Which tonearm for vintage Micro Seiki BL-91

Funhawk,

are you using a SUT I have a Denon AU340 for the DL103D and a Uesugi SUT (L) for for the 103R. I had a MA500 head amp but the AU 340 was better sounding. Please let me know what you have. i like the sound of the 64S too its magic with the 103D but somehow I feel the 103D is more pure/true sounding.

Tgaral i noticed before you had a Uesugi SUT at some stage?

michael

Funkhawk
thanks for the input. I've been reading very positive comments here on audiogon about STAX, Grace, SAEC FR64s etc
Only thing is that FR is realy very expensive at this moment, STAX is more accessible and Grace is hard to find.
Michael
Yes I had a Uesugi bro-5 and liked it with my Luxman LMC-1 cartrdige and even with an old Denon dl-55 but was rather soft and detailed. I lided it with Classical music Violin Cello etc but for Jazz and rock it was too smooth in my system. I replaced it with a Cinemag from Bob's Devices and found that an amazing dynamic/punch improvement in comparison with the Uesugi.
So far I like the SAEC WE-308L most on my BL-91. Micro seiki was not bad but too light for my Miyajima Shilabe: The Saec is has a bit more detail, better instrument positioning and most important for me sounds more "LIVE" than the MA-505, and Morch that I had the chance to try on this BL-91. I am cleanig it thouroughly now. Some people have reomended me the SAEC WE407/23 but it is too expensive. Other people like Miyajima-san himself for example recomended me the WE-308L some weeks ago. He is using this arm himself in his listening room on a Garard 301 that he has restored completely. I could buy one for a very reseanable price with SA-500E stabilizer (that I'm not using) and SAEC S1 bracket.
If I find a reasonable priced WE-407, STAX U9 or Grace I will certainly try them. AT this moment I'm in my "trial episode" :-)
Enjoy the music.

For de Denon dl-103D I usually do not use a step-trafo. I use a Creek OBH-15 a MC pre-amp. For the Denon dl-103R, I sometimes use a Denon au-320 step-up, but my default step-up trafo is an Ortofon T-30 (28 Ohm setting). My last trafo is a Dynavector DV-6x, but I have not tried it with the Denon dl-103R.

Ikeda IT 345/407 are good match for the shilabe , probably for the MS too
Since they use to work with FR as standard in the past

Hello
it has been a while... very busy with photography here
So far I have been able to compare on my Micro Seiki BL-91 :
Saec WE-308L (which I restaured myself) with Micro Seiki MA-505 1st version (sold) and Moerch UP-4 (new).
They all received a Miyajima Shilabe as this is my favourite cartridge.
As commented by BPoleti and Br3098 the MA-505 gives more musical sound. The WE-308L outstands in immediacy and punch. The difference is very clear here. For us it is a matter of taste but also it depends on the kind of music. They both sound great. As to the Moerch. It sounds more "normal" nothing special but has good tight and deep bass and is good all rounder but again without drawing the attention to the music. I may say it is very neutral or maybe a bit flat. When we listen to the other two arms our attention goes to the music as if we where at a live performance but each in a different way.
Trying to get my hands on a Lustre GST 801 or a Fidelity research FR64 .
I sold the MA 505 because I had a bad experience with the seller (an ebay seller from Hongkong ) ... and wanted to get rid of the bad experience.
I will decide after trying out the FR and the Lustre if I will buy another MA-505
At this moment the Moerch will go and the SAEC can stay.
Enjoy the music