If you just hit the lotto, which cartridge would you buy and why? (assuming an arm and table that would accomodate )
Probably the Goldfinger that I heard at RMAF with the Clearaudio Master Insider table that knocked my socks off. I'm not getting "that" sound at my house.
What did you like about the Goldfinger Mark?
What did you like about the Goldfinger Mark?
Of those that I've heard I think it would be the Miyabi Limited. Good luck getting one though the wait list is measured in years now so I've heard. It's an extremely expressive cartridge especially in the lower part of the midrange. Some say its competition along these lines are the Stone Bodied Koetsu Platinums (I would say so too having shot it out with a Blue Lace) and the Allnic Puritas, which I haven't heard yet but is getting great word of mouth from owners.
Of those I have never even seen in the flesh, I am very curious about all the fuss on the Kondo IO carts. I would love to hear one if not own one.
I'm also curious to see what Stig has come up with, with the Lyra Apollo. Another long wait list. Supposedly has all the strengths of the Olympos and then some. With the requisite, rarer than unicorn horn Parnassus carts as a prerequisite to getting an Olympos built, is this news too good to be true?
The A90 seems to be the measure these days. While I really, really like mine because it is such a great all-a-rounder, in the neutrality/faithful as well as dynamic contrast departments I still give the nod to Matsudaira-san's MY Sonic Labs Ultra Eminent BC (now replaced by a newer model I haven't heard). The only area where the A90 beats it in my system and room is in stage height where it is in turn beat by the XV-1t. So, the new MYSL cart would be on my list as well.
I don't hear it either Myles. Much as I love HP, that whole thing about tracking the XV-1s way above the manufacturer's prescribed VTF had me scratching my head. I tried it and yes the low end got more pronounced but it compressed everything else. It makes me think he likes "PHAT" carts. IIRC he didn't like the A90 much either. The thin sounding carts to me are the Grandeeza and the few I've heard from Allearts. Hammerhead Clearaudios and first generation "finger" models I found tipped up. I still have a first generation Titanium. To get rid of the zing I had to painstakingly adjust azimuth based on the cart in motion (Unipivot arm). The long cantilever has a tendency to twist when moving throwing it off. A Talea would come in handy with that I bet. On the fly, baby. It was a nightmare with my JMW on my Aries 2. Being sausage fingered you can guess I wasn't very good at fine adjustments of the drop weight I got later. Not much better luck with the Phantoms on both the HRX and TW AC-3. It might not have been a problem on a gimbal arm, I dunno. The TW arm is my first and that's what the MSL is on now.
Owners are telling me the V2 CA "fingers" are much more balanced sounding than the first generation. Jim has the Goldy Statement but I haven't heard it yet.
So the Miyabi's aren't threaded? I didn't know that.
Yeah, where's Albert been off to these days?
I like my Soundsmith Strain Gauge; I use a Soundsmith Strain Gauge 410 Phono Preamp with it. A Soundsmith Phono Preamp is mandatory for this cartridge. The newest and least expensive Strain Gauge Phono Preamp is the SG-200 was not available when I purchased mine. The SG200 is a basic Phono preamp and should mate well with a Preamp, but it does not include all of the extras of the more expensive models. All of the Soundsmith Phono Preamps are supposed to sound the same but the cost is dependent upon the Phono Preamp features. By the way for the best performance by this cartridge proper adjustments are critical.
Rich
I've always had a hankering to hear a strain gauge cartridge in my system. There are real cults who worship the olf Iverson/Electroresearch and Technics strain gauge cartridges. Plus as I understand it, when it wears out, the assembly is user replaceable?
Do you know off the top of your head Rich, what the additional bells and whistles that come with the more expensive phono stages?
What do you like about the SG compared to a MC or MI cartridge?
The black backgrounds (silence) the dynamic range, and the overall purity of the sound. I still remember the sounds of Lighten Hopkins’ guitar and how dynamic it sounded as the strings were struck. It sounded alive. I ran downstairs and bought the last sealed copy that was available at the show and was happy to snag it as it is now out of print. I didn’t get the same effect at home. Would I have it if I had the Goldfinger? I don’t know, but it damn sure couldn’t hurt.
I'm also curious to see what Stig has come up with, with the Lyra Apollo. Another long wait list. Supposedly has all the strengths of the Olympos and then some. With the requisite, rarer than unicorn horn Parnassus carts as a prerequisite to getting an Olympos built, is this news too good to be true?
Hi mep,
which Lighten Hopkin's pce are you referring to?
"Going Away" is the name of the LP and the cut is "Don't Embarass Me, Baby."
Thx
Which pressing did you get, I have heard this before and just wasn't sure which album it was from.
I see there seems to be a few and price vairies.
Limited Collector's Edition, Original recording remastered, Special Limited Edition $100
OR
Analogue Productions (Fantasy) 45 RPM $95
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