Yes, I seen it.
R.
ADC 26 BEST PRITCHARD CARTRIDGE EVER? or BEST CARTRIDGE EVER?
Dear friends: I always said that each day is a learning day and if like me that from several years now think always " out of the box " many of you will find out great rewards that audio always has for us as an unexpected gifts.
Obviously that’s not easy to think " out of the box " because to do that we have to have a different kind of self attitude where between other things we must to forget for ever at least the 50% of all the information we learned through our audio life in the AHEE. With out that " forget " we just can’t do it.
This review is more than an usual audio item review for many reasons I will try to explain over the thread.
First I want to leave very clear my room/audio system main target: STAY TRUER TO THE RECORDING.
To achieve that we have to think that usually the recording microphones are positioned at very near field of the MUSIC sources even like in the 3 Blind Mice recordings: inside the instruments. Recording microphones are not " seated " at 20m-35m. from the source as usually we listen when attend to a live acoustical music event. So we have to have self experiences of live MUSIC seated at near field. If some of us do not have that kind experiences then is very dificult to understand what I’m talking about here and elsewhere.
OK, the ADC 26 cartridge is a vintage Induced Magnet invented motor design by Peter Pritchard ( that pass away. ), it’s not a MM or MI or MC kind of cartridge design. Here you can read about and on his patent and a little of his audio life history:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/peter-pritchard
The cartridge under review is this:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2ihw6yo.jpg
that is part of the ADC 25, 26 and 27 cartridge family.
This is the ADC 25:
https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/download/file.php?id=31979
and this the ADC 27:
https://adelcom.net/ADC-adc%2027.JPG
and here the ADC 26 specs ( please take note those 15° stylus tip mounted angle. ):
https://www.vinylengine.com/library/adc/26.shtml
As you can see and read all seems very old and rudimentary with really humble cartridge specs ( nothing spectacular down there. ) where the elliptical stylus is: 0.03 x 0.07.
The ADC 25 red dot stylus ( exist the red blue 0.03 x 0.09 and the white dot. ) is similar to the 26 and the ADC 27 change is that is the same 26 stylus type but nude. I own all those models that comes with the same cartridge body but different color and where the cartridge motor in the 26 and 27 is similar and the cartridge differs only in the stylus and that the compliance instead 50 cu as in the 25 and 26 is " only " 40cu.
All these cartridges are my oldest ones ( comes from the 60’s. ) that I bougth years ago when started the very long MM Agon thread and I remember that I mentioned there the 25 and 26 but almost no one took cares about not even me because I really never gave it the enougth listening time to those cartridges and was only like a month ago that I really discovery this fenomenal, outstanding, astonishing and " perfect " performer.
When you listen it you are not listen as if was alike MM/MI/electrect cartridges but more as a live event/truer to the recording with some characteristics only shared for the best of the best LOMC cartridges.
I made my self developed evaluation proccess where I’m deep trained and is almost " bullet proof ".
The best MM/MI cartridge is with out doubt the AKG P100LE followed by Astatic MF-2500 and others as the JVC X1MK2 or the Technics EPC 100CMK4 but no one of them can even the quality performance levels of the ADC 26. The ADC is in a different league " the major league ".
I compared the 26/27 against the Colibri, Ortofon A95, Lyra Etna, My Sonic Labs Supereminent ( I think ? ? ) Dynavector XV-1s, Clearaudio Goldfinger and some other vintage top MC designs. No one of them beats overall the ADC 26.
The main 26 characteristics to beat belongs at both frequency extremes where if we want first rate quality performance there first condition is the transient response/attack of the music notes and develops of harmonics along the decay timing that’s where exist clear differences in between MC cartridges and all the other kind of designs. Nothing but the 26/27 compares with a top LOMC cartridges in those regards.
The transient response and fast timing decay in the low of the bass range is second to none and " mimic " what we can listen in a live event at nearfield position. With out this " sole " characteristic MUSIC as MUSIC just can’t exist and is here where belongs the MUSIC foundation.
At the other frequency extreme things are more of the bass range quality performance. In both frequency range it’s not only the rigthness of the transient response but the notes definition its very clear distinction in between and its harmonics. Exist no overhang or bold sound. At the high frequency range ( at the top. ) nothing can beats a Colibri 0.22mv output and the only contender for is precesily these ADC 26/27 ! !
As you can see the 26/27 specs says not very wide frequency range but when listen to it you can sware it goes from 5hz to over 100khz but the more important issue is the clear definition. When the timing in those frequency ranges are spot on then the overall MUSIC rythm is just spectacular and makes and moves all your feelings and body.
We all hear through all our body not only through our ears. We hear through the skin, bones, skind hair and millions of nervous terminations in the body and when you are listening to the ADC 26/27 all those have a true meaning as never before.
What about soundstage, layering, inner detail and the like: just very first rate. Tonal balance is outstanding nothing at the broad wide frequency range tells you " hey: I’m here ", exist a true coherence in between all frequency ranges.
Yes, it’s a UNIQUE listen experience a NEW listen experience coming from a very older cartridge and YES is the best Pritchard design and if you think that you already own the best cartridge ever you need to experience the ADC 26/27. I compared against the best out there in the same system with the same tonearms and same everything.
Was not only me but some other audiophiles friends where at least one of them is a music player. This one is a drummer/batery player and when he was at my place I run ( between other LPs. ) the Sheffield D2D with Ron Tutt and Jim Keltner great drummers with out telling him which cartridge was playing and my friend that’s a true expert with those instruments and golden ear by nature was " jaws dropping " and it’s because is incredible the TRUE of that kind of sound coming from the ADC’s
. This recording specially is something to listen through the 26/27 at 95db SPL with peaks in the 100db neigborhood, you can touch the sound and cut it with a sizzers ! ! !. It’s amazing.
The ADC never lost its aplomb no matters at what SPL you are listening from 70db to over 95dbs .
Every single good recording " sings " as never before of all what I experienced in my system and several other top audio systems.
One of the best MUSIC LP for testing any audio item is the Telarc 1812 and not because the cannon shots but overall frequency ranges that’s always a challenge for any cartridge andd for any audio system in other frequency ranges than the bass range.
No one of the other top LOMC cartridges can even overall the ADC 26/27 quality performance levels in this LP recording in all the frequency range other than the very low bass where the ADC beats to all of them.
I running the ADC 26 at 1.1grs and due ot its very high compliance ( 50cu. ) and cartridge body design is a very low rider when the 27 is only a low rider.
As with other top LOMC cartridges the alignment set up is critical but with the ADC 26 we have to do it with the best accuracy we can and with the VTA/SRA tiny/sligthly up at the tonearm bearing. This VTA/SRA is critical and as always not only depends of the accuracy overall set up but room system dependent.
That explosiveness, power, dynamics, transient response, thightness, flow, true tonal balance agresiveness, natural brigthness, rythm that usually exist only in a live MUSIC event with the ADC 26/27 you can feel that never was in your home audio system as nearer as with these ADC cartridges.
Those audiophiles terms as: lush, organic, color, smothness, bold, and the like does not exist through these " truer to the recording " performers. Those audiophiles terms/characteristics of sound just does not exist in the nearfield MUSIC live events are only characteristics " invented by the AHEE and very far away from reality.
The ADC 26/27 as the very top LOMC cartridges are made it for true music lovers more than for " audiophiles ".
I think that in the 60’s the ADC 26/27 you can get fro no more than 80.00 and today can compete against 15K+ LOMC cartridges.
This all new experience through the ADC 26/27 bcartridges came in the best moment when I 'm more mature in all subjects with MUSIC and audio and when my room audio system is at its best with all the up-dates and up-grades I can afford bor the better.
As always your contributions in the thread all are welcomed and appreciated.
Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
Obviously that’s not easy to think " out of the box " because to do that we have to have a different kind of self attitude where between other things we must to forget for ever at least the 50% of all the information we learned through our audio life in the AHEE. With out that " forget " we just can’t do it.
This review is more than an usual audio item review for many reasons I will try to explain over the thread.
First I want to leave very clear my room/audio system main target: STAY TRUER TO THE RECORDING.
To achieve that we have to think that usually the recording microphones are positioned at very near field of the MUSIC sources even like in the 3 Blind Mice recordings: inside the instruments. Recording microphones are not " seated " at 20m-35m. from the source as usually we listen when attend to a live acoustical music event. So we have to have self experiences of live MUSIC seated at near field. If some of us do not have that kind experiences then is very dificult to understand what I’m talking about here and elsewhere.
OK, the ADC 26 cartridge is a vintage Induced Magnet invented motor design by Peter Pritchard ( that pass away. ), it’s not a MM or MI or MC kind of cartridge design. Here you can read about and on his patent and a little of his audio life history:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/peter-pritchard
The cartridge under review is this:
http://i41.tinypic.com/2ihw6yo.jpg
that is part of the ADC 25, 26 and 27 cartridge family.
This is the ADC 25:
https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/download/file.php?id=31979
and this the ADC 27:
https://adelcom.net/ADC-adc%2027.JPG
and here the ADC 26 specs ( please take note those 15° stylus tip mounted angle. ):
https://www.vinylengine.com/library/adc/26.shtml
As you can see and read all seems very old and rudimentary with really humble cartridge specs ( nothing spectacular down there. ) where the elliptical stylus is: 0.03 x 0.07.
The ADC 25 red dot stylus ( exist the red blue 0.03 x 0.09 and the white dot. ) is similar to the 26 and the ADC 27 change is that is the same 26 stylus type but nude. I own all those models that comes with the same cartridge body but different color and where the cartridge motor in the 26 and 27 is similar and the cartridge differs only in the stylus and that the compliance instead 50 cu as in the 25 and 26 is " only " 40cu.
All these cartridges are my oldest ones ( comes from the 60’s. ) that I bougth years ago when started the very long MM Agon thread and I remember that I mentioned there the 25 and 26 but almost no one took cares about not even me because I really never gave it the enougth listening time to those cartridges and was only like a month ago that I really discovery this fenomenal, outstanding, astonishing and " perfect " performer.
When you listen it you are not listen as if was alike MM/MI/electrect cartridges but more as a live event/truer to the recording with some characteristics only shared for the best of the best LOMC cartridges.
I made my self developed evaluation proccess where I’m deep trained and is almost " bullet proof ".
The best MM/MI cartridge is with out doubt the AKG P100LE followed by Astatic MF-2500 and others as the JVC X1MK2 or the Technics EPC 100CMK4 but no one of them can even the quality performance levels of the ADC 26. The ADC is in a different league " the major league ".
I compared the 26/27 against the Colibri, Ortofon A95, Lyra Etna, My Sonic Labs Supereminent ( I think ? ? ) Dynavector XV-1s, Clearaudio Goldfinger and some other vintage top MC designs. No one of them beats overall the ADC 26.
The main 26 characteristics to beat belongs at both frequency extremes where if we want first rate quality performance there first condition is the transient response/attack of the music notes and develops of harmonics along the decay timing that’s where exist clear differences in between MC cartridges and all the other kind of designs. Nothing but the 26/27 compares with a top LOMC cartridges in those regards.
The transient response and fast timing decay in the low of the bass range is second to none and " mimic " what we can listen in a live event at nearfield position. With out this " sole " characteristic MUSIC as MUSIC just can’t exist and is here where belongs the MUSIC foundation.
At the other frequency extreme things are more of the bass range quality performance. In both frequency range it’s not only the rigthness of the transient response but the notes definition its very clear distinction in between and its harmonics. Exist no overhang or bold sound. At the high frequency range ( at the top. ) nothing can beats a Colibri 0.22mv output and the only contender for is precesily these ADC 26/27 ! !
As you can see the 26/27 specs says not very wide frequency range but when listen to it you can sware it goes from 5hz to over 100khz but the more important issue is the clear definition. When the timing in those frequency ranges are spot on then the overall MUSIC rythm is just spectacular and makes and moves all your feelings and body.
We all hear through all our body not only through our ears. We hear through the skin, bones, skind hair and millions of nervous terminations in the body and when you are listening to the ADC 26/27 all those have a true meaning as never before.
What about soundstage, layering, inner detail and the like: just very first rate. Tonal balance is outstanding nothing at the broad wide frequency range tells you " hey: I’m here ", exist a true coherence in between all frequency ranges.
Yes, it’s a UNIQUE listen experience a NEW listen experience coming from a very older cartridge and YES is the best Pritchard design and if you think that you already own the best cartridge ever you need to experience the ADC 26/27. I compared against the best out there in the same system with the same tonearms and same everything.
Was not only me but some other audiophiles friends where at least one of them is a music player. This one is a drummer/batery player and when he was at my place I run ( between other LPs. ) the Sheffield D2D with Ron Tutt and Jim Keltner great drummers with out telling him which cartridge was playing and my friend that’s a true expert with those instruments and golden ear by nature was " jaws dropping " and it’s because is incredible the TRUE of that kind of sound coming from the ADC’s
. This recording specially is something to listen through the 26/27 at 95db SPL with peaks in the 100db neigborhood, you can touch the sound and cut it with a sizzers ! ! !. It’s amazing.
The ADC never lost its aplomb no matters at what SPL you are listening from 70db to over 95dbs .
Every single good recording " sings " as never before of all what I experienced in my system and several other top audio systems.
One of the best MUSIC LP for testing any audio item is the Telarc 1812 and not because the cannon shots but overall frequency ranges that’s always a challenge for any cartridge andd for any audio system in other frequency ranges than the bass range.
No one of the other top LOMC cartridges can even overall the ADC 26/27 quality performance levels in this LP recording in all the frequency range other than the very low bass where the ADC beats to all of them.
I running the ADC 26 at 1.1grs and due ot its very high compliance ( 50cu. ) and cartridge body design is a very low rider when the 27 is only a low rider.
As with other top LOMC cartridges the alignment set up is critical but with the ADC 26 we have to do it with the best accuracy we can and with the VTA/SRA tiny/sligthly up at the tonearm bearing. This VTA/SRA is critical and as always not only depends of the accuracy overall set up but room system dependent.
That explosiveness, power, dynamics, transient response, thightness, flow, true tonal balance agresiveness, natural brigthness, rythm that usually exist only in a live MUSIC event with the ADC 26/27 you can feel that never was in your home audio system as nearer as with these ADC cartridges.
Those audiophiles terms as: lush, organic, color, smothness, bold, and the like does not exist through these " truer to the recording " performers. Those audiophiles terms/characteristics of sound just does not exist in the nearfield MUSIC live events are only characteristics " invented by the AHEE and very far away from reality.
The ADC 26/27 as the very top LOMC cartridges are made it for true music lovers more than for " audiophiles ".
I think that in the 60’s the ADC 26/27 you can get fro no more than 80.00 and today can compete against 15K+ LOMC cartridges.
This all new experience through the ADC 26/27 bcartridges came in the best moment when I 'm more mature in all subjects with MUSIC and audio and when my room audio system is at its best with all the up-dates and up-grades I can afford bor the better.
As always your contributions in the thread all are welcomed and appreciated.
Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
Showing 41 responses by rauliruegas
Dear @secretguy : I own the Dimensiopn 5 as other Pritchard designs including the ZLM/Astrion and the like. By the time I posted this thread I had first hand experiences with " thousands " of vintage MM/MI cartridges and several LOMC cartridges and those first hand experiences were through my self bullet proof whole evaluation proccess in a high resolution room/system. My main target is to be nearer to the recording as I can and in that scenario the 26/27 puts me nearer than any of the Sonus and other cartridges out there and I don't know if he 10EMK4 can do it or not because I don't own it and I'm not willing to start the " hunt " for it. In any audio item evaluation we have to remember that the results has a direct an intrisecal relationship with the person that did or do the audio item evaluation tests. Different persons can have different targets and preferences. Btw, thank's @wolfie62 for your post around the 10E, really interesting . Even that I don't have in mind to chase it if in the future I find out then will be welcomed.
R. |
Dear @cardani : Thank’s to share your playback videos and good to know that everything is ok with because I remember the " problems " when you began its set up. Not an easy cartridge for set up and I mean a set up where the cartridge can shows at its best. For other Agoner’s cardani is a gentleman that lives in my country México but in a different city that where I live. He and his wife are double-bass active players in the Xalapa Symphonic Orchestra so first than all he is a MUSIC lover that like to enjoy MUSIC in his home. He knew and listened the 26 at my place in one of his trips to México city and due that I owned two26/27 samples with in good condition stylus I sold to him one of those samples. Btw, before you bougth the 26/27 my idea was to send one sample to a re-tipper looking not only for a today stylus shape but boron cantilever and I still think about with the sample I own due to its great quality performance an extraordinary cartridge motor: unique for say the least. VdH can do for me. I listened to my over 100 cartridges but always come back to the 26/27 unit. It’s the only MM/MI cartridge that really does not performs or has the sound signature of MM/MI cartridges, it’s a lot more in the LOMC top models side. For me even today still is a fenomenal discovery and came from the early 60’s. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @wolfie62 : The 10E as the 220 and 26 shares same kind of design including cartridge body shape but are not the same. At specs level the 10E is better than the 220 and the 26 best specs than the 10E. The review here is the 26 with the 27 stylus that's the nude elliptical one. As a fact the 10E came out/ was marketed just before the 26 that in theory is an improvement on the 10E. I can't speak on the 10E because I never listened to it, so for me the best down there is the 26/27. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @lewm : Certainly you have a misunderstood on the FR64S/Reed effective mass because are way different by a wide margin: Reed depending the wood/headshell models goes maximum at around 26 and normally around 22grs. where the 64S has 35grs. Here what Fleib posted in the MM thread: """ fleib VE has FR64S listed as 35g eff mass. I've heard the arm sound great with some moderate cu carts, but I wonder about high cu. It could be no change using a high quality arm 1/5 the mass, but I suspect otherwise. Eff mass is the same as MOI (moment of inertia) and even with low bearing friction the mass seems to slow down response and make it sound different. What might be authoritative with one cart might sound thick with another? I think Raul was right concerning low frequency resonance, but that's not the only consideration. Peter Pritchard advocated 6.5Hz. Maybe this was for his 50cu carts, but the Sonus arm has 4.1g eff mass. MOI is extremely low. Hard to imagine how extreme mass wouldn't make a difference. "" of course it makes a difference and not for the better. That we like it does not means: " for the better." Mr. Ikeda designed his FR64/66 tonearms thinking in his low cu and heavy LOMC cartridges he designed and never had in mind been coupled with 30 cu to 50 cu. Again, can work: so what?. I tested several MMs with my SAEC 506 very high effective mass: only its headshell weigth is 18grs. and is a long tonearm as the 66: go figure, and with not dry grease at SAEC bearings as FRs. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @lewm : ADC were made it in USA as Sonus second Pritchard company too. The 26/27 outperforms " face to face " with all the same system to any Sonus models. Yes, you are rigth that I own more than one ADC 26 cartridge motor and original stylus and I owned for so many years that I not even remember of those great ADC models till I found out by " accident " looking for other cartridge in my closet. But here I posted to adc-grace ( I think ? ? ) that what I will do is what he said in his last post: to re-tip one of my stylus replacement for the best today stylus shape as could be Micro Ridge or something like that and I'm totally sure that as impressive as is the stock ADC 26/27 quality performance high levels it will be a " little " more impressive. Btw, the 26 and 27 stylus are the same but the 27 is nude version of the 26 stylus . Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @adc-grace : Mi take and next move with one of my ADC samples is like you, I will change cantilever/stylus for boron/ Line contact or Shibata one. The ADC 25/26/27 cartridge motor is just unique and Pritchard induced magnet design is way superior to MM designs. There are some really good MM cartridge performers but induced magnet/moving iron/moving flux ( that's a moving iron " refined ". ) as those ADC or Empire 4000D3 and some others that makes a little better " job ". Obviously that the room/audio system quality level performance has " to much to say " because synergy could change system to system starting with the tonearm where cartridges are seated. Analog never is " to easy " and with fixed rules. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @adc-grace2 : Obviously that I agree with you on the ADC 26/27 cartridge that again as you posted: GREAT PERFORMER, no matters what. As yours and other gentlemans the @luckyx02 are great contributions with first hand experiences/information that enhance the vision that other audiophiles can have on this cartridge review/thread. Thank's for that, the ADC is really in a major league and is unfortunated tha Pritchard pass away. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @peetrob : Godd that you like the ADC26. I own your Sonun cartridge model and the top Sonus one, very good performers too. Your system including the tonearm is different that mine and all what you can read in my review reffered to the ADC26 with 27 nude same shape stylus but even the ADC26 ( stock stylus. ) outperforms with extremely easy facility to its Sonus brothers and to that VDH cartridge. Please try to read again the review. Anyway, I did it because for me the ADC26/27 is just unbeatable my any other vintage today MM/MI cartridge and as I said in the review is the only very humble ( true humble. ) vintage cartridge that can " talks " with the Etna or Colibri " face to face " with out nothing to " feels " on shame. Great challenge for every one cartridge. R. |
Dear friends: After talked with the designer of my ADS I decided to take his several advises and to make those up-dates I unfortunatelly need money and even help about. Contrary to my desire I will put on sale one of my beloved ADC 26 with the guarantee of its mint operation condition and extraordinary quality level performance and before I put on an official auction here and everywhere if any one of you is interested to enjoy this kind of quality level just can email me here: rauliruegas@hotmail.com R. |
Dear friends: As I posted last nigth I was at my friend place whom is the owner of the Etna SL that I tested against the ADC 26/27. We were there around 4+ hours and I brougth with me some of the same LPs we listened at my home. First we listened his Ortofon Anna and the Etna SL in the top Thalea tonearm both great performers. After that was the ADC 26/27 time and at the first evaluation LP track we confirmed ( we were not surprised for. ) what we listened at my home: the ADC 26/27 so high quality performance levels that depending of the room/system there are characteristics that are better than those top tier LOMC cartridges but exist one characteristics where the ADC is superior to these cartridges and the other LOMC I reported here and obviously better that any vintage/today well regarded MM/MI ones and that characteristic is its amazing: RHYTHM, we just dont's come back to listen to other top quality performer and when you return to it you fell that something is missed. With out doubt these ADC 26/27 samples I own are the best and for a huge range/margin discovery/up date I experienced in all my audio life just: astonishing ! ! ! The " motor " of the 26/27 is something really special that Pritchard other designs does not outperformed in any way. At least one of my four stylus/cantilever in the future I will send to change it for a way better boron cantilever and a way better stylus ti´shape. I have no doubt that that will be a great improvement to an already great cartridge and deserves that kind of up-grade. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @downunder : For almost a year you was listening to the original cartridge till came down. As I posted my sample falls down before and I send it to a re-ttiper whom return the cartridge because he can’t fixed and was then when I remembered about the VDH past relation ship with that cartridge and was there where was fixed and that’s why I gave my advise when you look for help in those times. I knew that the VDH fixed cartridge came with solid boron cantilever and with the great VDH stylus instead the original elliptical. My reaction when I started to listening to it was the same you had in what you posted in that link. I was really satisfied with. I’m not an expert building or designing cartridges, my ignorance levels about are really high so I never cared what VDH made to fix it because the subject was that the cartridge probabilities to fix it were really low so that they did it was a true achievement and as I said I was satisfied with is high quality level performance as you was. The original elliptical stylus tip is not superior to the VdH one, the real difference is in the set up where is more easy to find out the spot on VTA/SRA/AZ/VTF in the elliptical than in the very special VdH line contact one. In the other side no matters what if you have a hollow tube of any metal and you hit it it will sounds to " lively " against the same solid metal tube when you hit it: here the sound will be a little " dull . The " lively " sound are only higher resonances/vibrations that means higher distortions and that’s exactly what you are listening in your today sample. Not really better sound but a sound with higher distortions/resonances that the cantilever develops and that those cantilever tiny movements does not comes from the recording information in the LP grooves. The solid boron cantilever in the VdH work has way lower resonances and lower non-existent movements. Normally distortions sounds as more " lively "/edgy than when exist lower distortions that means more neutral not exactly rounded but neutral with better tonal balance. That you like more the " lively " ellptical tip more it does not means is superior to the one from VdH because is not. Was thank’s to VdH work that your today original cantilever/stylus works. I don’t blame VdH in any way because they fixed to me at least other 10 cartridges. Btw, I owned and own several Colibri VdH samples, I bougth always the very low output of their Colibri line: 0.22mv that are the ones that performs the best. Only with one of them I had a problem and was because my fault when the mounted Colibri fall down ( suddenly ) from the tonerm rest position to the platter/LP TT. I have to say that the Colibri rides too low and is very sensible to mishandling it even when we need to clean the stylus tip. If we do the clean with no full care about we can easily damage and suspension collapse but other than this the Colibri is a first rate performer and hard to beat. In other order of ideas those MAXX 3 and the whole room/system quality level performance will be benefitiated with the integration of two powered subwoofers and running the MAXX’s through a high pass filter. Not looking to chime about, only an advise. for the better. Yes the Elac is very good, I own the top one 896 thank’s to that MM thread. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @downunder: """ personally, I don’t believe the hype or your new cartridge of the month.... """ Certainly it’s not the a hype and certainly it’s not " cartridge of the month " and that’s why I started a specific thread for it. In the other side was to what you call " the cartridge of the month " in the MM thread where all of us discovered several MM/MI/IM cartridges that because its performance quality levels till today some of us are considered as a good alternative to the well regarded LOMC cartridges. No it can’t competes yet to the top today LOMC cartridges but the ADC 26/27. In all that MM thread " voyage " we found out excellent, very good, good, average and mediocre performers and we learned about but with out that MM thread you never could have the opportunity to listen the Technics EPC100CMK4 ( stand alone model ) or the AT 25/24. OF all those discovered cartridges the AKG and Technics were almost the only ones with some kind of problems and I remember very well that we found out a source for your stand alone Technics model, this source had 8 NOS units and you and me were some of the ones that bougth it. After that source never comes out another NOS of that stand alone Technics model. I had your same problem with my sample before you and VDH was the only that fix it. Maybe because for many years that model was the cartridge reference of Dr. vDh whom manufactured MM cartridges too, I own two models that I not listened yet. Your posts about in the MM thread were way different on what you posted in this thread: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/who-needs-a-mm-cartridge-type-when-we-have-mc/post?postid=944... https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/who-needs-a-mm-cartridge-type-when-we-have-mc/post?postid=968... https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/who-needs-a-mm-cartridge-type-when-we-have-mc/post?postid=983... Those were your words. Btw, I own the stand alone version of the AT25: AT24, really good performer. """ How long would the suspension, dampers and every other part of the cartridge last if you used it as your everyday spinner - rather than the cartridge of the month for a few hours? """ in the same way that with the Technics but looking through the internet and by what Lutz shared here no one owner of the ADC 26/27/25 reported problems with the cartridge suspension, me neither. Even I posted here that due that I own two cartridge bodies maybe I will send one cartridge for a change of cantilever/stylus tip and if need it dampers and fine tunned suspension. I’m sure that will be an improvement for the better because the important subject in the quality performance level on any cartridge is the: self cartridge motor and in the case of the ADC 26/27 I can get better " materials " down there with out touch its motor: boron instead the aluminum cantilever and VDH stylus tip insted an old elliptical stylus shape and ceratinly better dampers and the like. No, the original hollow Technics cantilever is an inferior design that a solid rod of today boron cantilevers, the hollow one is more resonant and suceptible to develops vibrations that does not exist in the LP grooves and today quality of stylus shapes are way better than the vintage ones. The motor is the real and true subject. Got It? """ The VDH stylus is good but certainly does not sound as good as the original. "" Not true, it sounds different but in anyway the original is superior. That you like it the original ( you hve very good udio memory but very bd memory on wht you sid in the pst ? ? ? ) does not means is better. Shane, makes no sense what you are saying. BTW, Of all the Technics models I owned/own including the top LOMC one only the EPC00C MK4 gave me trouble. The ADC 25/26/27 is the only non LOMC cartridge that can challenges today top LOMC included your Atlas that was challenged by the Technics that’s outperformed by the ADC. Shane, do it a favor and don’t follow ignorant people because you will or are contaminated by. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear friends: I forgot something interesting I learned in the session listening with my friends. One of them look the M&K D2D Earl " Fatha " Hines recording and we listened but when I was reading the LP cover I learned that Earl Hines together with Louis Amstrong recorded their first D2D LP in 1928 and by coincidence the E.Hines by M&K was recorded 50 years latter. Hines was a great piano player and the M&K LP is really good and shows the E.Hines skillful about. Btw, latter on I will post to that so high ignorance or bad memory levels already posted here. Always is a day to learn, unfortunatelly some people never learn or only want to attack some one . Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear friends: Last week came to my place the owners of the Etna Sl and Goldfinger cartridges to pick-up their cartridge and to have a listening session. We started listening to those both cartridges and after a while I switched to the ADC 26/27 with out telling them which cartridge we will listening it. We used the same LP tracks that already heard it and after a few minutes to listening the ADC and with out say a word both turn their face to each one with their " open eyes " expresion. They like it what was hearing. We followed with those LP tracks and when I told them what we were listening those " eyes " gave a non-credibility expresion. They were really impressed as me. One of the LP in that listening session was the the D2D M&K Flamenco Fever and we listened to two tracks in the side one. First was Danza Mora and the second is Farruca. The recording session took place at " El Matador " club in west LA and that first track is a solo of an extraordinary guitarrist that in this D2D is so lively that you can’t believe what you are hearing. The second track will have a meaning only for those gentlemans that already experienced flamenco dancers in the " tablao ". The track start with those dancers playing castanets and if you already heard live at near field those castanets: its impact, transient and it power dynamics that’s exactly what you will find in this track played by the ADC but the more impressive starts when the dancers starts to dance and stamp/tap their heels and only if you already experienced live those flamenco dancers could understand the very high level of lively track experiences because they use to their hand and those hands applause and finger clips are astonishing. We have to interrupt the session because started a heavy rain with thunders and hail. Here in México it’s raining time and rain almost every single day in México city. After the storm we continue the listening session that gaves us the opportunity ( because I remembered. ) to listen two tracks of the MoFi ( 004. ) The Power and the Majesty Lp that as you know is not a music recording and by coincidence in one side was recorded a thunderstorm like the one we just experienced. This recording is exceptional one and was recorded with a custom made tape recorder live and I don’t know the microphone that were used. Anyway, the track is a full lesson an room/system evaluation test. Our experience was and is so vivid that striking us the reality of the sounds when the hail strikes against the window glass exactly as we just experienced live a few minutes ago and followed by the rain water drops fall and striking to the surface was so real that there are no words to express it. What we heard was something like what @luckyx02 posted in this thread: """ the midrange presence so good that you look scared when the turns / singers / in gets going if you are not alone in the room. """ Outstanding. The other side of that LP are the sounds coming for live steam locomotives through its railroad. All the track is impressive ( depending of the quality performance levels of your room/syste. ) and the locomotives came with air horns and steam whistles and when you listen the very first of the steam whistle sound you just give a " steps back " because at the same time the all train is passing in front of you. You need to listen this track at high SPL. At the end of the session one of my friends ask me to listen again his cartridge and even that performs very well he was not satisfied against what he just listened with the ADC. This week I will be at his place with the ADC 26/27. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. @downunder tha’s the quality of the " month " cartridge. Obviously you don’t have idea about because never listened it,, the ADC is superior to your Technics. I'm still waiting your email. |
Dear @downunder: I don’t believe your Thales hype neither, just joking. Now if you are talking seriously and you are willing to pay according its quality level performance ( not as a vintage IM cartridge. Not even near the EPC100cMK4 price. ) that puts the cartridge at Etna or any other top LOMC I named here then email me here: rauliruegas@hotmail.com R. |
Dear @bimasta @tzh21y : I started the MM/MI long thread now because in those times I discovered a true and real analog alternative to the very well regarded LOMC cartridges. Was in the very old times when the cartridge market was dominated by all those vintage MM/MI cartridges and not by MC ones as today. The competition in between all those MM/MI cartridge manufacturers was really a " world war " and that one fierce competition made it that each designer made it at their best knowledge levels. Almost " each day " came out a new cartridge to compete in that market. That’s why exist so many vintage cartridges with so good quality level performance but today exist too very good MM/MI performers coming from: Reson, Audio Note UK, Grado, Ortofon, AT, Nagaoka, Sumiko etc.. I don’t name SoundSmith because it try to compete in price against MC today designs when the other today manufacturers of MM/MI cartridges comes with very reasonable market prices. Again, MM/MI is a good alternative and at its price a real bargain. Good LOMC cartridges outperforms the MM/MI alternative but at really very high price for. Something that does not honor the MM/MI cartridges is that almost exist no-dedicated/designed phono stages that achieve all MM/MI needs. Normally the phono stages are designed for LOMC ones and does not comes with a dedicated/separated MM true stages to fulfill all what the MM/MI are asking for. R. |
Dear friends: That future was today because the " curiosity " wins. I mounted my QLM with 3.5grs on VTF and I have to say that it's not near the ADC 26/27. The QLM performs good but in my place nothing extraordinary and ceratinly can't competes with top LOMC cartridges. In my opinion the stand alone EPC 100 C MK4 outperforms with easy the QLM but not the 26/27. Anyway, Lutz gave me the opportunity to listen the QLM for the first time. R. |
Dear @luckyx02: Well as you can read in the thread I compare the ADC 26/27 against today top LOMC cartridges as the Lyra Etna SL, Clearaudio Goldfinger, My Sonic Labs, etc etc and overall no one of them really outperformed. Yes, there are specific cartridge performance qualities on those models that we can like more than in the others but overall all performs great and the ADC 26/27 along all them. I'm using VTF of 1.1gr. but now that the cartridge settle down I will set up with lower VTF. I own the 25 and 26 with four styluses: one black red dot, the white 26 and two beige 27s. Btw, I own the QLM that I never ñistened so in the future I will do it. Rigth now I'm satisfied with the quality performance levels by the 26/27 as never before and I mean it. R. |
Dear @luckyx02: I read that information like 3 months ago, very good and unique information about. Obviously that for some of us, like me, the ADC25/26/27 are a true discovery even that I own the cartridges for several years now. What is your listen experiences in these times with those great ADC Pritchard design? do you still think in that way? Thank's in advance. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @tzh21y @lewm : Not necessarily a low mass tonearm as lewm posted: " success illustrates the fact that one need not necessarily be obsessed with that equation for resonant frequency " Everything the same: is it important to match the cartridge/tonearm to the " ideal " resonance frequency range? As always in audio: yes in theory it's important but not at the level we could think or the level we learned somewhere. The important issue is that the tonearm be a well damped design. In the old times B.Pisha ( Audio magazyne. ) reviewed the LOMC cartridge Ortofon MC2000 and he found out in his real time review measurements that the compliance of that cartridge was at around 32cu and with a weigth of 10+grsm. He mounted during the review with a Technics tonearm and the measured resonance frequency was at around 5hz ! and he reported that that cartridge/tonearm combination were abble to play with out any tracking trouble all those cannon shots in the Telarc 1812 !. Those facts goes against the thery about but I confirmed and confirm those kind of results sveral times with other tonearm/cartridge combinations. The main reason why the MC2000/Technics tonearm did not shows any trouble was the great damping mechanism in the tonearm and obviously the huge tracking abilities of that Ortofon cartridge. So, the best is to try and listen. The people in the 60's made comments that only the Infinity blackwidow or the Pritchard tonearm design were almost the ony tonearms to make the job but we learn that's not that way. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @downunder : Yes that XLM III is an average performer as you stated but even that the cartridge is an IM patent Pritchard design he was not involved any more with ADC because in 1976 that was when came the XLM III was BSR the ADC owner not Pritchard. Anyway, both cartridges has no quality performance alike in between. Totally different. R. |
Der @rodman99999 : ""
kept it(or something equivalent) in production. """ well I think that the equivalent is already in production with all those top LOMC cartridges as the ones I named here. Yes at a price point for that kind of high quality performance levels. I wonder how will performs the ADC 26/27/25 with a boron cantilever and/or Shibata stylus?.. Due that I own more than one original I will try something like that but I'm not to sure about because in stock condition are very good performers, I will think again about in the future. For now I'm too busy listening MUSIC. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORDIONS, R. |
Dear friends: Yesterday an audio friend that's owner of the ZYX Universe came to my place with his cartridge and we were listening for a few hours and we made comparisons against the ADC 26/27. All my audio friends know very well the quality performance level of my room/audio system because they were here many times. Well this ZYX owner was really surprised on what he listening from the ADC and after aa while he confessed that he prefers the ADC. I have to say that along the A95 the Universe are the ones where quality levels differences are a little higher for the better in the ADC 26/27. .I still follow and will follow listening it and making some cartridge fine tunning. I think that that ADC 26/27 cartridge suspension conitune settle down, we have to remember that was manufactured over 50+ years ago. It's performance continue improving a little through that fine tunning. As a fact I'm trying to " know " the cartridge overall performance its " behavior ". I hope some of you can find out a sample of it. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear friends: I'm still testing the ADC 26/27 and making comparisons against LOMC. No two cartridge even from the same manufacturer sounds alike, each one sounds " different " and it's through those " different " performance what determines if one cartridge is better than other or is at the same overall level but with different music/sounds presentation. Other that the LP tracks in my whole evaluation proccess I listened and am listening everykind of recorded music and the good recordings sounds really good and the very good ones performs excellent and nothing less. The bad recordings performs in that way and you can know " for sure " the errors in the recording proccess- In a top LOMC cartridges or these ADC 26/27 we can detect some weird " noises/buss/murmur " that were recorded but that are not part of the music it self as in a London FFSS recorded when Sir Georg Solti ( that pss away. ) was the Director of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera house and we can hear there the murmur of the subway. Something similar happens with some of the Chesky recordings and in other recordings exist noises coming from the air conditioner or even we can hear how some one opened a door. All these kind of recorded noises are of very low level but we can detect it if the room/system has that kind of resolution. Ormally we need to have a pair of subs because those weird noises are from very low bass. Of course that other type of noises could comes from mistakes in the recording proccess. I have preferences for the female voices over the male singers and when you have these top kind of cartridge performers things are never be the same again. The ones that I will name are very well knows female singers and I'm really satisfied as ever with these experiences because I'm listened to it: Dido, D.Krall, E.Fitzgerald, B.Holiday, J.Ian, R.Spektor, N.Jones, J.Warnes, C.Wilson, A.Franklin, L.Williams, Sade, D.Reeves, D Shuur, M.Caballe. Other recordings that I'm listened with and follow doing are: A.Delmoni ( Water Lily label. ), Center Stage ( Wilson Audio. ), Hyperion Knigth: Pictures at an exibition ( Wilson Audio. ), John Lill with Shuman piano compositions ( Green Pro. ), Kabi Laretei: Nocturne Chopin and Beethoven Sonata in D ( Propprius. ), The Royal Opera House Orchestra with Ernest Ansermet: The Royal Ballet ( RCA. ), Lorin Maazel and the Cleveland Orchestra: Respighi: Feste Romane ( UHQR MF.), the Bach Toccata & Fugue ( M&K. ). Other are: Elio Villafranca with CH.Flores: 16 eyes records label. Demostration Reference Disc: top Music Int/Delos International labels. Jheena Lodwick ( All my loving. ): The Music Lab label. Mary Stallings ( Fine and Mellow ).: Clarity recordings label. Hugh Masekela ( Hope. ): Analog Productions label. Keit Jarret ( Köln Concert).: ECM Records. Chie Ayado ( Prayer ).: East House Records Youn Sun Nah ( Same Girl ).: Act Music. Cristine Collister ( Love. ).: Rega Research Limited He Xun Tian ( Paramita ).: WindMusic label. Tsuyoshi Yamamoto ( autumn in Seatle. ).: First Impresion Music. Dafos ( Reference Recordings. ). From these two of them needs a special attention: Paramita and Dafos. The recorded music comes from not usual instruments that have not usual sounds but with disonants characteristics. Not easy for any room/system to handle those sounds at 95dbs SPL at 3m. ( peaks over 100dbs. ) seat position but through the best of the best LOMC cartridge and the ADC under review the experiences on it are just superlative. Other magnificent experiences you can have when listen to: The Power and the Majesty by MoFi and as you know it's a non music recording The recording it self is a must to own. I have to say that some of those recordings if not all are a true evaluation test for any room/audio system and with cartridges of those values it's the GLORY ! and I mean it. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @tzh21y : Good luck with your hunting. The ADC 26/27 quality level performance is way different to other of the ADC/Sonus models so try not buy other ADC models. As a fact and as I already said it the 26/27 performs different as any MM/MI/electrect vintage or today cartridges. If you don't have the kind of money for the great Etna SL or the Colibri or any other top LOMC cartridge well the ADC is the answer to it. R. |
Dear @ninetynine : The series 220 is a different quality level ADC cartridge and is away from the very high quality 26/27 performance levels and I know because I owned along the 10E. Now, that SSSHH that you named is something I listened with my ADC samples till the VTF was exactly where it belongs. Very delicated cartridge on the VTF regards. R. |
Dear @lewm : """
are not necessarily guidelines to excellence. """ agree. The key word in your statement is: necessarily. Everything is important but for sometime now I supported and support that the most important and critical issue with the cartridge quality performance levels is the cartridge " motor drive design " and its excecution. The Pritchard IM patent and its excecution in the ADC 26/27 is nothing less that formidable and with out doubt the best cartridge Pritchard's work, not even his latest Sonus Dimension 5 can even it, as a fact is away from with lower quality level performance. But if we have a good cartridge motor design then the other cartridge parts comes to be important and critical. One of my latests first hand experience about was with my Lyra Clavis DC sample where I decided to change the stock Ceralloy cantilever build material for a new boron cantilever and this change changed for the better the overall Clavis DC quality level performance. R. |
Dear friends: I’m loading the 26/27 at 100k with 150pf and both tonearms are not low mas but medium mass and well damped. These both ADC models let a few lessons to all the ones that experienced it. What lessons left to me?: well, we have here not only a very old cartridge design but a cartridge with a fenomenal " motor " design with a humble plastic body ( no Titanium or the like as today top cartridge designs. ), with no boron or diamond cantilever but just a short aluminum cantilever, with not the Replicant 100 or VDH or Geyger double polished stylus shape but a humble elliptical one, with specs that are for " laughin "/ridicule vs today designs or even vintage ones, with a very very high compliance that can be a problem today, a cartridge that comes not with a " fresh " cartridge suspension but builded in the 60’s, with " ridicule " non-gold plated output pins, with no internal silver/gold wires. ! ! ! ! ! Then how could be possible that the ADC 26/27 can performs at those very high quality level perfomance to compete with today best of the best? Outstanding cartridge motor/transducer. Obviously is out of my mind and obviously I have not answers about. Maybe only a cartridge designer with the ADC 26/27 experiences could chime about and obviously that @jcarr come to my mind to do it if he already had those ADC " fresh " experiences. It’s not an easy cartridge to set up for shows at its best, maybe because its very high compliance or its stylus ti 15° angle or maybe because its age. With my samples what I experienced was that as no other cartridge the precise VTF set up is critical, it has to be where the cartridge sample " likes " and it has almost only one VTF position !. I know that @florence4 own it because he posted a few weeks ago in the MM thread, I hope he can share with us his experiences in his room/audio system. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Dear @lewm : As any other analog audio link the tonearm is important but the star always be the cartridge. Anyway, I mounted all the cartridges in my self design tonearm and in a AT 1503 heaviliy up-dated. Results are almost the same and I said " almost " because in my tonearm design things are better but the characteristics through the 1503 remain there. The ADC 26/27 is truly unique, an incredible performer. R. |