your Opus-1 (8). The 3012R is at 14g which makes it suited to, for example, Lyra Atlas or Etna, the as mentioned vand den Hul Colibris and others with a higher compliance. Of course that is a generalization and neither arm is super finicky. Newer 4Points have jeweled bearings and the 3012R has a knife edge bearing. Together they could open your system for trying a wide variety of cartridges. I agree with Shakti and think you would have fun with both of these arms.