@neonknight I can relate to your position. I also own and adore MC2000 and Transfiguration Proteus and was rather underwhelmed by the Koetsu Rosewood and Urushi. So what about the Kiseki? I owned the Agate for a while but its suspension was not up to spec and it needed a retip. I still liked the sound, which was sweet and slightly fat in the lower registers. A lovely sound, but definitely not neutral. As if I accidentally left the loudness switch on, if there still was such a switch!
But it had ‘something’ very alluring, so I was considering to have it refurbished when I was offered a Lapis Lazuli that had already been restored by vdHul with boron cantilever and new dampers. It did require a ‘small’ fortune, but I could not resist even if the original diamond cantilever was no longer there, essentially turning it into a Blackheart in a very fancy dress! Glad I didn’t. This Kiseki has a much more balanced sound (the imaginary loudness switch is off) but has this special flavour in spades. I believe some reviewers would call this a ‘wet sound’. Not as neutral and detailed as something like the Proteus, but very musical. I believe the Agate had a different motor than the Lapis (and Blackheart), but I have no doubt a restored sample will bring you much musical joy. While sonically superior to the Koetsu’s I’ve heard, it does share its liking of heavy tonearms, like the FR-64S.