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About Koetsu Rosewood

Hello,

I was given some days ago a Koetsu rosewood cartridge for a test run

in view to buy it for some 1500 usd.

It was the first time that I could hear such an expensive and highly regarded cartridge.

My system is Marantz sc-9 premp (with its very good mc and mm phono inputs) and Marantz sm-9 amplifier. The TT is a Sony TTS-2510.  (I like vintage)

 

I have also a Phasemation ea-200  phono unit which is very good.  And my LS are Cabasse Brigantin 372 (very very good ls which I am very fond of)

I could compare this Koetsu cartridge with some very good (but  much less expensive) cartridges in my collection such as (MC) sony xl-44L, at33ml, victor mc-1, and (MM)  Pioneer PC-600 and Victor X-1E.

Well, what can I say. I liked Koetsu very much. It is an excellent cartridge indeed. Even it can be called perfect sounding cartridge. I noticed well the difference between Koetsu and the other cartridges.

But all that said, I decided not to buy it. Because I did not find that with Koetsu my system would sound so much better. The test (for me) showed not that Koetsu was much better than the others, but than the others were if not equal (of course not) at least also very good and so much less expensive. In that sense the test was in their favour. I prefer to spent money on records J)

That is what I think.

 

Now, I took the photo of the Koetsu needle, and I would like to ask if it is an original needle or retipped but I did not find how to attach a photo to the message ;((( Could anybody tell me ?

 

Thank you very much

 

Serge

serge8
serge8 OP
29 posts
 

Did anybody have a look at Koestu needle?

Is it original or retipped?

 

Thank you

awise1961's avatar
awise1961
119 posts
 

I've had my Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum cartridge for almost 15 years now. It produces beautiful sound mounted to the 10" Ace Anna arm of my Nottingham TT. When I purchased the Koetsu as a dealer demo item I had it playing through a McCormack Mod Squad Phono drive and an Ortofon Step Up unit, It was a wonderful match. I've since gone all CJ gear and my phono stage is a $17,355.00 CJ TEA1 S3. I smile every time I play LP's. The Koetsu RSP is a very versatile phono cartridge.

kmmd's avatar
kmmd
74 posts
 

Serge, I cannot see your photo.  Glad that you have others that you prefer.  I suppose the cost to benefit ratio wasn’t enough which is understandable.

I’m a recent Koetsu owner and purchased the RSP.  I also picked up a SME 30/2 and love the combination with a Graham tonearm.  I had a Hana Umami Red cartridge which is also very good.  The Koetsu is just more detailed,  emotional and involving.

I wish I could listen to an ARC set up with a Ref 3 (SE) phono preamp.  It should be interesting to hear the differences compared to my VAC.

lewm
13,633 posts
 

I notice that some have commented favorably on the Rosewood Signature and others on the Rosewood Signature Platinum (RSP), while Serge is contemplating purchase of the original Rosewood, unless he’s just failed to mention that it’s a Signature version. My point is that these are 3 different cartridges. An original Rosewood would be fairly old by now, maybe 30 or more years, and in my opinion not worth $1500. There are many cartridges that for less money would offer better transparency and better bass and treble response, even assuming the sample is in good operating condition.

serge8 OP
29 posts
 

Thank you for the reply.

I added (uploaded) the link to the image of the cartridge.

(See one of my previous messages in the thread).

There you can see the cartridge. I don't know  whether  it is a Rosewood Signature, or Platinum or the very first Koetsu Rosewood. Maybe you could tell.    and What cartridges you suggest in your message "that for less money would offer better transparency and better bass and treble response" ?

 

Thank you

 

Thank you

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