Anyone heard the X-quisite Cartridge from Thales?

[shakti]

There is no 1:20 tap on Kondo SFz. Could it be 3ohm, 30dB, 1:32 input?

sorry, also 1:10 input , using old SFZ with 3 inputs

 

[thekong]

I was looking at the Xquisite’s website, and according to their Cartridge Configurator, Bronze body was for “tonearms with non-cardanic bearing”, while Aluminium and Titanium bodies were for “tonearms with cardanic bearing” .

I am not familiar with the term cardanic bearing, so would appreciate if any member could give me some examples of cardanic and non-cardanic bearing tonearms!

I have a few tonearms including the Kuzma Safir, Fidelity Research FR64/66s and Graham Phantom, would they be considered as cardanic or non-cardanic bearing?

Thanks

 

[Balle Clorin]

Cardanix is the same as Technics Gimbal like every 1200 has…

 

[thekong]

Cardanix is the same as Technics Gimbal like every 1200 has…

Thanks!

I have also got the following reply from Hifiction:

“A cardanic bearing in a Tonearm is a type of pivot system where the arm is supported by two sets of precision bearings - one for the horizontal movement (side-to-side) and one for the vertical movement (up-and-down). These two axes of movement are independent but intersect at a single point, allowing the tonearm to move freely and accurately in both directions.

This setup is similar to a gimbal or a universal joint.

Compared to unipivot tonearms, which balance on a single point, cardanic-bearing tonearms tend to offer more stability and are easier to set up.”


I am a bit surprised that the heavier bronze body was for non-cardanic bearing tonearms; I would have though the heavier body demands the more stable gimbal bearing !

 

[G T Audio]

Thanks!

I have also got the following reply from Hifiction:

“A cardanic bearing in a Tonearm is a type of pivot system where the arm is supported by two sets of precision bearings - one for the horizontal movement (side-to-side) and one for the vertical movement (up-and-down). These two axes of movement are independent but intersect at a single point, allowing the tonearm to move freely and accurately in both directions.

This setup is similar to a gimbal or a universal joint.

Compared to unipivot tonearms, which balance on a single point, cardanic-bearing tonearms tend to offer more stability and are easier to set up.”


I am a bit surprised that the heavier bronze body was for non-cardanic bearing tonearms; I would have though the heavier body demands the more stable gimbal bearing !

Stating the obvious, the X-quisite cartridge was made to be used on Thales own tonearms (Simplicity, Simplicity II and Statement) which are medium to high mass arms (effective mass 22 to 25 grams). It would also be suitable to be used on some of the high mass Japanese tonearms.
The Goldenberg cartridges, they make 3 models and also made by EMT/Thales, can be used with medium mass tonearms. They also make a high mass version (20 grams) using a bronze body called the Maestro B, so care needs to be taken to ensure good compatibility with this model when matching it to an appropiate tonearm.

 

[thekong]

Stating the obvious, the X-quisite cartridge was made to be used on Thales own tonearms (Simplicity, Simplicity II and Statement) which are medium to high mass arms (effective mass 22 to 25 grams). It would also be suitable to be used on some of the high mass Japanese tonearms.
The Goldenberg cartridges, they make 3 models and also made by EMT/Thales, can be used with medium mass tonearms. They also make a high mass version (20 grams) using a bronze body called the Maestro B, so care needs to be taken to ensure good compatibility with this model when matching it to an appropiate tonearm.

The reason why I was looking at the X-quisite website was that I just got myself a Goldenberg Maestro B with a weight of 20g, so I wanted to see what kind of arms (other than the Thales) the factory recommended for such a heavy cartridge!

Interestingly, all X-quisite and Goldenberg cartridges seems to share the same compliance of 12µm/mN, no matter what bodies they have!

 

[lstehle]

The reason why I was looking at the X-quisite website was that I just got myself a Goldenberg Maestro B with a weight of 20g, so I wanted to see what kind of arms (other than the Thales) the factory recommended for such a heavy cartridge!

Interestingly, all X-quisite and Goldenberg cartridges seems to share the same compliance of 12µm/mN, no matter what bodies they have!

Hi, I don't know for the heavy bronze-bodied Goldenberg Maestro B cartridge, but I mounted a 13g Goldenberg Brilliant cartridge (hosting an EMT JSD novel transducer) on the RB3000 tonearm of my Rega Planar 10. And even if Rega's arm are on the light mass side, it works wonderfully with this cartridge. But on thales's website, they advise the heavy bronze-bodied X-quisite model for non cardanic bearing (unipivot) tonearm and high mass turntable (so definitely not a good match for my P10). So it is not even designed for any of their own (cardanic) tonearm and (mid weight) turntable.
Probably better suited for a Supatrac tonearm on a TechDAS turntable for instance.
Hope that helps you find a proper match!

 

[gleeds]

I have a Goldenberg Maestro, and I like it very much. Last time I listened to it extensively, it was mounted in a Durand Tosca tonearm. At 20 grams, it is a real heavyweight, so medium- to high-mass arms would seem to be the way to go.

 

[lstehle]

Hi, as this thread talks about Thales/X-quisite cartridges, I wondered if anybody had the same experience as I did: I'm very happy with my EMT/Goldenberg cartridge (the transducer of the EMT JSD Novel Titan housed in a Goldenberg brilliant body). Wonderful tonal balance, authoritative bass, silky midrange. As I had the opportunity to try a Lyra Etna Lambda SL, I was amazed by the speed and dynamics of this cartridge. I assumed the Thales Voro would fit nicely between these 2. But when I tried it, I was disappointed: it sounds great with low-modulated records, but seems to saturate and mistrack when the groove modulation is a bit stronger. As my setup is a bit ackward price-wise (Rega P10 with Rega BB3000, CH Precision P1 phonostage), I rechecked if I had a cartridge-tonearm mismatch, resonance-frequency-wise, and I don't, it's spot on 10Hz. But I came to wonder if it is not a philosophy mismatch: the rega tonearm is vary stiff and light, but doesn't damp a thing. The Voryo, with its one-piece cantilever all the way to the coil, is also very rigid and not the best damped cartridge out there. So I wonder if the Voro is meant to be used with dissipative tonearm (wood or carbon fiber arm), rather than pure-aluminum arm like the Regas. And if the Rega is optimized to work with well damped cartridges. What surprises me though is that the EMT transducer is very happy to be carried by the Rega arm, but the Voro doesn't seem happy at all. Anybody had similar experience, with any tonearm or cartridge brand?