romantic sounding cartridge recommendations

pweg

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2014
171
121
353
Australia
Hi all

was wondering if anyone could recommend me a warm, romantic sounding cartridge. Budget - up to 15k .

This will be used on a second TT in my system which im putting together - at this stage looking like a Transrotor Tourbillion with a TriPlanar U12 arm. Music is mainly female vocals, jazz and strings.
 

Tango

VIP/Donor
Mar 12, 2017
4,938
6,268
950
Bangkok
Hi all

was wondering if anyone could recommend me a warm, romantic sounding cartridge. Budgettem - up to 15k .

This will be used on a second TT in my system which im putting together - at this stage looking like a Transrotor Tourbillion with a TriPlanar U12 arm. Music is mainly female vocals, jazz and strings.

VdH Master Sig. Excellent vocals, jazz and strings. Natural and involving but not warm. Full body great tone.

Tang
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,435
13,467
2,710
London
Everyone could have their interpretation of romantic. i think the was the question was phrased OP was looking for more like a Koetsu? VDH/Lyra and Koetsu are very different sounds, probably ends of the spectrum. Since you have the Martens with Absolare SETs, do you also have a valve phono?
 

pweg

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2014
171
121
353
Australia
nice pick up Bonzo.

I havent decided on a phono for this system. i will prob get the Absolare or Lamm, but my dealer is urging me to go solid state. The issue is as always in Australia, there is just no chance to try before you buy so u have to research narrow down and then take a punt.
 

Tango

VIP/Donor
Mar 12, 2017
4,938
6,268
950
Bangkok
Everyone could have their interpretation of romantic. i think the was the question was phrased OP was looking for more like a Koetsu? VDH/Lyra and Koetsu are very different sounds, probably ends of the spectrum. Since you have the Martens with Absolare SETs, do you also have a valve phono?

You are grouping Lyra with VdH? I know you have listened to all three brands in many occasions. And people as soon as hearing the word romantic rush to say Koetsu. What your romantic sounds like? My romantic means the sound that has energy to draw you in, reach out for you, engage you with nuances yet not super detail, not a showoff and come with a balance vivid tone. The VdH offers this package. Not AtlasSL, not Koetsu Coralstone. No need to sound beautiful to be romantic. Even Rod Stewart could sound romantic imo. I am not saying the VdH couldnot sound beautiful. On female vocal I think it bests out all my carts.

Tang :)
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,435
13,467
2,710
London
Hi Tang, that's why I said romantic is word anyone can interpret anyway. Precisely because of why you said romantic makes people rush to koetsu, if someone like pweg, who admitted he has less exposure due to lack of auditions, and is using forums as a resource, uses the word romantic in his request, I would take a punt that his romantic interpretation is not for vdh. A guy asking blind for vdh would have used different words. Also, it is more set up specific and with pweg none of his set up is clear
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,435
13,467
2,710
London

  • pweg, Since you are internet shopping, you will get many recommendations, here’s mine, and a suggestion to internet shop
  • Here is a Marten absolare integrated system http://zero-distortion.org/brinkmanntechdasmonacotechnics/. I tried both allnic and Soultion phonos in it, and much preferred the Allnic. The higher Allnic models, which seem to be your budget, will be much better. Rockitman owns with the top Lamm model. You can also fly to Pescara in Italy to try out.
  • Steve Dobbins (PM vetterone on audiogon) has a lot of experience with analog and Absolare. He can advise you of good matching to Absolare sets, and how Absolare phono compares to Allnic and CH Precision with the Absolare amps. Most likely he will advise Lyra and VDH carts.
  • Since you are auditioning the Doehmann down under, they voice it with Schroeder arms and Thrax phono (in fact they have an audio union which produces this). At Munich they always have it with Lyras, except they also had an Allaerts this time. Tzbc on this forum has Doehmann and Thrax, as does Anamighty Sound in Paris. If you like the table, you can always continue exploring this path.
  • For someone who asks for a romantic warm sounding cart, Lyra and VDH seem the exact opposite recommendations, though I personally like them, when matched with valve phonos, and for me romance is when the sound is produced neutral, though I would never use the word romantic to describe them in audio parlance. You might be looking for a Koetsu with a diamond cantilever, in which case you should get the FR 66s arm. Halcro (Henry) on this forum, who is also in Australia, can set up the cart on the Fr 66s for you. If you can visit him, you will get to hear many carts. XV-1 and Awsmone down under will also have a few.
  • I think the obvious safe recommendation that will please you and falls in your budget is Airtight Opus. It is warm enough without being colored like Koetsu, and will match both valve and SS phonos since you do not know which way you are going. The Opus seems to be the best for some and quite good for others, across systems and genres. It does polarize views like Lyra, vDH, and Koetsu. So, since you cannot audtion endlessly to determine your favourite, this will be the safest best that will either keep you happy or end up as your favourite anyway.
  • Phonos – If I were to buy for a cone based valve system, and had loads of budget, I would choose between Allnic, EMT, and Tenor, of which I have heard only Allnic. Tenor recommendation comes from Richard Mak, whose favourite phono is CH. Since your system is not clear and undergoing changes keep the phono flexible. And EMT recommendation comes from Tang whom I greatly respect
 

ddk

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2013
6,261
4,040
995
Utah
nice pick up Bonzo.

I havent decided on a phono for this system. i will prob get the Absolare or Lamm, but my dealer is urging me to go solid state. The issue is as always in Australia, there is just no chance to try before you buy so u have to research narrow down and then take a punt.
As a Lamm dealer I’m naturally partial to the brand but as a general I caution everyone against solid state phonostages. This is the one piece of equipment that I believe HAS to be tubed.
david
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
10,517
1,774
1,850
Metro DC
I have not heard them of late but nany described Koetsu that way. Also the Micro-BenzGlider.
 

DaveyF

Well-Known Member
Jul 31, 2010
6,129
181
458
La Jolla, Calif USA
nice pick up Bonzo.

I havent decided on a phono for this system. i will prob get the Absolare or Lamm, but my dealer is urging me to go solid state. The issue is as always in Australia, there is just no chance to try before you buy so u have to research narrow down and then take a punt.

A ss phono preamp can be a very good choice...I am listening to a very nice one right now. That model is the new Bryston BP-2 MM/MC 20 and PS-3 DC power supply. Works great due to two things that most ( perhaps all) tube phono stages struggle with...1) Extremely low noise and 2) the ability to drive an ultra low output cartridge ( the model MM/MC 30 can easily amplify a cartridge in the 0.2mv range!)While I would go with a tube phono stage--IF ..if the cartridge has enough output, the odds are that it still would be noisier than the ss phono stage.
No absolutes here, but I certainly would try and listen to a ss phono stage and a tube phono stage in your system...and hear the difference with the cartridge of your choice. That way you would not likely make a costly mistake. IMHO.:D
 

Bruce B

WBF Founding Member, Pro Audio Production Member
Apr 25, 2010
7,006
512
1,740
Snohomish, WA
www.pugetsoundstudios.com
I have not heard them of late but nany described Koetsu that way. Also the Micro-BenzGlider.

The Koetsu cartridges of old like the wood bodies could be called "romantic", but the newer stone body Koetsu's are far from it!
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing