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Can I get more out of my Koetsu ?

Hi Team, 
This might be one of my only discussions on here so pls take it easy on me🙏.

My current dilemma is, as the title suggests, I don't know if I am doing one of my carts (Koetsu Rosewood Standard) justice. 

Current setup is:
Koetsu > Yamamoto HS-5 headshell 18.4g > Technics 1200GR standard arm W-achromat > EAR MC4 > EAR Phonobox Classic > Leben 600x > Devore Fidelity 096;

The MC4 SUT is a new addition and it is all sounding pretty magical to me right now. Previously I was using the SUT in the phono stage. 

I know the Koetsu is meant to be on a high mass arm and that is why I added the HS-5 head shell. It is heavy and brings the resonance calculation to acceptable range. I do have to add the added counter weight for the technics arm but with it everything tracks perfectly. 

My other cart is a Hana ML low output MC cart. I like that one too but it only requires a medium mass arm which the Technics is so theoretically a better match.

The Koetsu already sounds magical and better than the Hana to my taste but how do I know if It could be sounding even better?

The way I see it:

  1. somehow hack a high mass arm onto the technics (don't think this would be easy and maybe not recommended) 
  2. Upgrade to technics 1200g (better arm but still not high mass. actually think its less mass than the GR)
  3. Start a new journey with another table with high mass arm (possible but $$$) 
  4. Just be happy with what I got and buy more records 😃

Strategy advice on how to navigate this problem and if new turntable is the answer some suggestions on how to approach that. 

I am not fussy about audio equipment that looks like it can take me to the moon. I am more into older style equipment that just sounds lush, magical and gives me technicolor dreams. 

Thanks in advance!!!

kdogsy

Showing 2 responses by mulveling

mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,774 posts
 

Koetsu is a brilliant match with MC4. From either its 3 or 6 ohm taps. Other solutions can probably do well too but that MC4 is right at the very best I’ve heard Koetsu. I even preferred using MC4 into an ARC Ref 3SE (low gain mode) over the Ref 3’s own high gain mode (great combo there btw). I think it would be a mistake to move on from the MC4 at this point. 

mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,774 posts
 

In my experience, mass itself isn't really the key factor in getting Koetsu to sing. I've heard them perform very well even on the relatively lightweight VPI 3D arm (*with dual pivot). I think the arm's bearing and overall energy management is more important than the moving mass, at least unless you're egregiously outside of the ideal 8 - 12 Hz resonance range.

Experimenting with head shells is fine and could be a good idea, but I certainly wouldn't bother with hacking the counterweight or tacking extra mass onto ane existing headshell. So I'm not too surprised the extra mass wasn't an improvement. The Koetsu body already provides a lot of mass itself (10 - 13 grams).

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