Etsuro Gold MC Cartridge in house

Audiophile Bill

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i did add a second Etsuro Gold to my Saskia model two/Durand Tosca. and i'd say this also is a phenomenal combination. so now i have an Etsuro Gold on both the CS Port and the Saskia. and i also added a second EMIA 'silver' 1:10 SUT so each 'Gold' is optimal. the CS Port phono has 2 MM inputs, so i can easily switch, and hear both tt's at their very best.

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That is some formidable analogue firepower right there, Mike. Congrats and quietly jealous lol.
 

Mike Lavigne

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That is some formidable analogue firepower right there, Mike. Congrats and quietly jealous lol.

i do feel the analog power going on.:)

i have the same quietly jealous feelings toward your awesome new horns.

after a couple months of switching the Etsuro Gold back and forth i realized i really did not want to have any other cartridge on either tt (at this time), but desired to be able to hear both viewpoints. then heard what the EMIA silver SUT did to take things higher and had to do another one of those too.:eek:
 

spiritofmusic

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Well Mike, it won't be me to ask you for some kind of more substantive compare between both those 2die4 front ends. No sir, not me at all...
 

108CY

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Congratulations
 
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Hi-FiGuy

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yesterday i had the best vinyl listening day of my life with the Etsuro Gold mounted on both the CS Port LFT1 and the Saskia model two. i listened to vinyl for 11+ hours. it was fantastic and i touched all the bases. and all the music.....both country and western.:cool: seriously i did large, medium, and small classical, lots of vocals, jazz combos and big band, and finished off with lots of classic rock. pulled out some long dormant favorites and was so stoked at every turn......of the record.

never a misstep or moment where the Etsuro Gold did not fully command the music.

i feel so lucky to be able to enjoy this cartridge.
It would be interesting to see how it sorts out the finale of 2112 and the last half of In My Time of Dying...
 

Mike Lavigne

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It would be interesting to see how it sorts out the finale of 2112 and the last half of In My Time of Dying...

i'm sure it would absolutely nail either of those. i did play an original vertigo (6360 017) pressing of Black Sabbath's Vol. 4 Thrusday night and it was superb.

yet.....in my system for that 'big hair' stadium rock type of presentation; the NVS, Telos Sapphire, GFS, Tana active, darTZeel phono, might trump it. it has that 'next gear beyond' with the active isolation and direct drive for that ultimate warp 11 mode.

we might need to have the 'battle of the vinyl front ends' at some point to crown the barn heavy metal champ:p.
 
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bonzo75

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So Mike, what kind of music do you prefer the NVS set up on, and what kind of music do you prefer the CS port on?
 

spiritofmusic

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It would be interesting to see how it sorts out the finale of 2112 and the last half of In My Time of Dying...
I think we need to gain the attention of all planets in the Solar Federation, and inform them about Mike. He has assumed control. He has assumed control. He has assumed control.
 
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Mike Lavigne

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Well Mike, it won't be me to ask you for some kind of more substantive compare between both those 2die4 front ends. No sir, not me at all...

So Mike, what kind of music do you prefer the NVS set up on, and what kind of music do you prefer the CS port on?

Ked,

obviously your heard my system in 2016, and my vinyl then is the current NVS set-up; the Tana active system is advanced over what you heard. and the rest of my system is similar, except i now have the upgraded dart 468's, along with the Tana active under each of those. so you know what it can do, you heard it. it does big music in a spectacular way. another level better now.

and NVS also is completely a full all-around player, doing everything at a very high level. super low noise floor. maybe in this group of three set-ups, the easy thing to say is that it's ceiling for large music is higher. if i pull out Frampton's 'Do You Feel Like I Do?' it's likely on the NVS. yet it's also a go-to for another viewpoint on solo piano; the Tana shelf translates into an unfair advantage for textures and precision. the NVS can compete on every type of music (which we played when you were here).

these last 4-6 months i've mostly been playing the CS Port and Saskia, that's where the new cartridges and phono are, so it's been most of my listening. i've owned the NVS for 9 years; i purchased the Saskia last August, and the CS Port LFT1 and phono in November; so it's not been a year yet for these new turntables, arms, cartridges and phono (+SUT's). i'm still getting acquainted with them, and the NVS has been odd man out in that process. not because i don't appreciate it, but because i know it so well. i've only had the 2 Etsuro Gold's a few months, and two EMIA silver SUT's a month or so. listening to these tt's back to back during a session has been 'pinch-me' awesome.

in about 2 weeks i'm adding an over-the-top phono cable for the CS Port that will upset the balance again; a top of heap LFD (Dr. Richard Bews in the UK) din-rca is being built. excited for that. it's my last piece to add to this year long vinyl upgrade process. it's been a fun year and very musically fulfilling. this last month or two i've started buying more new vinyl for my collection and that has been great too as i change focus to the media from the gear.

as far as what music i prefer on the CS Port; my answer is more what aspect of the music i'm desiring, which i agree does bleed over into what music i choose. although they are slightly different ways of looking at this question. and if i'm choosing between the CS Port and Saskia: then it's; do i want a more delicate, expansive, ultra detailed and soaring type sound? which is the CS Port, with the ultimate sense of ease and presence, or a more focused and intimate type sound with the extra measure of tone, PRAT and flow? which is the Saskia. both are super low noise, both ultra nuanced, both great bass and balance. both can be explosive and are micro-dynamically alive.

this morning i played a late Beethoven String Quartet; side one on the CS Port, side two on the Saskia. both were perfect to my ears......but different. do i lay back and let the music wash over me? or is it more of an intense thrill ride?

generally; it's classical (choral, techno/electronic) and more soft rock/vocals on the CS Port, jazz, folk and blues on the Saskia, and hard rock on the NVS. but many sessions i'll just play one tt. all of them can do it all. and they certainly should be able to do it all.
 
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Hi-FiGuy

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i'm sure it would absolutely nail either of those. i did play an original vertigo (6360 017) pressing of Black Sabbath's Vol. 4 Thrusday night and it was superb.

yet.....in my system for that 'big hair' stadium rock type of presentation; the NVS, Telos Sapphire, GFS, Tana active, darTZeel phono, might trump it. it has that 'next gear beyond' with the active isolation and direct drive for that ultimate warp 11 mode.

we might need to have the 'battle of the vinyl front ends' at some point to crown the barn heavy metal champ:p.
I accept that challenge....someday in the not to distant future!
 
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spiritofmusic

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Mike Lavigne

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this week i've added a third Etsuro Gold cartridge which will be installed on the Durand Telos Sapphire on the NVS, causing me to put my long time reference Clearaudio GFS (Goldfinger Statement) up for sale.

the Gold touches all the bases for me. i'm a man of simple tastes.......

looking forward to choosing any of the turntables seamlessly.
 

Kcin

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this week i've added a third Etsuro Gold cartridge which will be installed on the Durand Telos Sapphire on the NVS, causing me to put my long time reference Clearaudio GFS (Goldfinger Statement) up for sale.

the Gold touches all the bases for me. i'm a man of simple tastes.......

looking forward to choosing any of the turntables seamlessly.

Wow, that is saying something because I know what the GFS can do- I have one. Congratulations on your new cartridge coming in.
 
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Ron Resnick

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Congratulations, Mike!
 
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byrdparis

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that impressive, congrats!
i understand the comparison stand of view for having the same cart in all different TT and tone-arms, but why not to verify between them?
is it not the meaning of getting multi arms and turntables? or do you think the Gold can do everything better than any of the cart's you ever listen to?
im very interesting in your POV, as im waiting for my Bordeaux.
 
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marty

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this week i've added a third Etsuro Gold cartridge which will be installed on the Durand Telos Sapphire on the NVS, causing me to put my long time reference Clearaudio GFS (Goldfinger Statement) up for sale.

the Gold touches all the bases for me. i'm a man of simple tastes.......

looking forward to choosing any of the turntables seamlessly.

I love it! It will allow some terrific observations while eliminating a key variable, namely cartridge differences. I can't wait to see what you learn! I guess the real trick is getting them each aligned perfectly since minute differences in set-up can throw a wrench into the system. However, my guess is that won't be a concern at all in your capable hands. This should be a fun exercise!
 
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bonzo75

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That’s pretty cool Mike. Could you please remind us again of the three different arms that these three cartridges will be in.

Durand Telos sapphire on NVS, Durand Tosca on saskia, and CS port with its own linear tracker
 

tima

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Wow - that says a lot for the Etsuro Gold. Given you have three different tables and arms and likely could have any combination of cartridges on them that you choose, you choose to have the same cartridge on all three! And it yields different flavors from each!

You're beyond beyond.

Edit: I must confess though - maybe its my system - I've never had any of B's late string quartets 'wash over me.' Well, maybe the Grosse Fugue. It would almost be like saying Bartok washed over me ... (That's a very weak almost.)
 
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