Dear friends: Thinking in " high voice " I can say that it does not matters the kind of cartridge design ( magnetic, straing gauge or optical. ) the missed and added recorded and not recorded signal information is almost the same for those 3 designs due that all are catilevered/stylus tip designs.
Main differences are thde kind of distortions on each one and the higher or lower level of those distortions and obviously the design quality levels of the optical preamp/energiser.
In this thread @saburo has the " last word " due to his magnetic cartridge experiences and electronics that I know very well by first hand experiences too and he said that the DS is : "" i can unequivocally endorse this technology as a major disruptor which is on its way to advancing vinyl playback beyond what most are used to. ""
That is a serious statement that we all have to take " care " about. Even that the FMA processor is something that could change our each one concept of a magnetic cartridge.
I always said: put at minimum every kind of room/system distorions to stay truer to the recording and as consequence of that near the live MUSIC experience. So the DS cartridge is a very good option about but the FMA processor it's too and I have to experience it in the future before pull the triger in a DS audio and not because I did not trust in @saburo statement but because I don't like to be married with the DS preamp. The magnetic cartridge alternative along the FMX could give me " thousands " of very good kind of sound alternatives with any cartridge in the audio market but the DS one.
R. |
Sorry I didn't see this thread earlier. I don't post much anymore. I have been fortunate enough to hear multiple models of the DS Audio for the past two years. I have a decent vinyl over the years though nothing in comparison to some. I moved from an Ortofon MA 90 and Tom Evans Groove SRX + to the DS Audio Grand Master and the EMM Labs. I will say that it is not night and day, but what the DS Audio does is frankly remarkable. I really hate when people say this, but its like you had the music live in your room. Records I have listened to for over 40 years are astounding, as are new recordings. I had actually thought about moving out of vinyl before I started using the DS Audio. I can't say its not just because I bought some new toy, but I doubt it. The models do vary widely in terms of cost but I have been enormously impressed with even the very base models. They all have a certain basic quality which is simply amazing. I do really believe, having discussed it with an audio designer, that it really is a radically different technology which improves in some many areas over moving coil but I am no engineer.
G It does have its downsides, it tends to have a lot of detail so I think if you had a very harsh or bright system it might lack warmth but its just my 2 cents worth. Enjoy what you own, but don't dismiss it. |
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Heard @lancelock’s optical cart setup the other day and yes it was quite stellar. When both analog and digital playback are done extremely well the sounds tend to converge. It was one of the best phonos I have heard. Piano dynamics on an especially good recording was most realistic sounding. Color me impressed! Technology taken to the next level! |
