Change of plans!

An interesting few days here, where I compared, head-to-head, the London Decca Reference on a Series V on an SME Model 10, to the LP-S on a Series IV on a second SME Model 10. Lots of different styles of music, but mainly on really good recordings (largely Opus 3) that I know inside out. It pains me to say it, but the Reference sounded slightly muffled compared to the LP-S. So the king is dead, long live the king! And just as that phrase proved comforting when QEII passed away, the implied continuity will let me move on here. The LP-S is now on my best arm, the Series V. That leaves the Series IV free for my mono cartridge, the Cadenza Mono. I'm told I cannot cancel my order for two more Acoustand tonearm pods, even though it is still a month before they are to be machined. Oh well, I may sell them or just keep them for the next time I want to have as many tonearms as possible!

Even so, I can't help fiddling a bit. Just as the LP-S is better than the London Reference, the Reference is better than the Kontrapunkt C. Going back 12-13 years, I used to use a Benz Micro Ruby 3, and it still sounds good, although it must be in need of a re-tip. Could the Ruby 3 be an improvement over the Cadenza Mono? It's a stereo cartridge, but Steve Leung is happy to rotate the armature 45° and disconnect one coil, the connect the remaining horizontally-sensitive coil to both sets of output pins when he gives it a new stylus. It's a relatively cheap experiment to do, and so I'm going to give it a go.

Otherwise, it is interesting to note that the LP-S currently costs about the same as the Reference did when I bought it 12 years ago (and the Reference isn't currently available, unless or until londondecca.com wake up and start making them again). And the LP-S isn't dreadfully expensive compared to the uber-cartridges, so maybe they are better still. I shan't be in a position to find out!