Dear Zhuwei1231: The shape body is similar but that is only what is similar between these Astatic cartridges. Its electrical characteristics are a little different and performs different but if you own them you can try the MF-100 stylus " body " on the MF-300 and see what happen.
I own them but I never try this kind of test.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear T_bone: Thank you for the link.
I think that that price is a very fair one for a cartridge like this one even if the price was 5K dls. IMHO still fair.
I own the serial numbers: 4221 and 4121. My only " concern " on the cartridge at the picture is that shiny at the front of the cilinder cartridge body, no one of my two AKG samples comes or see in that way.
I hope one of you can put his hands on this " baby ", good luck.
regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear friends: Any one of you could help me with your advise ( by email. ) on how I can post pictures?, I want to make the review of some cartridges and if is possible I want to post along cartridge pictures.
Thank you in advance.
Regaqrds and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Lewm: Maybe I don't explain well in what I posted.
I'm not using the 507 only its headshell ( model ) and I'm using it not with the 20FL but with the Astatic MF-100 on an AT 1503MK3 tonearm.
Actually the M20FL is mounted in a Grace G-940 with a " simple/plain " ( even I don't know who was the headshell manufacturer. ) and nothing especial aluminum headshell.
Maybe the differences on the 20FL quality performance perceptions are not only because different set-ups but because this cartridge has 33+ years was build and can be differenecs in cartridge samples due to this very long time where maybe some cartridge parameters could changed.
I don't try yet my three cartridge samples to find if its performance is the same.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear T_bone: Thank's for your advise.
I already see pictures directly on thread/post but I can't remember where.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Downunder: You have to check for continuty on the internal tonearm cabnle/wires and in the IC tonearm to phono stage cable.
For separate check the cartridge as Lewm point out.
Regrads and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Downunder: Yes I try Ikeda and Orsonic but I prefer the Belldream and as you point out: nice price too.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Halcro Good to read that what you heard through the 20FL is similar of what some of us heard.
Yes the M20FL Super is very good like other vintage MM/MIs, one advantage on the 20FL is that today exist a source for the cartridge when in other MM/MIs we have to be " fishing " trough the Net.
About loading we know that in many ways is system dependent and in this case you are using 160pf additional to the cable capacitance and the cartridge is sensible to this factor: more capacitance gives more " highs ". So, your loading ( impedance/capacitance ) is a little different than mine. Can you change that capacitance loading in your Phonolinepreamp?, I agree with you these cartridges needs care about loading and not only on impedance ( like LOMC ) but on capacitance where we have to " play " with two parameters and its relationship to achieve the best performance on the cartridges.
It will be interesting how the 20FL performs on your Copperhead.
I have to say that the 20FL like other MM/MIs are very friendly with tonearms.
Btw, in my system I prefer the 20FL quality perfromance over the Garrot P77.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Dgarretson: I can't talk about the Empire 888X-EX but I can talk about the MF-100 that you own.
I urge you to try it with that unsual high VTA/SRA, I hope that like me you can/could have a very nice " surprise " with its quality performance and over that Helikon.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Downunder: You can buy the M20E stylus replacement and use it with the 20FL cartridge.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Halcro: +++++ " Surely this demonstrates that once you achieve a certain level of playback accuracy, the 'type' of turntable and its drive system together with the 'type' of arm and its length becomes 'incidental' as long as the implementation is excellent " +++++
I agree and wouuld like to add some thoughts about:
IMHO your statement is similar of many experiences I had not only on the cartrridge subject but with other audio items but ( alway exist the " but " ) that happen when the audio systems has similar/alike level performance and each one person has similar/alike music perception capacity.
In other non-Agon forum some of the people that are trying the M20FL Super have experiences a little different of what we report and that differences IMHO ( and through my experiences on the subject. ) comes in " natural " way due to audio system performance level due to audio system limitations. Almost all their audio system are on the mid/low high-end performance level, they can't appreciate the true performance of this cartridge but not because the cartridge it self but because those systems does not have a high level performance. Even many of them compare the 20FL with other MM and MC cartridges that I know very well and that are or have an inferior level performance than the 20FL but where they think are at the same level.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Dgarretson: +++++ " may I add to your remarks. IMO once the rest of the system "arrives" at a certain level of refinement, it is possible to enjoy a relatively wide range of cartridges without much preoccupation as to which is best." +++++
no single doubt about. That's why I report on so many cartridges where almost all of them are at top level performance.
In the past and due that I was reporting cartridge performance , one after the other, where all those cartridges really had top performance Lewm posted that each one report " was the cartridge of the week " ( new kid on the blok. ), but was not in that way what was happening is exactly what you posted.
Btw, if I post that " this is better than this " is only a personal reference opinion that could help to other people.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Lewm: +++++ " It confirms that I have not lost my mind (or my hearing), nor am I being subconsciously swayed by the herd mentality that this thread may engender. " +++++
I know what you mean because many times I feel or think that " if what I'm hearing is what I'm hearing ".
As we growing up on our each one audio learning curve as we need less that " confirmation ", we trust more and more in our " ears " but a " confirmation " on what we are hearing ( for other person(s). ) give us " calm " on mind. Our audio hobby is not a " stand alone/solitaire" one it is a hobby that always " eat " from what other and we have to share on our daily audio/music experiences.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Downunder: How close do you have the Raven power supply and/or the motor from the 20FL?
It is clear that there is no problem with the Phantom ( Halcro is using it with the 20FL. ) but something " around " that could be almost anything: motor TT, TT PS, cable " orientation ", etc, etc..
+++++ " you could hear the Raven motor start and stop thru the tweeter " +++++
this comes from the PS desing that are not " blokcing " this kind of transient on the switching.
Why your cartridge is so sensitive about? is something hard to say.
Is dificult to help in this kind of problem if we are not " there " to make some tests.
Good that you are hearing the cartridge in a different set up. Please let us your findings after 30 hours of play with the 20FL.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Montepilot: As you know the MM/MI " experience " is almost " new " to almost all of us and this means that we are still learning about, especially on the cartridge load ( impedance/capacitance ) and VTA/SRA set up.
Time to time we are discovering ( and the people share with us in the thread ) " new moves/play " that permit a better cartridge quality performance.
So IMHO I think that we don't have ( yet ) especific and absolute rules.
For some time I don/did't have the time to try a different figure to 100K along no phono stage adding capacitance ( only the one on the IC cable. ) to load my cartridges.
When I start this thread I find that almost all the cartridges I tested performed a little better over 70K than 47K but its performances at 47K was very good too ( in those times I was using around 200pf on capacitance. ).
Certainly the Phonolinepreamp and due to its each one design performs different with different load settings, it seems to me that the load impedance is part of the cartridge " fine tunning " process.
There are several persons that are enjoying their MM/MI cartridges at 47K and even at a lower value like Halcro..
Now, as important is the cartridge load ( impedance/capacitance ) set up as important are all the other " normal " cartridge set up parameters. Obviously that the quality/execution design on each one of our phono stages makes a difference.
The MM/MI alternative is no different than the MC one where if we want to achieve the best cartridge performance we have to take in count every single " factor " on the overall set up: matched tonearm, cartridge overhang alingn, Azymuth, VTA/SRA, VTF, Anti-skate, right load impedance/capacitance, etc, etc. So and in the case of cartridge loading is desired that you can " play " with different impedance/capacitance setting values to that " fine tunning " but if you can't go over 47K this does not means that you can't hear a good performance with a MM/MI cartridge because at 47K you will hear a very good performance.
Btw, I will try ( I can't say when. ) to test some of my cartridges again at 47K ( and maybe at 30K. ). Dgarretson already build an add-on " system " in his phono stage to make infinite cartridge loading settings, I'm sure that he could share his findings with us on the subject.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear friends: The " new tool " on VTA/SRA ( unusual/higher than " normal ". ) set up makes that I start a revision on some cartridge performance and I want to make a " stop " with my findings on the Astatic MF-100 where this new set up changed the overall/whole cartridge quality performance that I knew for the MF-100.
Before the VTA/SRA change the MF-100 was a very good performer if a little " reserved " with no to much excitment or something very especial. The VTA/SRA change " transform " totally the cartridge music presentation for the better way better.
Btw and before go on I want to say what this new VTA/SRA cartridge set up bring to my cartridge evaluations: in the " past " my experiences put the AKG P-100LE at the very top cartridge quality performance where " no one can touch it ", this quality range on the cartridges put the AKG at least two steps further/higher/a-top than any other cartridge I know/tested, well this distance ( 2 steps beyond. ) not only already reduced but in the case of the MF-100 and the B&O MMC2 ( that I'm testing and comparing. ) already even that top quality performance, with the 20FL Super almost there.
No, I don't try yet the AKG P100-LE with the new set up due that one of my cartridge AKG samples is on the " road " ( along my Technics P100CMK4 and others. ) to Van denHul for a " refresh " and I don't want to touch the sample I have here till the other come back to me.
In the other side: yes IMHO the Astatic MF-100 and the B&O MMC2 ( Lewm I would like to hear from you on the MMC1 that you own or any other MMC2/1 owner, thank you. ) are better performer than the Ortofon M20FL Super!!!
It is not easy to think a better or an improve over the 20FL Super quality performance but I find out and in very clear an precise way.
As always I use the same test track recordings where I find that the low bass in the M20FL Super is a little more " colored " and not as detailed, tight and deep like the Astatic and the B&O, these ones have more control on the bass notes and more precision in this frequency range. At the other side of the frequency and more specific at 3khz to 6k/7Khz it happen the same: where the Astatic and B/O are not only precise but with an aptitude/ability to differentiate between notes not only on different " near " sounding " instruments but for example: at the beguining of the Hotel California track the player scratch/rasp ( in spanish " rascar ". ) all the guitar chords at the same time and we heard a pleaseant/crystaline with beautiful harmonics and texture through the 20FL but through the Astatic and B&O we can hear not only that but the single touch/note on each guitar chord in a way that the 20FL can't match, it is not only the sound of that single chord but what it generates on texture/harmonics and overall presentation. Same happen in the mid range and mid bass: the MF-100 and the MMC2 give us more precise/detail/transparency and palpability of the whole venue than the 20FL, even the Astatic and B&O I can say are more refined and with better " sonority " , I don't know if this word exist in English but what I want to say is: the way a musical instrument and the music sounds. How a musical instrument resound. This kind of " sonority " was lost in any other MM/MI/MC cartridge I heard but appear for the very first time with the AKG P-100LE and the Astatic MF-100 along the B&O MMC2. The M20FL has it but in more " modest/reserved/shy " way.
The Astatic MF-100 and B&O MMC2 ability to differentiate " things " on a recording is part of its superiority over the 20FL. I'm not talking here on subtle details or inner detail sound but on the main " melody ", with the " front " main music/recording presentation and ovbiously this kind of differentiate ability makes that the different layers in the soundstage were/are not only more precise but with greater sound instrument definition.
Please don't understood that all these: precision, transparency, definition, etc, etc, that I'm talking about could mean: a lean, cool, analitic music presentation NO I'm talking on full and natural/organic and emotional music performance where more than ever we can distinguish the whole venue where the performance was in place.
All these three cartridges ( MM/MIs ) are great performers but I like it more the Astatic and B&O performance than the 20FL.
It is not easy to make comparisons with audio items with so high quality performance like these MM/MI's cartridges. It take me a little time and track recording test repetition one after one to understand and be clear on what is happening.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Dgob: As I posted these three cartridges are really good but even at this top performance level there are diffrences for the better in the MF-100 and MMC2.
Now, the Astatic MF-100 and the B&O MMC2 has so similar performance that is very hard to say its differences. IMHO both are at the same performance level, both are so neutral and with the same tone balance that with " close eyes " maybe we can't say which one is which one, its music presentation is way similar. Each one cartridge signature?, I can't find it ( in the way we detect the Koetsu signature. ), both has almost no detectable colorations, maybe I need more playing time with both to be more " precise " about.
I can't say how the P-76 react to that VTA/SRA set up, we have to try it: some cartridges will have a benefit but others maybe not, the VTA/SRA is a critical factor and with a so unsual one is hard to generalize about: we have to try, hear and decide.
+++++ " Nice to find some commonalities. " +++++
yes, a confirmation on this kind can/could tell us that we are in a " good road " on the subject.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Lewm: Yes, I know what you mean but in my case my " know-how spirit " tell me to go on, Lewm I have to test more than 80 cartridges!!
Btw, the MMC1 and the MMC2 are same/similar cartridges the difference is that the MMC1 was a B&O " hand selected " cartridge. I could think that the MMC1 quality performance must be at least with the MMC2. I know that you want follow hearing the 20FL but IMHO you have on hand teh B&O that could be worth to test it and find out that is a little better than the 20FL. Anyway, when you can/decide to do it please come back to us and share those experiences.
Btw, as I posted before my Grado " suffer " an improve with that VTA/SRA set up, maybe yours too.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Downubder: Yes, only differ on the stylus shape/compliance/VTF.
regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Axelwahl: I have on hand the box where comes my original Empire stylus replacement that I'm using in that cartridge and I can read this:
" Replacement Stylus S 1000ZE/X Black "
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Halcro: What are you missing when load the 20FL over 30K?, I want at least imagine what is happening because other that your set up no other person report something similar with that cartridge.
Thank you in advance.
regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Lewm: It is no surprise tome that Ayre/Hansen attitude about cartridges and I understand it.
Almost no phono stage designer is " aware " of the importance that can have the MM/MI alternative and that's why almost all of them make their designs with focus on MC cartridges, the MM option in their designs are only that: an option but not a " true " option where the design is at the same quality level than the MC stage.
It is " normal " that this happen because the market and the whole marketing strategy with phono stages is centered in MC cartridges.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Timeltel: The headshell that I recomended to Downunder is very good option at a fair price.
About the Grace F9 this is what an Agon friend find out:
+++++ " Update; I measured my GRACE F-9 carts, and the "gold" carts (Serial # 346xx & 362xx) have a typical coil-resistance of 470 ohm, & ~420mH, My "silver" (Serial # 985xx) measure 650 ohm & ~400+mH. They do sound different, and I think the "gold" likes slightly higher load..? I normally prefer the "silver". regards Arne Karlsen NORWAY
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My Grace's are silver body.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Halcro: Now we are in the same ship. It is clear that with this " new " experiences and kind of sound we have to make test one after one to have very clear what is happening. My findings on the LOMC cartridges sound is similar.
+++I strongly recommend that you attempt this experiment in BOTH directions several times. It really places the respective properties in brilliant context. ++++++++
I made it and make every week or ten days and till to today my opinion is the one you posted on the LOMC subject. I still heard/hear LOMC because of that: I don't want to lose " floor " on the MM/MI/MC whole subject.
Right now I'm testing the Sonus Dimension 5 and its quality perfromance is beyond any single reproach and no no single LOMC that I know/heard is near it.
Sometimes when we have this so high quality performance level is almost impossible to come back and enjoy a LOMC because the LOMC sound is so with out life and sterile that we can go on and have to switch to the MM/MI alternative. Btw, IMHO as better is your audio system quality performance as truer are my words.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Halcro: +++++" But there are also certain endemic qualities to the very best LOMC cartridges that MM/MI cartridges may not be able to match? " +++++
this can be true as the other way around too, unfortunatelly you don't have the opportunity yet to hear the " very best MM/MI's " only the very best LOMC's.
+++++ " So why do we need to proclaim one technology "The Best" +++++
I don't think is need it and at the end maybe a useless proclaim, both technologies have its own trade-offs.
Btw Downunder: in a purist point of view there is an exist " the best " and certainly not that " only the best for you ": NO, I mean " the best " ( if not: why do you buy the A-90 and in the near future the " next " one. ). This is not the place to open this window but think about.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Halcro: When I mounted the B&O MMC2 I don't aware that the VTA/SRA was higher than the unusual one but I don't aware because was sounding very good but when I start making comparisons against the 20FL and the MF-100 I fall in count that something was wrong and then I lower the VTA/SRA and Voilá everything change for the better ( especially the frequency extremes. ).
I wonder what could happen in your set up if you " play " a little with the VTA/SRA 20FL set up, maybe is worth to do it because what you are hearing are not my experiences with that cartridge. To play a little with that VTA/SRA set up is only a thought about.
regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Lewm: +++++ " The M20FL gives a bigger, juicier sound; I especially like the way it does the overtones of a piano or of the human voice. The MC7500 is a bit more clinical but not excessively so. It reveals more of the micro and maybe a little less of the macro. (This is what all of us have been saying all along this thread about the best of the MM/MI cartridges compared to good MCs. It must be true.) " +++++
that is an endemic MM/MIs characteristic and I love it because this is the way that IMHO we hear/heard real music in that frequency range and where the music " reside " and if the MM/MIs perform in that way can/could be that is the way the music is in the recording.
Through the years the type of reviews made that all of us put more interest/attention on tiny details of the music audio system performance than in the " main " music quality performance. We can enjoy the music with and with out those tiny details that even in a live event we are not aware/discern where they are or comes from.
IMHO what give us emotional enjoy listening music is how the music mains " melody " wake up our feelings and this " music main melody " reside mainly to the whole midrange frequency range ( I'm not saying that the other frequency ranges are not important, everything is important. ) where the MM/MIs shows better that endemic characteristic.
I have to say that as we go up on the quality performance that shows different cartridges what we heard is more " detail "/resolution/deep bass/transparency at frequency extremes but that endemic MM/MIs characteristic is mantained and enriched with that frequency extremes improvements.
IMHO the 20FL are 3-4 steps from the top, your B&O MMC1 or MMC2 are IMHO two setps up to the 20FL.
Now, that the 20FL could be compared with top LOMC ones is IMHO a good compliment but the quality performance on the MM/MI alternative certainly not end with the 20FL but goes beyond it! and this fact IMHO is what makes so exiting this MM/MI alternative. IMHO we are discovering only a part of the " iceberg ".
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
|
Dear Lewm: You can buy here for 99.00: http://cgi.ebay.com/Ortofon-D-20-E-Super-Stylus-M-20-E-FL-Super-NOS_W0QQitemZ400089498518QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5d27314396#ht_2178wt_1165
The AT20SS is a good cartridge but I don't try it in these " different " times/days.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Doctorcilantro: Here you have that information: http://www.musicalsurroundings.com/clearaudio/mm.html
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear friends: Merry Christmas to you and your beloved family!!!
Sincerely,
Raul. |
Dear Zhuweil231: Yes, the latter is a big step up. Both are different ( more refinements. ) designs, the stylus replacement in both cartridges are the same when you see it but if you take the one fromm the Gold Blue it does not works ( it fits. ) in the Dimension 5.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Lewm: +++++ " I do think you changed your tune radically as regards the M20FL....."+++++
no, I'm still think that the 20FL is a great performer but as I posted is not the " end " and things happen that I find with other cartridges a little better overall quality performance. The 20FL has a place on the perfirmance ladder but exist different level of performance and there are other cartridges that are steps over the 20FL on that performance ladder. I don't want that my posts were understand as if the 20FL was not what it is: a very good cartridge.
regards and enjoy the music, Raul |
Dear Axelwahl: I can't say it for sure because I never seen that ERD Empire cartridge but you can read here too that the stylus replacement is that: http://www.vinylengine.com/library/empire/1000-ze/x.shtml
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Lewm: I always try to be consistent even in the test tracks recordings.
Same load, same cables, same internal tonearm wiring, same electronics, similar SPL, etc, etc. I use two tonearms the GS-940 and the AT 1503 and test the cartridges in both tonearms, I used similar headshells with each cartridge.
Other factor is that like everyone I know very well my system and not only that but the " signature " of tonearms, headshells, loading, etc..
Lew, I'm very carefully not to deceive/cheat my self ( makes no sense to do it. ) and/or mislead other people on the subject.
My target is to build that ladder performance level with these kind of tests and finally adjust each cartridge ladder position with an strict " fine tunning " through our self design tonearm ( that is not already finished. ), at least the top 10s-20s.
Lew, till today I think that I'm doing more or less well because my findings almost coincide with the experiences of other people ( including you ), are not exactly the same due to system differences but overall near in between. Certainly that I can and have mistakes but you can be sure that I try to do the best " work " with the resources I have on hand.
Anyway, the best judge in what each one of us is hearing are each one of us.
This thread is a experiences sharing stage where IMHO we can learn on the whole MM/MI alternative subject to improve our each one enjoy at home.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Timeltel: Thank to bring that Grace information.
I never had/have the opportunity to hear the L model so I can't say how compares against the Ruby one that IMHO is the best Grace cartridge.
+++++" Still fiddling with the M20FL, now at 400pF. I will not compare it until I can resolve the exceedingly recessed midrange of my example.... " ++++++
well in my experience with the 20FL I noted that the cartridge presentation ( voives. ) are a little recessed in comparison with other cartridges like the Astatic MF-100 or the Sonus Dimension 5. " Esceedingly " could be a faulty cartridge and time to ask for a seller cartridge change.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Timeltel: I can't go inside the link you posted, I can read that the " link is missing ". Could you help sending a more " direct " way to read that interesting information.?
Thank you in advance.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Jaspert: maybe a different ( metalic. ) headshell could help because the bass on the 20FL is a good one.
Regrads and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear friends: I forgot to post about the P77 ( that I try it again. ) and the MP-50. Well the P-77 is now on 6 range level along the 20E Super with the MP-50 border 6-7 range level.
I already receive some emails asking for LOMC ranging. My experiences and opinion is that the Lyra Olimpos and Allaerts Formula One belongs to 8 range level where the A90 and Coral are border line 7-8 range level, NO no single LOMC that I heard belongs to the 9 range level. The Xv-1 is clear a top 7 range level.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Halcro: Unfortunatelly there is no know source about: ebay, Agon or other net sites.
The Sonus Dimension 5 is extremely hard to find and the Empire 1000 Ze/x is a little more " easy " but not so easy.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Downunder: I confirm and agree with each single word I posted that you are refering on your last post, I repeat I don't change any single word I posted
I'm still thinking in that way: ++++ " where I agree the top MM/MI has one step a head. " +++++
Over the whole thread I always speak of MM/MI alternative never like " the only one ". I speak that both alternatives are not perfect and due to that has their each own trade offs.
What do you want on a cartridge ranking? that I put the top LOMC cartridges below the 5 range level?, this is impossible and make no sense because all those LOMC that I name it has its each merits to be there where they are.
Downunder, I'm not a " deaf " man and can appreciate the quality performance of those LOMC cartridges as its drawbacks. That I prefer the MM/MI alternative quality performance does not means that I don't like the top LOMC alternative. I can live with any of those LOMC name it in my post but if I have on hand some top MM/MI ( that fortunatelly I have. ) then I prefer to enjoy the music through the MM/MI alternative, no single doubt about.
The Olympos and Formula One are the nearest LOMC performers to the very top MM/MI's.
So, IMHO there is no " inconsistency " in my words/posts, sure I can have mistakes or I can rectified on a cartridge performance but this does not means " contradicting ".
Downunder like you I'm not perfect.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Zhuweil231: Just by curiosity, I try to give you answers to almost all of your several posts in this thread regarding different cartridges performance: which of all those cartridges do you own?
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Zhuweil231: Good.
You need to find the MF-100, it does not works fine in MF-200 body.
Here you can find a NOS stylus replacement for your 1000 Ze/x: http://www.adelcom.net/EmpireStylus1.htm
The 4000D/III is very good but I don't try it for a long time so I can't be sure its " today " performance especially against the 1000 ZE/x.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Jaspert: I have to test the 1080 again to be sure about. I will do it and let you know.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Roy: Welcome aboard.
Your post is facinating for say the least and gives us a in deep information ( especially on the Empire subject. ) where we have so many doubts and that now we have the right answers, thank you for that.
I'm using only the cable capacitance to run my cartridges: 100-150pf but like you say this value is system dependent and we have to try and find out which value is best for each one of us.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Lewm: Like a year and a half from now some people ask me ( posted in this thread. ) for a MM/MI cartridge ranking, even one or two of them really push in that direction, I decided that due that I have not enough experience on this " new " alternative and that I don't try yet many cartridges I can't make a cartridge performance ranking.
After all these two years/long, fun and learning process where I not only tested more cartridges but thank's to each one of you experiences/feedback in the thread I decide that maybe it is time to beguin with an enunciative cartridge performance ladder.
What makes me to choose a 10 range steps ladder was pecisely the complexity of the subject and the diversity of the cartridges ( I own more than 60 different ones and growing up!. ). As exist different levels on " bad " as exist different levels on " good " " very good " or whatever. Even with " only " ten steps I'm in problems with a more precise ranking.
As any ranking evaluation my choose can't leave everybody happy as can't leave everybody happy which cartridges I rank on which performance range step on that ranking ladder.
As I posted my ranking could help to some people and maybe can't help to other people: these facts are not on argueing.
Right now I'm on a detailed each step information and main step cartridge characteristics.
I have to say that this is my very first attemp on the subject and over the time I will try to make it more precise for can help to a wide range of people.
The cartridge ranking has all my experiences and knowledge on audio music I have, I'm not biased or have any kind of preferences other than MUSIC and as better is your system as near will be your own experience with that cartridge ranking.
This is only a point to start and through your own experiences along mine we all can help to enrich that quality performance ranking ladder.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Btw, other than Downunder whom of you already own the Empire 1080LT? , I aprreciate that you could post your experiences with that Empire cartridge.
Regards and enjoy the music, raul. |
Dear pryso: That Empire 750LTD is very good performer.
In my cartridge box that LTD denomination say: Limited Edition Cartridge, that's all.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Downunder: +++++ " So is this the new Emperor ? " +++++
well maybe no but IMHO is a " heavy " contender.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |
Dear Timeltel: Do you already try a " high " VTA/SRA with that cartridge? how high? performance differences?
Thank's.
Regards and enjoy the music, Raul. |