Natural Sound
- Thread starter PeterA
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Are you considering one?
Interesting. How do people overcome the specific EMT type connector when using it in non EMT or Ortofon tonearms?
How curious ! … So many folks rushing to hit the gush button on this one … How many have A: Heard a vintage Neumann cartridge B: Would scan the specification of this remake cartridge and invariably raise an eyebrow at its 15K max and C: Would not normally consider a conical stylus as a high fidelity stylus profile ?
Very astute observations. I personally felt the same way after looking at the specs. Obviously I do not have ability to give a comparison but I will be curious to read what others think.
Limited frequency response and extremely heavy VTF are concerns for the Neumann. But….for all that have heard the original cartridge, it’s supposed to be fantastic.
There were many replicas of the original. Lumiere, Tsar, Daniel Kim’s DST 15 which has different models
I have heard the original in three different systems at one place and a fourth system somewhere else. It is a fantastic cartridge. They are very difficult to locate and buy.
The criticisms about frequency extension are interesting. I understand why some people read specifications and then remove those components from consideration. And yet there are many people who get much joy from speakers that are not specified as flat or extended from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Does everyone jump on a vintage speaker thread immediately to criticize the lack of extension?
I'm surprised you call this a "vintage speaker thread." Your system thread is called "Natural Sound," not "Vintage Natural Sound." Both you and I are using vintage speakers, with modern electronics, to produce a sound for today. I wouldn't describe my system as vintage, I would describe it as highly engaging and musical.
These are not meant as criticisms, they are comments, and part of the discussion.
Sorry Jeff, I was not clear. It seems odd to me that some people relish criticizing someone else’s system or new component for something like lack of extension. Some of the best systems I’ve heard have limited extension and let’s say not perfect specifications. I completely agree with you that such systems can be highly engaging and produce a very natural presentation.
Having heard both the original and this replica, the lack of extension is not a concern to me.
Got it.
The Nuemann is universally praised by people who's ears I trust, so I've not concerned about the frequency range at all. If anything, I'm concerned about the VTF. From the manufacturer's page, it looks like this reproduction is meticulously made. I hope if works out for you.
The wider the bandwidth the less phase shift you get.
A Grado Gold can easily do 30KHz; LPs often have bandwidth past 45KHz (my Westerex 3D LP mastering system introduced a 6dB slope at 42KHz to help reduce damage to the cutter due to the RIAA pre-emphasis, which is to say that at that frequency it was equalized to flat) even though there isn't much up there other than harmonics.
Phase shift is why you want bandwidth to be as wide as you can get if there's no feedback employed (which can correct phase shift at frequency extremes if there's enough of it). Phase shift is often interpreted as a tonality so can cause darkness on top or an apparent lack of impact on the bottom end. It can also affect how the sound stage is perceived.
Not sure how many people have made those connections though.
forget the specs. heard it at ddk's and it was very special. memorable. not sure i'm in for that tracking force though. and my DaVa Ref seems to be similar i think enough to scratch that itch. but still if this replica get's close to what i heard at ddk's then it's a winner.
Dava reference is not a replica or similar sounding, though Darius used to be one of the top retipper of Neumann’s. Of course field coil cactus conical tip and field coil micro diamond tip with alum cantilever will not make it similar sounding.
Cmchan has both Dava reference, soul, and Daniel Kim’s DST
fair enough, my DaVa experience was 5 years after my DST experience. so hard to compare with detail. where the DaVa in my system reminded me of the DST at ddk's was in the musical glow and energy from my memory. and we don't exactly know how ddk's DST compares to the Cmchan's replica. we have system extension differences too.
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How did you attach it to your SME arm...there appears to be some sort of spacer between the cartridge/headshell and the SME arm?
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