Interesting thread. My initial experience borrowing the Waza (good but not quite all it could be, clearly an early design) led me to buy a Shilabe, then a couple of years later, a Kansui.
The Kansui is superb. I've owned some pretty high-end cartridges including the Audio Note Io2 and Koetsu Rosewood Signature, and the Kansui for me came out on top by quite a margin. Indeed I sold the Io2 (and the Kondo S6 SUT I used with it) when I bought the Kansui, which I use with Hashimoto HM7s - far more organic and musical. (The Io is great in many ways too, but a bit more hifi).
One thing to note is that like the Shilabe, the Kansui likes a heavy tonearm - in theory it's more compliant, but only a shade. I'm having great results with the Ikeda arm and also with an Ortofon RMG Limited (a very well appointed top spec version of the Japanese reissue of the vintage RMG). Had good results too with my previous Fidelity Research FR64S.
I'd love to hear the Madake but I'm a bit skeptical of the back story - I'm in no rush to trade in the Kansui.
It shares a stable with quite a few other cartridge including two from Miyajima - Zero 0.7 tip and Premium 78 mono - an SPU GM Mono MkII for early mono, an Ortofon SPU Royal, and an Ikeda 9TT.
All have their moment but I'd put the cheaper Kansui above the 9TT even in the Ikeda arm and headshell.
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Sorry only just seen this post.
My Hashimotos came from Mr Isao Asakura, a Japanese long based in the USA and who trades on the site tube-amps.net - they were delivered to me in Japan on a holiday visit, to a beautiful onsen in Kyoto prefecture. (I travelled from Taiwan where I was on an extended trip for a month or so).
Though the HM-7s are somewhat redundant following purchase of an EAR 912 phono preamp which has a truly stunning complement of phono step-ups. (Same values, but not, I suspect, same transformers as the EAR MC4 step-ups - I think the quality is far higher, this is Mr de Paravacini's vinyl statement and I think he has gone as high as he practically can on quality).
I have tried FR1 Mk 1, 2 and 3, but not FR7 ... I was offered an FR-702 recently but a re-tip, too expensive for the relative risk (non-factory re-tips are very hit-and-miss in my experience). So I passed on this.
As it happens only tonight I agreed to buy a Madake ... so I am eagerly awaiting it. I will report back.
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Coming rather late to this thread. Along with a stable of SPUs (stereo and mono) and an Ikeda 9TT currently I have previously owned the Miyajima Waza, Shilabe and Kansui, as well as mono models Kotetu, Premium BE, 78 and Zero. (I still have the Zero and Premium 78 - to the chap with the Zero I would suggest running it at the top end of the recommended VTF range in a very heavy arm - I find no issue with detail vs quite a number of mono cartridges past and present).
Anyway the Madake .. this arrived a few days ago to replace the Kansui, and while I wouldn't say it's night and day it definitely offers something over the Kansui (as indeed the Kansui did over the Shilabe). First thing is its remarkable tracking ability this tracks any obstacle test and hasn't broken sweat with any music recording I've thrown at it. It is noticably better/easier than the Kansui in this regard.
It also has the Kansui's way with openness, naturalness and ease, turned up a notch. Back to back you might just think the hifi was having a good night - character is very similar to Kansui - but it's a good night that is consistent, and turned up a notch. It digs out a lot of detail too but not in a 'hifi' way that the Ikeda can seem to do at times. It has as before a lot in common with the top end SPUs, closest is probably the SPU A95 I heard recently.
I am running it on my EAR 912 at the '40 ohm' setting which I think is about 500 ohms at the trafo - slightly higher than the recommended 200 ohms which sounds fine, my '12 ohm' setting gives about that I think - but the 40 ohm setting is a shade more open, relaxed and spacious.
All this on an Ikeda IT345-CR1 tonearm/headshell, I haven't tried it yet on my Ortofon RMG309 Limited. I may get to that tonight.
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Well is a year long enough to talk about experience?
My conclusion is that the Madake is the most natural cartridge I've ever had in my system (compared to Audio Note Io2, assorted high-end SPUs, Koetsu Red Standard and Sig, various Shelters, Dynavectors. Ikeda 9TT etc).
As I wrote above 'the Kansui's way with openness, naturalness and ease, turned up a notch'. Yup can't improve on that characterisation. Still only the A95 has approached it. I have moved the dial on the EAR 912 back from the 40 ohm setting to the 12 ohm one, raising the level of presence very slightly, but that's the only change of note in a year.
Having said that, don't know about in the US but in the UK Miyajima prices have increased substantially, as have rebuild prices. Not sure they are quite the attractive proposition as they were a year or two back.
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Indeed the 'replacement' service seems very expensive and has rather changed the equation for Miyajima as a practical long-term purchase. It's my hope that this is a glitch based on incomplete understanding of the market, rather than a long-term strategy.
I had a Miyajima Premium retipped by Ana Mighty Sound in France (well, actually a complete new cantilever with 1.0 spherical diamond). The work was first class, if expensive.
At one point Ana were also working on stereo Miyajima cartridges but have given that up as they claim the way Miyajimas are constructed, it's too hard to get reliable results to the standard they wish to provide to customers. I haven't heard of anyone else prepared to re-tip them and I would personally be skeptical that this can be done - if Francois and his colleagues can't do it then I'd personally doubt whether anyone can.
It's my understanding that the limitation relates to how things are bonded together in the manufacturing process, so it may well be that replacement with new 'works' - keeping only the cartridge body - as provided by the factory, is the only reliable way forward.
It would certainly explain Miyajima's replacement-only policy, but not necessarily the price charged - for example Audio Note UK do much the same with their Io cartridges (keep the metal body and magnets, but replace the inner 'works') - but given the relatively expensive purchase price the service/replacement cost is quite modest, encouraging owners to see an Io as effectively a lifetime purchase rather than a consumable. I do hope Miyajima reflect on the current situation and do the right thing.
I currently have four Miyajima cartridges - a Madake, a Zero 0.7, a Premium 1.0, and an Kotetu 78. I am currently pondering the purchase of a Takumi for less-critical listening (so that the Madake doesn't wear out too fast). But I might just stick with my SPU Royal N for that.
I already have an Ikeda 9C III for high days and holidays - used sparingly, again for reasons of wear avoidance (Ikeda Sound Labs no longer service these older, Ikeda-san built models). I would hate to have to put the Madake in the same 'occasional use only' category because of fear of the cost of the inevitable rebuild.
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Well, I'm a huge fan of the SPU Royal N (this is my third and I swore I wouldn't sell it again). All the Miyajima stereo cartridges have a debt to the SPU series, so there is something of a common character, but much as I love the SPU, the Madake has an 'ahhh that's good' kind of rightness about it when I put it in - it's not any more detailed or punchy than the SPU, but it's just so musical.
The Ikeda is a different thing entirely. If you know the Decca London cartridges you'll know about seat of the pants presentation, it's compelling listening (if a bit exhausting). The Ikeda takes this vividness and kicks up up a gear. Great for showing off equipment and hearing the ultimate detail that's on a record. But the Miyajima beats it for musicality and enjoyment. That's not to say that it's missing anything, but that the whole is more organic and believable. The 9C is a superb cartridge though in its own terms.
This on a pair of Ikeda tonearms btw (my TD124 MkII currently has an older model Ikeda IT-407 12in arm at the back, and a post 2011 Ikeda IT-345 CR1 9in arm at the side on the main armboard.
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I wouldn't personally send a Madake to either NWA or Expert.
Ana Mighty Sound in France seem to be the high-end retip specialists in Europe these days.
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@wynpalmer4
Ana did a (part)bamboo cantilvered retip for me of a Premium BE 1.0 mono and to my ears it out performs my standard Zero 0.7, especially since I started using the MIyahia ETR-Mono SUT (which is a must with these cartridges - it's out and out stunning).
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