Well in connection with Linn LP 12 Raul asked this question: ''if the original design is good why so many improvements?'' According to this way of thinking one can state that all Kuzma TT's are excelent designed. My Stabi Reference is still produced and still in the original form. The other, implicit advantage, is that either of them is a very good second hand canditate because of their durability (imply by design). One should also add the excelent support for the customers by Kuzma himself. All my emails are answered by Kuzma himself. My only problem with him is that he is from Slovenia while I am from Serbia (grin). |
fjn,
For many years I owned and enjoyed a Kuzma Stabi (oak plinth model with heavy lid) and Stogi Reference arm. I've been in this hobby for a few decades and owned several different tables/arms prior to that.
I consider the Kuzmas to be very well designed/engineered and offer good build quality. Mine replaced a Well Tempered table and arm, itself a very well regarded unit, and I found the Kuzma outperformed it. It was silent, stable, musical, and quite adjustable.
The only reason for moving on was I've acquired a fair number of cartridges (thanks to Raul) and the Kuzma couldn't accept a second arm and the fixed headshell meant swapping cartridges was not a quick or easy task. For anyone happy with a single cartridge I feel Kuzma is highly recommended. Note some Kuzma models may have interchangeable headshells. |
I can say with absolute certainty, that the Pipe Bomb is as named... The Bomb!! It gets fully realized if placed on a Symposium Platform. The improvement this makes takes it beyond belief.
So yes, I think you made a great choice!!
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Never used the "pipe bomb" but I've owned two of Kuzma's tables--the Reference and the XL--and still run the XL with a fairly early Airline arm. Build quality is exceptional, Franc is right on the front line with customers when they have issues--he has been very gracious to me over the years-- and I've had very few problems. (More stuff relating to compressor for the arm than either table or the arm itself and I've managed to get those sorted directly with Sil-Air here in the States). The US distributor for Kuzma is Scot Markwell, a knowledgeable guy who has been around a long time and knows his stuff. I have had longstanding relationships with a few companies over the years as a customer, and Kuzma is right at the top of that list. |
Thanks to all so far. If I get the Pipe Bomb, it would sit on a Lignolab from Germany. It's a suspended rack, wood but NOT solid wood. It uses 4 lawnmower wheel looking things for feet, that sit in some type of oil bath. If I have to add something like a Symposium, I will. At least their priced fairly sane. Peter Breuningner reviewed the 4 point arm on A/V showroom, and called it the most neutral arm he has heard. While I wouldn't go that far up the line, I'm sure there's a family sound. Funny Pryso, I have the WT Amadeus GTA. My plan is to keep it, and have an alternative cartridge setup. I have no complaints about my GTA. While not the last word in deep bass, very engaging, and analog sounding. My guess is the Kuzma arm will do some things the low mass WT arm isn't quite capable of. Especially the 12" VTA. Very cool that this will be an option. |
Congrats for your choice. Please tell us more when you eeceive it.
I have a TW Raven AC with all BN upgrades and would like to change.
I looked for a Sparta with it's own arm but too expésive.
I always likes the look and build quality of the Kuzma (especially the Kuzma M) but never dare to go because I am afraid it is too analytoc and not enough organic.
Any opinions ?
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Yes- barbapapa brings up a good point. I'm also looking for more of an organic sound. I've only heard the Kuzma 12" VTA, but it was on a Dr. Feickert table. I found it very laid back, actually a bit thick sounding. Perhaps a setup issue. A/V Showrooms says the 4-Point was the most neutral arm he has heard. Just one opinion of course, and that specifically on the 4- point.
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fjn04... I'm also looking for more of an organic sound ...
I've heard other listeners referring to sound as "organic,"
but never understood what they meant by that. After all, music itself
isn't really organic, is it? Would you please explain? thanks!
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Energetic, yet immersive sound that allows emotional connection to the music. Touches the Heart, as much or more, than the brain.
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I have interpreted "Organic" as Natural. Someone correct me if I am wrong about this!
I bought a Kuzma Stabi S, Ref 12" w/VTA tower, platter upgrade, and outboard PS at Axpona in April.
I love it! Had a Dynavector XX2 Mk II mounted. Just unravels complex passages, soundstage is huge, imaging precise, plays above above its price!!!! Kuzma service ( forgot to pack tool kit) came promptly direct to my house.. So far,So Good. Excellent workmanship and build. Ergonomics of this setup is a joy to use. It makes me want the Stabii M. Yes, i would like an easy to use dust cover! The (3) tables that I am considering are: Stabi M w/ 4pt or the 14" arm that is available, Kronos w/Helena arm, Tech Das III w/ Graham arm. Don't think you would get "buyers remorse" with a Kuzma. Best to everyone on this Journey. |
The German logician/mathematician Frege differenciated between ''sense'' (say 'meaning') and reference such that different meaning may refer to the same thing. If I remember well our members Dertonarm and Syntax described ''organic'' as ''physical presence''. This ''quality'' than was ascribed to the FR-7 series carts. I needed 10 years to grasp the ''meaning'' and am now a proud owner of an FR-7fz. |
Ok with fjn04's description for "organic". That's it (for me).
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Will also ad.... the body of the note and decay must be fully represented, along with leading edge. Don't want any of this skeleton like, leading edge emphasis with no body. Just even handed, fully realized notes.
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Please help this indecisive guy make a final decision. All I'm sure about is I'm going Black on the Stabi S. Here are the things I have to decide on. I can go for the 12" version of the table, which of course would allow me to chose any 12" arm in the future. This would include the Kuzma 12" standard (Non-VTA version) tonearm. As many know, the 12" (VTA version) can be mounted on a standard size table. So I could also do the standard non 12"version of the table, and with this, do the 12" VTA. Did you get all that (-:
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