2. analog
  3. 162514-2893

5 cartridges - Cello, vdH, Benz, Zu, Hana - what stays and what goes?

Need help.  I have five cartridges.  Anyone that has opinion about which one to prefer.  I can't have a dealer mount them one after the other to evaluate.  One will be mounted.  1 or 2 will be sold.

1. van den Hul Grasshopper II.  Recently retipped by Sound-smith.
2. Cello Chorale.  By Isamu Ikeda;    Recently retipped.  Ruby cantilever.
3.  Brand New Zu Audio DL-103; Grade 1
4.  Micro Benz MC-3;  Not used for 15 years.  Would give a retip if this should be my choice.
5. Hana EH

Thanks,
dcaudio

Showing 3 responses by chakster

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
Cello aka Miyabi Standard is exceptional cartridge and extremely rare, but your sample is refurbished with different cantilever (Ruby as you said). Who refurbished it for you? 


chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
Cello Chorale. By Isamu Ikeda;  


No, it's not Ikeda, this cartridge designed by Takeda-San

 Haruo Takeda, the former Audio-Technica employee who went on to design and build phono cartridges for Krell, Mark Levinson, and Cello, and who even lent his talents to Koetsu in that company's early days. Approximately 30 years ago, Takeda-san began making his own artisanal phono cartridges, which he sold under the trade name Miyabi—a word that can be traced to a Heian emperor's court, and describes a subtle, refined, "toned-down" aesthetic infused with sparkle and grace.  



chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
For Cello and Denon 103 from Zu Audio you need the heaviest possible mass tonearm, those carts are low compliance.
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