Hesitant to upgrade my phono cartridge


I’ve been running the SL for about four years now and really love it. I’m starting to experience some sibilance and my gut tells me it’s time for a new cartridge. I really want to go up to the ML but I’m a little hesitant because my speakers (B&W 805 d3’s) can lean a bit bright with some recordings. I’ve read that the ML is a tad brighter than the SL and I definitely don’t want to add any additional leanness to my system. I could stretch for the Umami Red but would prefer not to at this point in time. So do I just go with another SL or roll the dice with the ML? Does anyone have experience with going from the Hana SL to the ML with Bowers and Wilkins diamond tweeters? Or with a system that leans on the bright side? 

 

The rest of my system: 

 

Clearaudio Ovation w/ Magnify tonearm

Herron Audio VTPH-2A Phono Preamp

Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II integrated - tubes rolled from stock JJs to Gold Lion 12AX7 and 12AU7s with a Brimer 12AU7 in the center position. 

Speakers are B&W 805d3 stand mounts with a pair of REL S/510 subs.

Kimber Kable speaker, power cables and interconnects. 

 

Thanks!

paulgardner

Showing 1 response by pindac

The Hana SL is a Cart' that turned up with a bit of a euphoria attached to the model and it was finding recommendation from many corners. The euphoria was short lived, and my recollections are that many were abandoned with plenty of usage life remaining, to be replaced with the ML Model when it arrived on the Market, and others with plenty of usage life were swapped out for other Models from Brands once the betterment of the ML was being made known.

I am a SL owner, I stopped using it when the Cart' was thought to be run in, and prior to the ML becoming available.

The SL to me was a sensible route to getting LOMC replay for approx' £00.70p per Album Replay.

After a period of time, I thought of it as a Second Cartridge Only and removed it from regular use with approx' 200 hours of usage on it.

My experience is showing there are much better Cartridges out there that can deliver a very attractive presentation for reasonable monies.

I don't think the expense of an Umami Red is required.

If you could learn a little more about the Ortofon Cadenza Bronze, it shares the Trickle-Down Technology from the TOTR Ortofon Model the Windfeld.

This Bronze certainly is one that is reported to have a little detectable richness and might have the attributes that will give confidence there will be a compatibility with the Tweeter of your speaker. 

I know somebody who has the Bronze in use, as their choIce over the Blue and Black Cadenza Models on a DD TT, they claim it has detectable richness that is an antithesis to the sharpness of the DD TT. A Harmony has been discovered and this alone has served to be a real improvement to their previous listening experiences.