Kiseki Blackheart Is Such A Lovely Cartridge

Earlier this year I decided too simplify my analog gear, having this much stuff hooked up to play records seemed kind of silly to me. The season of exploration has come to an end, ,and its time to pick out the keepers. The Sota/OL combo got a Transfiguration Proteus, and that is my top combination. 

I have a gen 1 Kiseki Blackheart sitting in a box, it had been sent off to AllClear in Australia for a new diamond. I imagine it had an Ogura to start with, but not it has an Obray microridge. Factory cantilever in place. I have a 12" Audiomods Series Six arm with an Audio Tekne cartridge on it. I did not know if i was going to send the Kiseki on or keep it. But I needed to confirm its operation after getting it back, so off came the Audio Tekne and on the Blackheart went. 

Oh what a lovely combination! Beautiful tone, subtle and expressive, rich bottom end without excessive bloom, and spacious soundstage. Everything I really want in a cartridge is there, and at that moment I had my second keeper. It is hard to believe this cartridge is from the mid to late 1980's, and if every bit as relevant as todays offerings. Perhaps it is a pairing of the Audiomods 12" arm, although it sounded good in a SME V, but not this good. 

I have not owned any of the other original Kiseki cartridges, this is the first one I have bought. I understand the Purpleheart Sapphire is supposed to be quite nice. I would be interested in hearing the Agate. Someone on this site shared a scan of an old Absolute Sound review/ranking that had this cartridge in it, and the writer felt the Blackheart was in some ways the best sounding of all the Kiseki, even the Lapis Lazuli. Those are impossible to find these days, I imagine all the remaining ones are in the hands of collectors. 

I am listening to this cartridge this morning, and I am just tickled to own it. It is such a lovely cartridge to listen to. I hope it can be maintained and serviced for the rest of my years.