Raul,
Turntable choice is a personal one in that I doubt noone can claim what's best for everybody.
I don't claim the Sondek is the best. But the OPs deck, if it's set up correctly, the Akiva should sound right to the EKOS. ( even if it's not my choice )
And certainly I can't say the Akiva is the best cartridge for the price but it was designed to go with the very arm the OP has. Which makes it a natural partner and ensure the compatibility. Same goes for the Troika mentioned earlier. ( altho, the voicing would vary depending on retipper )
There are many many cartridges available for every price point, but it seems it's a logical place to start with the one is intended for the deck and the arm. |
Dear Misskuma: I don't understand what you mean or try to imply when you refer to LP12.
A tonearm and a cartridge ( any combination. ) IMHO are not two audio items but only one. How it performs depend 80%+ on its intimate relationship.
From this point of view the LP12 is a decent TT but certainly not the best or one of the top TT's out there, any one of the TT's I own ( DD and BD designs. ) IMHO outperform a LP12 ( I was a LP12 owner years ago and sold it because I needed to " keep walking ". ).
Your post seems to imply that " after LP12 " there are nothing more/else and this is absolutely untrue.
Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul. |
Certainly I see no LP12 in the stack. :) |
Dear Misskuma and Sprog: Here you can read about my audio system components:
http://forums.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vdone&1115433273
Regrads and enjoy the music,
Raul. |
Good reply Misskuma, but in my experience a phono stage is the most important - assuming a decent high-end turntable (oh, endless discussions/battles maybe to come..!) is in place.
I'm assuming Raul has a good turntable Misskuma.
The phono stage is king to hear what's going on with a cartridge, if you already have at least a pretty damn good turntable and arm.
Raul - I'm assuming you do? |
and more importantly, which table? |
What phono stage are you using Raul? |
Dear Sprog: I own and owned a lot of LOMC cartridges and I had at least three times for a while the A-90 in my system as many other times that I heard almost all the MC cartridges out there in different system.
The LOMC cartridge alternative is just that " an alternative " a very good indeed but in the other side exist and is alive the MM/MI cartridge alternative that's through my experiences with in the last 4-5years and in the experiences of many other Agon people tell us that it is a very good alternative too " surprisinly " good and with several advantages against the LOMC alternative.
Years ago I was sceptic/sceptical like you till I try, learn on the subject and found out that there is no single reason why " no body cares on the MM/MI alternative " but we all are victims of the " commercial corrupted " part of the AHEE.
Well if you want to test and know a little about the quality performance flavor of those MM/MI cartridges then this one can show you of what I'm talking about and till today what you are missing or not:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nagatron-9600E-Induced-Magnet-Cartridge-NOS-/280595124062?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4154c5cf5e#ht_1386wt_1139
If you have time you can contact these Agon persons on the whole subject and ask what are their opinion on MM/MI cartridges like:
Technics EPC P100CMK4 or Empire D4000III or Audio Technica AT20SS or AT24/25:
http://forums.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vaslt&1205390334
http://forums.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vaslt&1121531113
and obviously you can read about on that very long thread and in my Agon official reviews:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1200430667&&&/Who-needs-a-MM-cartridge-type-when-we-ha
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr_memb.pl?0&1&listrevs&zzRauliruegas
there are many people that could give you their opinions as there are several MM/MI cartridges that performs at the nera, at the same level and even that outperform not only the A-90 but IMHO any LOMC cartridge out there.
Anyway as I told you the MM/MI is just another analog source alternative.
Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul. |
Sprog, my comments were directed at Marcussantiago in answer to his question and not at your response. He was asking for opinions on what cartridges would be recommended. I responded with my experience, which is one mans opinion, that I wanted to share with him. It was only a suggestion to him, and was not directed at your contribution. So I appologize for any misinterpretation that my comments were directed at you.
TO:Marcussantiago, I only suggest that you take a look at the Lyra products as they are pleasing to my ears and work well with my system, I updated my cartridge as my Troika was in great shape and very sellable. I did not sell it because it was inferior in any way, however I (personal opinion)felt it was of an older design and the new Lyras presented a new application of new technology. Take a look at thir website and read what they have done, also Fremer wrote a pretty good review of the Delos a few months back in Stereophile. the tough part about getting a new cartridge is especially on an Linn is that it is no easy to change them in and out for demos. I always remove my arm to change it per my dealers strong insistance to prevent bearing damage. I adhere to this because I can't afford to find out if he is right or wrong by ruining a great arm.
Final Note: All other suggestions here are valid and good mine is just in addition to those stated, I am not familiar with them and may come to find out I might have researched my purchase further, that's what I like about AudioGon is the contined learning about this passion we have for music reproduction. |
Hey Raul,
You say "There are some vintage MM/MI cartridges that for " penauts " are a challenge even for the A-90"
Are you serious? Really? What... ?
Yes, the A90 is "something". Something that I've never heard before in a cartridge. It's out there on it's own, in my experience. It is amazing. |
Point taken Theo, but I was talking about an Expert Stylus re-tipped Troika, which is a major improvement on the original. Major.
Anyway, interesting posts. Ekos + Troika (ES re-tip) is top banana. 20 years later - see my first post - I'm not saying it's the "best" arm/cartridge combination ever, I'm only talking about the Ekos as that's what this thread started as - However I keep coming back to this combination as my second arm, it's really special, especially for rock and has a amazing "thrill" factor. |
Why are you skipping the obvious?
Linn Akiva sounds great on your arm. |
I recently sold my Troika and bought a Lyra Delos and then traded up to the Kleos. Both sounded better than the Troika, which in it's day was considered a great Linn cart for the LP12, and it was. But the new generation Lyra's have a much more delicate, natural, precise without being over analytical approach. The Lyra's musicality has added to my listening hours, I would highly recommend you looking at either. The Delos does a wonderful job but the Kleos takes it to the next two levels. I am using the same arm along with trampolin, cirkus, new motor with Lingo, and recently set up by the dealer. Phone stage is the Linto for your comparison. I listen to more rock than jazz but I can tell Radio K.A.O.S. and Battle of Evermore take on whole new life! |
Wow you people gave me a cartridge overload . This is an interesting shopping list. Thanking you for the recomendations. I will let you all know which was my choice before christmas. |
Dear Sprog: That A-90 is " something "., good that you own it.
I see that you owned only MC cartridges. There are some vintage MM/MI cartridges that for " penauts " are a challenge even for the A-90, maybe you could try some one in the future: you will be nicely " surprised ", I think.
regards and enjoy the music,
Raul. |
No Rauliruegas I've not heard it with that one, but I have heard it with the following:
Linn Karma, Linn Klyde, Linn Arkiv, Dynavector 17d2, Audio Technica OC9, Shelter 901, Shelter 901Mk2, Shelter 90x, Zyx Atmos, plus some others over the years that I can't remember now.
I agree Rauliruegas, it's a superb arm, one of the greats.
You like rock Marcussantiago? With a Troika the Ekos sounds superb. I'm talking of 20 years of experience with an Ekos (and I have other arms including an SME V, Origin Live Conqueror and Ortofon 309-d). The others can sound "better" (whatever that really means) with different cartridges, but the combination of an Ekos and a Troika is magical as an all-round package. Probably why good ones still fetch high prices on e-bay ... I'm not the only one who's noticed!
My current "reference" is the Ortofon 309-d with an A90. But I still love the sound of the Ekos and Troika, it's the second arm on my turntable and takes the place of all the others I've mentioned above.
Good luck! |
Dear Sprog: Do you already heard the Nagaoka I posted?, because you said: " nothing sounds as good. ".
Or this one that can works very fine with too:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nagatron-9600E-Induced-Magnet-Cartridge-NOS-/280595124062?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4154c5cf5e#ht_1386wt_1139
Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul. |
Without a doubt a Expert stylus re-tipped Troika. It's a perfect combination - and I've tried many over many years. Nothing sounds as good. |
Dear Marcussantiago: I like the Ekos, very good tonearm.
This cartridge can be a good match and is a great performer:
http://www.lpgear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=LG&Product_Code=NAGAOKAMP050&Category_Code=NAGAOKACART
Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul. |
I've been very happy with a Benz S M on my LP12/lingo/ekos |
