yup I can atest to that. getting the real deal is also more worthwhile.. better durability of the stylus. one could argue its cheaper
Showing 8 responses by anthonya
the old stuff last longer too and better materials. black is really overpriced. nagaoka or goldring is better value. or... ol style. which I personally prefer.commonly 30- 35 db seperation on those old style cart is not a force to be reckon with. only challenge is the condition of stylus. it's a hit a miss and requires patience. I just buy one after another. I had ortofon before and not interested to own another one. but that's just me. if I go expensive 1k above . I would simply pick soundsmith.. my kind of sound. but I had yet go there. there is still so much to hear. |
@tzh21y iq3 is same as 1042 but with audio note tweak. supposed to be better. but tip replacement can use 1042.. I haven't tried it. 1042 if buy eBay 400 or less. gyger is mentioned to be a form of line contact by vdh. it look like a claw. so not exactly shibata. it's a pain to setup.. like all hi end stylus. although... spec doesn't look great.. but the stage width, depth. detail. energy seperation, saturation, musicality, bass speed.. is all good.nothing to complain even at 600 usd. the legendary carts subjectively and objectively could be better and more fun to explore |
by herb of stereophile.. I also feel. same way. AT-VM95C I have a BFF relationship with the spherical-tipped Denon DL-103 moving coil, simply because it has never disappointed me while playing a record. The late Art Dudley campaigned for the spherical-tip cause, stating in Listening #186: "I continue to prefer the spherical experience—to me, it emphasizes musical content over air, allowing instruments and voices to sound more substantial, and music to sound, overall, less fussy than with other tip types." (The emphasis is his.) I agree 100% with Art's observation: Spherical/conical-tipped cartridges emphasize "musical content" with force and vigor. And simplification. By eliminating some amounts of complex low-level spatial, atmospheric, and harmonic information, conical tips seem to expose the raw, beating core of humans playing music. That's why I love them.1220gramdr.ctip Speaking of force and vigor, the AT-VM95C (conical)—which is even cheaper than the $49 elliptical version, at $34—sounded cool, fast, and powerful but also detailed and invigorating. It played complex recordings, like the Stravinsky Conducts Histoire Du Soldat Suite, with power-packed, pitch-perfect bass, a flawlessly toned and detailed midrange, and enough upper-octave energy to make trumpets, drums, and woodwinds sound lifelike and exciting. Drum impact was spectacular. Music-pleasure–wise, Audio-Technica's VM95C was the most satisfying cartridge in this survey. It shifted my perspective and made me reconsider what I thought I knew about phonography. |