In the market for a cartridge for Clearaudio Innovation Wood


Hi all,
My wife gave me a Clearaudio Innovation Wood TT as a birthday present, and currently I'm in the market for a new cartridge. The tonearm is SME 309 because I already had it before. I'm looking for a balanced sound with good resolution, mostly for classical orchestral music and jazz. The budget is around $3000 and it's flexible. Any advice will be appreciated. 

michkhol

Showing 2 responses by mulveling

@michkhol
I’ve run various flavors of Koetsu Platinum on my Clearaudio Innovation, for the 4 years I’ve had it. I think it’s a wonderful combination; incredibly musical with great resolution, great for all genres from classical to rock. Excited to be moving up to the Master Innovation very soon (with 12" Universal to compare to my current Phantom Supreme).

Currently running a freshly rebuilt Onyx Platinum, with a nearly new Coralstone in reserve. Also had an RSP on this table; also very good. And I’ve also run a Cadenza Bronze here, and it’s quite nice, but the Koetsu are obviously better and more enjoyable.

I got into Koetsu some years ago by hitting the used market to get into reasonable price brackets. It worked out well for me.
@michkhol 
Bass is quite satisfying and extended with any of the stone-body Platinum models; slightly less satisfying with the Rosewood Signature Platinum. That said, Koetsus doesn't have the bass thump/punch of a modern high-line Ortofon; my old Windfeld MC (and what I've heard in the A90 and Anna on other systems) had better bass than any Koetsu, but lost out big-time in mids and highs (much sweeter and more natural with Koetsu) -- hence my switch.