Compliance of a First Generation Kiseki Blackheart

I think it’s the other way - 20 dyne at 10Hz is moderately high compliance. 20 @ 100Hz is super high compliance.

Kiseki’s business side is Netherlands, so there’s at least a good chance it’s Euro 10Hz spec. I can’t see a 20 dyne @ 100Hz MC cartridge being a good choice. Hard to trust any purported information on such an old cartridge anyways.

The 8Hz - 12Hz window isn’t gospel. I’ve had good results with Koetsu RSP on lower mass arms like Graham Phantom (14g) and even VPI 3D Reference arm w/ dual pivot (11g?). I like them best on Fidelity Research (best bass & dynamics, more vivid crisp sound) but they’re still phenomenal on those other 2 arms. They like stability (gimbal, magna-glide or dual pivot mod) and you need to ensure a good sonic pairing with the arm materials, which is not easy to quantify. I had bad results with Jade on Clearaudio Universal 12" - I suspect the carbon fiber wand is not a good match. I’ve never liked carbon fiber in my analog chain, as it turns out.

You can go a bit below 8Hz especially if your turntable and isolation are top notch. If you’re too far above 12Hz and find audible bass response is affected, you can always add mass at the headshell.

Dear @neonknight  : You will have no " probelm " mounting your Kiseki in the SME 5 and I think that will like you The 5 is better tonearm that many audiophiles could imagine, it's " trouble " is that was designed many years ago but SME decided that if that design is " rigth " why to change it. Yes, it's high compliance but you own the tonearm and cartridge so the best judge is you when test it.

In the other side at least for the Kiseki stylus  the only 3 main sources are: Ogura, Namiki and Gyger where cartridge designers can ask for a different quality level of polish for its top cartridge models.

The main OEM cartridgebuilders are: Excel, Scan-Tech, MSL, VDH, Benz Micro, AT and even Denon or Expert Stylus.

Regards and enjhoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,

R.

I did install the Kiseki this afternoon, and got the set up set. Of course I need a bit of fine tuning of tracking weight and VTA. But the initial impressions are very positive, I think this cartridge is going to stay on this table. A very nice presentation. These first generation Kiseki were indeed special. 

I did install the Kiseki this afternoon, and got the set up set. Of course I need a bit of fine tuning of tracking weight and VTA. This long body is a bit of a bastard to get on the SME arm, but it does fit. But the initial impressions are very positive, I think this cartridge is going to stay on this table. A very nice presentation. These first generation Kiseki were indeed special.

@neonknight  : Thank's for your "  answer ". 

R.

I purchased the Blackheart and had to have it replaced 3 times. Something was wrong with the suspension. It was making a tickling sound. I finally replaced it with a different brand. My understanding is that they stopped producing the Blackheart due to design issues related to this.

@hiendmmoe Mine is the first generation cartridge, not the new version. 

Mine would have been produced in the late 80s or early 90s.

What is the sound of "tickling"?  Is it like "giggling"?

I suspect that 20 dyne compliance is a 10 Hz based number. I put the cartridge on a SME V and it sounds lovely! I have it slightly tail down, and when I hit this current position, I was listening to an album that had so much lower bass than I had expected. The presentation was remarkable and wholly unexpected. 

I remember back to a conversation I had with a audiophile a number of years ago who said he had went to the audio store one day and came back with a Kiseki Purpleheart. How he loved the sound of that first generation Purpleheart (yes this was in the 1980s) but the cartridge did not last a long time. It makes me think it might have been used in a higher mass arm and not a good match. 

For now it stays on the SOTA/SME, it's a combination that is working very well.