Ikeda Cartridges esp 9Gss

[bonzo75]

hi thxs for very informative contribution
can see from your gear where your preferences are...harmonics......or King Tone like the late Harvey Gizmo Rosenberg always referred to from Singleendedville
reg the Groovemaster: I chose it specifically to match the Lumiere and also the Rowland Complement, and possibly other very low c cartridges
the other arm on my Garardzilla will (as a starter) be the Alfred Bokrand Ortofon based 309 banana with EMT diamond mount for my EMT TSD 15 and TMD 25.
My main tt from 91 is still Basis Ovation (upgraded just before AJ Conti left us) with Airtangent Reference
Until recently I had a Lyra Titan i in it, but the left channel gave up and I´m waiting to see what shows up from Lyra, whenever they´re ready
best
Leif

The EMT is a nice energetic musical cart. At a friend of Gian's, on the ortofon 309 I heard the AN IO Ltd and that was a magnificent analog set up

 

[montesquieu]

I had an Io2 for a while used with an AN S6C SUT (Kondo era, before the split with AN-UK). It was very good, though after about 4-5 years (which included a full rebuilt by AN-UK in middle) I tired of it a bit and moved on to Miyajimas, which are less 'perfect', but to my way of thinking have a bit more soul.

The AN Io Ltd is better than the Io2 of course but it costs a lot to optmise for - dedicated PSU for the field coils, specially wired arm (six wires needed) and a really top SUT like the AN-S9 are really required to get the best out of it. Having said that, vinyl doesn't get much better than this. The full rig was in use at Munich this year (not the main venue, the other one whose name I can't remember you have to take the shuttle bus to. I have to say for me it completely overshadowed what was supposed to be the main event, the release of the latest, highest-end AN digital front end ('Fifth Force' / CDT6)

 

[bonzo75]

Yes the AN IO Ltd is a pain to set up with the additional wires and the power supply but once in place sounds great

 

[shakti]

Yes the AN IO Ltd is a pain to set up with the additional wires and the power supply but once in place sounds great

fully agree, the IO ltd was one of the best Carts I ever had

 

[gian60]

My friend ordered one week
Ago IO limited,he will put on Pluto 5A tonearm and already bought SUT Kondo SFZ
He has Atlas,I am courious to listen on his home when will arrive

 

[Pepe57]

Yes the AN IO Ltd is a pain to set up with the additional wires and the power supply but once in place sounds great

Yes, it is not easy to set up also because it is a cartridge that in some version has a weight of 22/24 grammi and works well with a weight between 2/4 grams (and it takes a long time to find the best).
There is also the problem of the very low output (0.04mV) and if there is any magnetic problem around you risk to keep it...
Anyway, for me, it is a good cartridge, armonic, thick in structure, a good weight of notes, detailed on any frequncy and true (not skeletal).
In my opinion perhaps Kondo IOM is just a little less good, but much easier to use.

 

[howiebrou]

My Ikeda 407 arrived today and was fitted with my Ikeda 9GSS cartridge. Wow. The sound is amazingly dynamic. Notes just spring out of the soundstage. I seriously like this, my first Ikeda product. It's gonna be a fun few weeks.

 

[howiebrou]

 

[jeff1225]

WOW! beautiful combo of my favorite table and two favorite arms. Congrats!

 

[howiebrou]

Thanks

WOW! beautiful combo of my favorite table and two favorite arms. Congrats!

Thanks Jeffrey. Loving the table and these two tonearms. I have to say the Ikeda combo plus Ascona kills dead the Thales + Ortofon Anna + Clearaudio Master Innovation at the moment.

 

[Pepe57]

Hi Howiebrou,
have you listened the 407 with old Ikeda 9 (no cantilever)?
It is, like all DPS, amazing in dynamics (but hard to set).

 

[bonzo75]

Thanks


Thanks Jeffrey. Loving the table and these two tonearms. I have to say the Ikeda combo plus Ascona kills dead the Thales + Ortofon Anna + Clearaudio Master Innovation at the moment.

The Thales TT is like a cheap CD player. The feickert firebird with the Ikeda arm also killed dead the Thales set up both with the same cart, zyx playing on both.

 

[howiebrou]

Hi Howiebrou,
have you listened the 407 with old Ikeda 9 (no cantilever)?
It is, like all DPS, amazing in dynamics (but hard to set).

No sorry i have not but i really like the 9Gss. It is really dynamic certainly compared to the more serene Ortofon SPU Century on the table. You could almost say one is a morning tonearm cartridge set up, the other one is an evening wind down one. Nice to have a choice.

 

[howiebrou]

WOW! beautiful combo of my favorite table and two favorite arms. Congrats!

Jeffrey, may i ask what clamp you are using on your Ascona? Have you tried the AS ones (weight or clamp)? Thanks.

 

[jeff1225]

Jeffrey, may i ask what clamp you are using on your Ascona? Have you tried the AS ones (weight or clamp)? Thanks.

I've bought a few clamps/weights:

1. HRS ADH Stainless (heavy)
2. HRS ADL (light)
3. Acoustic Signature Grip (Clamp)

Because I keep the platter spinning for the entire listening session, the grip is not practical. The consensus among my listening friends is that the HRS ADH sounds better than the lighter ADL.

What about you?

 

[howiebrou]

I've bought a few clamps/weights:

1. HRS ADH Stainless (heavy)
2. HRS ADL (light)
3. Acoustic Signature Grip (Clamp)

Because I keep the platter spinning for the entire listening session, the grip is not practical. The consensus among my listening friends is that the HRS ADH sounds better than the lighter ADL.

What about you?

Using the Stillpoints LP isolator that i was using on my Clearaudio but was looking to add one to the AS too. Fancy selling your grip?

 

[jeff1225]

Using the Stillpoints LP isolator that i was using on my Clearaudio but was looking to add one to the AS too. Fancy selling your grip?

Sure. Check the PM.

 

[howiebrou]

The Thales TT is like a cheap CD player. The feickert firebird with the Ikeda arm also killed dead the Thales set up both with the same cart, zyx playing on both.

So given I have the Thales, what cartridge could make it sing Ked?

 

[bonzo75]

So given I have the Thales, what cartridge could make it sing Ked?

No idea, I never heard it sing. I have compared with the zyx mentioned above, heard it without compare with a Kondo IO as well. It is a thin sounding table, though clean. I am guessing but the Ascona Ikeda combo you heard that you liked, would have shown you more weight and authority and more analog sound. The Ikeda also has nice mids.

 

[howiebrou]

No idea, I never heard it sing. I have compared with the zyx mentioned above, heard it without compare with a Kondo IO as well. It is a thin sounding table. I am guessing but the Ascona Ikeda combo you heard that you liked, would have shown you more weight and authority and more analog sound. The Ikeda also has nice mids.

The Ascona to me has more substance and weight than the CA but the tone arms and caryridges are very different so it's probably not a fair call although it might be true. Shane uses the same tone arms and seems plenty happy with it I think.