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Getting The Most Out Of A Koetsu Urushi

Recently acquired a Koetsu Urishi Tsugaru from a known and well trusted source. This cartridge has been refurbished by VDH, and has under 100 hours on it. Mu current cartridges consist of an Ortofon Winfeld, ZYX 4D, and Denon DL 304. 

The Urushi is certainly different than my previous cartridges, and I do hear lots of potential there. Currently have it installed on a DP 75 in a VPI plinth, with an Acos GST 801 arm. Phono stages available are the Liberty B2B-1 and the internal stage on a Musical Fidelity Nu Vista M3. 

The question is system configurations on how to get the Urushi properly sorted out. Are most Koetsu users also SUT users? Is there any upside to running it on this cartridge versus my phono stage in MC trim? Secondly, the output cable on the 801 is not verified as the stock one for the 801, and since the arm is wired internally with silver wire, I have considered the possibility to changing it out to a known cable of good quality. Which that one is to be, I have not made a decision on. 

I do also have a Technics SP 10 MK II in a variable density plinth, and I might consider putting the Urushi on there, although it might necessitate a change in tone arms. I have a 12" Riggle String Theory arm on it, and I suspect the wood arm may fall into the slightly warm camp, which is not what I would suspect this cartridge needs. It does seem that the SME V is a go to choice, but been thinking of other options also. 

Anyone with thoughts and experiences they care to share?
neonknight

Showing 5 responses by nandric

nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
I am not familiar with your phono-pres but well with Lustre 801,           Sp 10,mk 2 (aka SL 1000,mk2) and Urushi Blue Sky. The most         phono-cables from Japan are (probably) from the same supplier         because they look  like twins. Your Lustre certainly deserve the
best you can buy. My Klyne 7PX 3.5 has sufficient amplification
for Koetsu and recommends 47 K but I use Denon AU-S1 for
all my LO MC's  in order to simplify cart changes.
The Blue Sky  is one of my best carts and much better to ''my ears''    then Koestsu Rosewood Signature. So the story that Urushi's  are      ''painted Rosewoods'' I don't believe. With SP 10,mk2 I use FR-64 with B-60 VTA adjuster. The FR-64 S is parallel to the platter +           the used record. 












nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

Dear Lew, I read each day something or other so asking me (at my age)

where I have read this or that is easy to ask but difficult to answer. I

assume that the answer like ''somewhere'' will no do? Anyway all Urushi's

have wooden body but different paintings. However Japanese paintings

are ''inscrutable'' to us in the West in the same way as the Japanese

other ''snake oils''  are (grin).

But their own ''explanation'' is that each painting produce  slightly different timbre. One of those Urushi's is pretty expensive so to compare them

imply at least two. which only the rich among us can afford.

In contradiction to my (single) Urushi I own two FR-64 + Ikeda 345.

I use the silver wired FR-64 s with all my MC carts. I sold my Triplanar

and use Sumiko 800 (''the arm'') instead.on my Kuzma.  I still own many

 MM or MI kinds.

As ''some Aussie '' I don't care about ''arm mass'' prescriptions. My FR-64

suits them all but I do use different heashells.. The (heavy) Orsonic  AV

101 is my favourite. The Arche is for the Archon..

 

nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

Well I can't use an 9'' arm on my SP 10 while my Kuzma is provided

with ''the better Breuer'' (aka Sumiko 800) .I  ever started as tonearms

collector but moved to cart collector as participant in the MM thread.

From my former obsession I still remember Mission Mechanics and

vague Raul's ''approval'' of the precious. I also check regular the net

for the tonearms out of curiosity and deed find one on the German

''audio-markt.de'' for about 1500 euro.. Those are really rare and

''as made '' for the MC''s. So if whomever is interested he will know

where to look.

nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 

Dear Lew, By way of introduction my thesis is that people don't

think different but use different premises  from which they deduce

different conclusions.

Both my phono-pres (Basis Exclusive and Klyne) have  4 amplification

 stages and both recommend the use of the lowest needed for a

given cart. The assumption is obviously (?) that the higher amplification

causes higher distortions..

Now something totally different. ''The proudness of ownership''. In some

cultures this means the same as ''show off'' with things (aka inanimate

objects) and is ''not done'' as such. The other cultures see this different.

I assume that you are proud of your phono-pre but, as far as I know,

you have only one amplification stage for the MC kinds. Say 70 dB(?)..

Those 70 dB  you use for your Ortofon MC 2000 ; 0,05 mV  as

well for your Urushi which is 0.4 mV. From the assumptions in my

both user manuals one can conclude that your phono-pre is  not

optimal for both of the mentioned  cartridges . Of course under

proviso that the assumptions are true.


nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Dertonarm who proved his capabilities with his products was/is
an advocate for SUT's in combo with LOMC's. But his theory was
that both , the cart and the SUT needed to correspond qua inductance and impedance. He advised me accordingly but I  was frightened with perspective of many SUT's needed for my LOMC's collection. I changed my mind when I discovered Denon AU-S1 which covers 2-40 Ohms carts. I use Denon with my Klyne         7PX3.5 in MM (amplification) stage.  



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