Regards, Raul, In_Shore: Thanks for the stylus info, it raised my curiosity and here's what I found. First, a little support for a personal preference, a J. Carr quote: "Too large of a major radius makes azimuth adjustment more critical than most users (and many tonearms) want to deal with, and too small of a minor radius tends to create edges on the stylus that are sharp enough to chew up the groove. Based on my own experiences and observations, I like the maximum major radius to be in the 70~80um range, and the minor radius to be in the 2.5~3um range". It might be conjectured that with a less than perfectly flat LP, an extreme major radius would suffer from vertical "scrubbing", essentially a greater likelihood of introducing VTA error, bridging groove modulations and affecting slew rate/transient attack negatively. So it would seem to me. In_Shore, here's what I found concerning the Empire "Gold" 4000D3. A crude but practical means of converting mils to microns is to multiply by a factor of 2.5. Your given profile of .25 x 2.5 then compares to a 6uM x 62uM minor/major radii, a moderately "fat but tall" line contact. For comparison, a .2 x .7 elliptical is .6 x .18um major/minor. This is where it gets interesting. Popular Mechanics, Apr. 1975 reviews a number of 4-channel carts, the stylus dimensions are as supplied by Raul, the "4 Dinensional" stylus at .1mil, which would be (approx.) a 2.5uM minor radius, well within Shibata dimensions. Further, the PM (yeah, I know) article states B&O's Pramanik, Stantering's Quadrahedral and Empire's 4-Dimensional styli are Shibata variants. More! Empire Scientific patented the "paralinear" designation in 1983, the Gold D3 is interchangeable with the Empire 5000LAC, or "Large Area Contact", stylus. This might be an interesting cart, with a given inductance of 270mH, one might keep an eye open as to its availability. With the (presumably) original silver D3 stylus, it could be a winner. Some more esoteric info. here: http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=3351.15. It appears the original stylus is Shibata, the later (1983-) a line contact, both Empire's variants, a minor variation to avoid patent infringements of Shibata's original design. In_Shore, I'd also like to comment on the boxwood headshell, it seems to do a good job of controlling spurious bass resonance, concentrating the mids while still maintaining hf extension. I find it to be a neutralizing influence, on the right arm & matched to the cart it's good headshell. "You can tune a cart but you can't tunafish"- was that Joe Walsh or Mott The Hoople? :) Any corrections to the above are welcome but I think I've got it right---. Peace, |
Dear Nandric, oh i have many Acchilles heels if you are looking for that. I only give advices on stuff I know about and have tested by myself. Regarding MM you are right I will never reach out to Timetel, Raul, Halcro or you. But we need to have heroes in every field!
Nevertheless I own 20 MMs in the meantime, also comparing with my other cartridges - it is a lot of fun, also learning about strengths and weaknesses of MMs in certain environments. |
Dear Timeltel: I own that Empire LAC in NOS condition and I think I never test it. Now, that you linked that Lenco thread a original Empire 4000D3 cartridge posted that the Empire EDR.9 ( that I own too. ) is really good. This Empire was in its time the top of the line with a 250.00 retail price. I have years with this cartridge untouched and maybe is time to give a listen and confirm its performance quality level.
Regards and enjoy the music, R. |
Dear Lewm: As I posted please forget of what I said on tubes and yes I'm one of the persons that not only think but can prove that tubes can not be absolutely accurate, at least against SS ones and in a frequency range from 2hz to 100khz. As always I don't want to open the tube window to discuss it, I know you prefer tubes and I know I prefer SS and what we prefer is the important subject and not what I think on what you like.
Btw, sooner or latter I will try my Carnegie One and Carnegie two, unfortunately each single day has only 24 hours and no more.
Regards and enjoy the music, R. |
Dear Jbethree: Thank's for the Oppo info. I think that you don't have to be worried about " moderators ", feel free to post what ever you want and I'm sure that " moderators " will left pass.
Regards and enjoy the music, R. |
Regards: Decimal points gone wild there. Make that multiply by 25, not 2.5. Advice is to proof read for errors in late night posts.
Peace, |
Hi Timeltel & Lewm,
I think I am in moderation because yesterday I offered to pass on my original blue bodied Spectral Moving Coil Reference (MCR-1) cartridge to anyone interested.
Moderation, botheration and censorship!
As always... |
Dear Raul, the SAEC WE 8000 tonearm was built in small units only. Therefore it is a very very very rare arm today. You don't find it very often outside the Japanese market. You are lucky to own such a jewel. It seems to me you did not find out what to do with such a treasure? If you do not regard this arm as one of your best in your system maybe you should rethink some configurations in parts of your system. Or another option is selling it on Audiogon. |
Dear Tubed 1, The great American philosopher Goucho Marx stated: 'if you don't like my principle I have other'. This 'principle' alas does not apply to humour. I have only the Balkan kind and I really try my best. But I am aware that nobody is obligatory to like this kind. |
Dear Dover: Thank's on your advice with the Carnegie's.
On the Spectral one ( my sample ) does not shows that white sound but a natural " colored " sound. I'm impressed with this cartridge and from the first day I mounted is still mounted even that I need urgent the tonearm where is mounted because I have not only the Carnegie's in line but several LOMC cartridges that I need to test but the Spectral Refrence refuse to go.
Btw, all those designer were and are top ones and is goos to know that they colluded in those days because sharing talent/experiences is the best way to asure success.
I don't know which Burmester model you had in those times I heard Burmester two-trhee times in my life and for what I remember ( but I could be wrong. ) some of that white noise belongs to that electronics. Even top designs in those times as the great Spectral electronics were accuse of cold, lean and " white sound " with no emotions there but I'm sure that if we hear those electronics in our today system things could be totally different.
I have a lot respect for all the designers you name it and especialy to K.Johnson and S.McCormak. I knew first time B.Brisson through MIT cables and latter through his capácitors design, I used his products. All those designers certainly writed the today audio history.
Regards and enjoy the music, R. |
Dear Thuchan: Some of my vintage tonearms that I own and did not put on sale yet is because I like how it looks and the 8000 is one of them. I use it no more, believe or not I already know everything I need to know on its quality performance level and today can't help me in the Nirvana quest.
Several times that my opinion on different subjects differ drasticaly from yours and other respectable Agoner's is because my targets on that quest does not permit to me to be sticky/stuck/married with any audio item, I'm " married " with MUSIC only and what I want is to achieve the best experience any one can have through an audio system and when I say the best means: REAL, NEUTRAL, ACCURATE, DISTORTION FREE and EMOTIONAL with that marvelous POWER/DYNAMIC PRESENCE that only live music can shows.
SAEC tonearms as many other are good tonearms but not good enough for my targets.
++++ " maybe you should rethink some configurations in parts of your system. " ++++++
I don't know how you builded your audio system or what you move to make changes over time inside that system. Today I work with very precise targets ( final targets, what want I to achieve?. ) my first system steps way before tonearms/cartridges/TT and the like is to up-date/improve electronics/speakers quality performance level ( why do you think I invest 1K+ on those SR 20 fuses?. I don't have the kind of money you have, for me is a tremendous effort. ) because is through these audio system links where I can evaluate/compare cartridges, tonearms or TT. I know that I need to follow with that improve system attitude and I'm willing to do it.
So, Thuchan not because the 8000 is not good enough I have to re-think what is happening in other parts of my system. IMHO my system was and is re-thinking almost each day at a level you can imagine because you don't know it. In my system I'm aware of " things " you can't in yours not only because system limitations ( manufacturer names never build a top audio system. ) but because what you want is different of what I want and because you and me are standing in different " steps " in the Audio Learning Curve.
Regards and enjoy the music, R. |
A finger error, it has to say:
"""""""""" re-thinking almost each day at a level you can't imagine because you don't know it. """"""""""""""""
Maybe in all these friendly discussions and because how I'm training in audio every day I understand almost all what you and other posted on audio experiences ( even that I never heard it your systems. ) but for many of you is extremely dificult to understand some audio experiences I share that differs drasticaly on with the same audio item you are having.
One thing is sure, I share with all of you the main audio target: enjoy the music always.
R. |
Sorry Raul but considering the fact that we have different targets according to your own statements how can we share the same target? I dont believe it is a 'finger error'. Should this not be 'all roads lead to Rome?'
Regards, |
I have a lot respect for all the designers you name it and especialy to K.Johnson and S.McCormak. I knew first time B.Brisson through MIT cables and latter through his capácitors design, I used his products. All those designers certainly writed the today audio history.
Raul and friends please do not forget IMO one of the greatest designers in audio history his name was Robert Fulton.... he WAS the first (not monster or mit) to have an excellent audio cables capable of passing all of the musical information..these are what i use
also would give a shout out to Harold beverage for his work on very special electrostatics and electronics..also please remember it was Harold whom taught Rodger majeski basically everything he knows..
and lastly Jim Strickland for his amazing acoustats he is a very good engineer and did things right!
there are lots of interesting people in the audio world of yesteryear..
Lawrence Musical Arts |
Raul - if you are standing on the wrong staircase, then being on a higher step will be to no avail. There are no absolutes in audio. I do think we are guilty of making judgments on equipment without considering the design parameters of the product. I like Ikeda cartridges. Ikeda doesn't like jewelled bearings, he says they sound brittle and break up the sound. Would I use an Ikeda on a jewelled bearing tonearm such as a SAEC - no. But many audiophiles ignore these types of considerations. What cartridges did the SAEC designers have in mind when they designed these arms. To say you can learn nothing from retrialling a product that you didn't like tells me that your system is not progressing. If your system was truly evolving, then revisiting past products may put give you more insight. Remember, if you've never made a mistake, then you cant have learnt everything. You presumed for example that what I heard with the Spectral MCR must be the tube gear. Then when I mentioned that it went into a system with a Burmester preamp, you then changed tack and opined that what I was hearing was due to the Burmester preamp. You presumed incorrectly on just about every level. I heard that cartridge in multiple systems, both tube and solid state and with a variety of speakers both dynamic and electrostatic. |
Dear Dover: I own Ikeda cartridge and what this cartridge makes/performs well it makes in unique way against any other cartridge I know or experienced but as you say nothing is perfect or in audio there is no absolute.
Believe me or not ( and I posted several times every where in Agon forums. ) were my " daily " mistakes the ones that bring me to where I'm, was those mistakes the ones that give me my knowledge and audio skills on audio.
I try not only the Ikeda on those SAECs but several cartridges and I know very well what a colored tonearm like these can do and as I posted SAEC tonearms can't help me any more to achieve my targets.
About Burmester or Spectral electronics that once were named cold/lean/white I can tell you that today are no more with that signature were that signature IMHO was not because its design but because what surrounded these electronics. Spectral was way a head its time when people were accustomed to a different flavor. The Spectral cartridge IMHO and because what I'm hearing today was the same. As I told you try to give you an opportunity to hear again the Spectral cartridge and share with us that today experiences.
Dover, things in audio are simple but complex and through the years we are time to time changing our " audio mind equalization ", which was or is the sound of that " era " and when in that " era " surge something different with a different signature we don't like it.
Regards and enjoy the music, R. |
Dear Lharasim: Yes, I remember very well R.Fulton, I never had the money to achieve his cables but I owned a very especial TT mat that was well regarded in its time and that I know that today some people are trying to get it, in those old times I was ignorant on almost all in audio and I sold it.
About Jim Strickland I heard several times those lovely Acoustat ( I think the latest I heard was the 2+2, but I'm not sure. )that today several proudly owners refuse to change for any other speaker electrostatic or not, so some " magic " there.
Regards and enjoy the music, R. |
Dear Nandric: ++++ " Should this not be 'all roads lead to Rome?' " +++++
yes, no one of us wants to arrive Alaska but Rome. The subject is not only how can we try to arrive there but in which " condition " we arrived. I mean that all of us can arrive to Rome but I think there are " simple " things that when we are in Rome makes differences in between each one of us. These differences are the important ones that were defined for our knowledge/skills level that is different in each one of us and defined too for what we want to do in Rome and when we are in Rome what we want to know on that " city " how can we have and enjoy the Rome's fun.
Human beens are simple " items " very complex ones, any one of us are unique in almost every way other that all are human beens
Regrads and enjoy the music, R. |
But in Rome, dear Raul, Henry will go direct to the colosseum, Lew will first admire Pieta and than look for a good Barolo, I will check if Tosca is performed in the opera, some will even look for David there... etc., etc. So while Rome was our original collective target there we get the division in, say, the sub-targets. There is no such a thing as the same target for all.
Regards and enjoy whatever you like, |
"There are no absolutes in audio." Between this statement and the comments on the road to Rome there has been lots of fundamental wisdom reiterated here in the last day.
We all come from such diverse backgrounds in exposure to music and our current listening environments and budgets for this audio hobby are so different that naturally we will have individual tastes and objectives in how we are satisfied.
To me the silliest question I see on the various audio websites is "what X-type component is best?" What is best for Raul will be different from Nandric who will be different from Lew who will be different from Don who will be different from me, etc., etc.
It is perfectly valid to discuss what any of us may have been delighted by, or disappointed with. And making suggestions to others regarding a component they might want to audition is the whole basis for this and most other links. So in my mind there is no place for any "I love this component and you are a fool if you don't too" attitude.
OK, I'm off my soap box now. |
Pryso, no one is saying that Raul is a fool although I think he may have stopped near the gates to Rome like Hannibal did with his elephants. Yes it is difficult judging systems from the distance. I will never do this. But it should be allowed discussing units, carts, tonearms, whatever in analog also describing one's own impression - nevertheless it is mostly based on listening experiences in the own environment (own system). How should we build up a preference for an item just relying to the professionel High End reviewers other than exchanging and debating here. It is up to everyone judging from the comments if he is going for a sample or not. At least in my opinion we are dealing with connoiseurs enjoying the discussion. I also like that we discuss friendly, including Raul. This wasn't the case at every time. Congrats! |
Dear Raul, accept your standpoint, nevertheless diasagree with your assessment of the WE 8000. When it comes to systems limitations we both can only assume from the distance. So this is a rather vague field to balance on. I stopped improving by rebuilding caps and fuses. I did and I also realized small improvements. I am now concentrating more and more on the vintage side combining modern audio technology, which is by the way sometimes (!) not so bad (e.g. the Audio Research Preamp 40 Anni or the EMT Pre- and Phonopreamp JPA66) with old concepts and units. Makes a lot of fun and gives me some learnings although I might have not reached the Guru Learning curve you already reached - so you say. |
Rome is nice city but I prefer listen to COLOSSEUM LIVE (Bronze Records, 1971) fantastic live recording and one of the very best from the Golden Age of Rock, lots of virtuoso playing/soloing and singing/quite incredible yodeling, very enjoyable with "high-end" gear. Highly recommended for everyone interested in classic rock. |
Dear Thuchan: As Nandric posted: different roads to Rome. Problem is that some of us that want it to arrive Rome ( at any Rome's place. ) never did it but arrived to Alaska and the subject is that some of them think that that Alaska is Rome.
No, I don't think not only me but any one of you are " fool ", sometimes any one of us could be wrong and this happens, subject is that we can be aware over a discussion that we are wrong and why we are wrong and then retify. I did it several times through my Agon history.
Regards and enjoy the music, R. |
Dear Harold-not-the barrel: Thaks for your advice, I bought it few minutes ago. Thank you again.
Regards and enjoy the music, R. |
My pleasure, truly in every sense ! You will not be disappointed. Of course, the very first British editions have the best sonics, but this classic will not be disappointed in other original editions on Bronze and Warner Bros. The Castle Classic reissue is likely too punchy & sibilant as all Castles are. |
The moderators. To say whatever about the moderator A one need some comparison with at least moderator B ,etc. But my thesis is that control is about the power and the methods to keep the power. This one is from Russia with smile. Quest:'Waiter! What kind of meat ball is this? I will need an axe to cut it.' Waiter:'Pssst! Not so loud comrade Vasilij Vasilevitch. Not so loud! It is not a meatball it is a microphone.' |
Nandric,
DITTO!
I am still being "moderated" and cannot find out why. Posting is not any good with someone, I won't use the word Fascist, looking over your shoulder. Don't care to comment on my comparison of the Acutex 320 STR vs, A&R P77 with Jico SAS 1. Maybe someday if we can free this thread and throw of the yoke of oppression.
SOLIDARITY!
John
|
Dear Dover: Maybe you could think I'm " masoquist " because I just bought a second Spectral sample from Dgob. Music deserve to have this kind of " spare " when it need it.
R. |
Hi John, Don't give up posting yet. You history indicates that you have only recently started posting.......and this thread is the 'first' one to receive those? Until the moderators see that you can be trusted......are not a 'troll'......they will check before publishing. After a suitable number of approved posts.....you will be set free? |
Dear Jbethree: I think you are a lot better than an Agon policy.
I agree with Halcro and follow posting.
Regards and enjoy the music, R. |
Hello Raul & Halcro,
Thanks for your encouragement but I have posting on this thread for about a year with no problems. For whatever reason I have been "flagged" and my posts are now subject to moderator approval. They (the moderators) will not tell me why and I have no intention of playing their silly little game. I have enjoyed this thread and learned a lot but for now, ADIOS.
John |
Bruce Thigpen Acutex 420STR Impressions The link |
Hi John, I wasn't set free like Nandric or Halcro or Raul experienced? So I share your feelings. How long will it last? I am right now in a communistic country which allows me to post on Audiogon (because it is moderated?) but blocks me from my own blog. So you see your not alone. On the other hand we have the choice, if we can't stand "being instantly and automatically moderated" anymore - so to say put on a list of "potentially difficult people" - we can leave. This is not the case for people in some countries not getting offered this kind of choice. |
Large & in Charge. Think you can handle it? |
I admit that I read both S'phile and TAS, but just for laughs and for something to read when there's nothing else to read, I swear. In the latest issue of TAS, I note mention of an entirely "new" line of Clearaudio MM cartridges, replacing, respectively, all the models that we have discussed in the past. Has anyone heard any of these new versions of the Virtuoso and Maestro, not to mention the lesser ones? Apparently Peter Suchy figured out that there is money to be made by pushing MM cartridges once again. |
Lewm this is old news. The newer v2's have stronger magnets, higher output 3.5 to 4.2, and heavier bodies. Impedance, inductance, tracking force, cantiliever, tip etc all remain the same. Supposedly wider freq response, more dynamic, and smoother. No doubt the higher output will fool some people into thinking they are more dynamic. Approach the finest moving coils apparently according to their blurb, so I guess they like to bat for both sides. |
Lewm,
Concidering the amazing improvements that can be made to the Virtuoso with just the entry level Sound Smiths cantiliever/stylus replacement, I must admit that I'm doumbfounded that it took Peter Suchy so long! He has realized there's more money to be made on these cartridges, and somebody else is making it. Regards, Don |
This Peter Suchy (1/2 German) has a peculiar sense for humour. By the Goldfinger price there is the prefix 'only' before $15.000. Well the 'only' reason for the new models are the new prices. I still own the 'old Virtuoso' and the new one is 'only' $100 more expensive. There is however a kind of the opposite movement lead by our leader Raul with new discoveries of all kind of old carts. I have no idea what to do with all those old carts I own but I am still looking for this damn old Ortofon MC 2000. For the comparison sake only:I like to know if Raul's opinion about the MC carts is as good as with the MM carts. There are no boundaries for our curiosity with the natural consequence that some of them make no sense.
Regards, |
The moderator was obviously not amused with my microphone on the plate in a meat ball disguise. So even I as an old member in both senses of the word need approval for my Balkan kinds of jokes. We all thought that only a novice or the candidate party members should be checked in advance. |
The thrill is gone on this forum when posts are moderated. Maybe we all have have over stayed in this forum. Mind you, this is the most popular and most informative topic in this forum. The new owners should know better.Do not mess with a good thing. Guess I am wrong. |
JB, I have been wresting with your issue about censorship. You keep posting successfully your complaint about the fact that your posts are subject to "Moderator Approval". But what has been the negative effect of the Moderator's unwanted attention? So far as I can tell, you are posting here with regularity, only to complain about your being censored or to discuss censorship with others who have had similar experiences. Have you actually made a substantive comment, relevant to the topic, that got deleted? Seems the Moderator is allowing you to complain about his attentions, freely. I would have thought that such complaints would have been deleted, if anything. I suggest you ignore the Moderator and carry on as if he or she were not there. |
RE: New CA MMs. I haven't heard any but I suspect they may be slightly worse? New Virtuoso has 4.0mV out, 680 ohm impedance and 400mH inductance. The body type and stylus appear to be the same. More extensive use of wood puts weight at 8.4g and recommended VTF is a clunky 2.4g (1.8 - 2.6).
Body looks like Maestro, which Raul thought was overdamped. Reminds me of orig AT-440 OCC vs the 440MLa. The OCC had stronger magnets and a higher output, otherwise identical. With the same cheap stylus assembly as before, the magnets are like garish lipstick? Don't see how it could be more extended unless the diamond was upgraded. It could be smoother with additional wood. http://www.clearaudio.de/_de/tan_Virtuoso%20V2.php Regards, |
The "new" Clearaudio line of MM cartridges is not "old news" to me. But thanks for the information; it's much like what is written in Stereophile or TAS or wherever I saw the notice of the existence of these cartridges. I never went for a Virtuoso in the first place; I am a Clearaudio virgin in fact.
Is "Suchy" an Alsatian name, Nandric? |
Dear Balkan Comrade Nandric, I am glad hearing that I am not alone in my moderated life. Maybe you have seen the movie "Live of Others" which I was reminded of when learning that your microphone was detected. Did you have a life in the former GDR among your seven lifes? Maybe we two already had some experiences with analogue secret service? We always think we are victims but in fact we are not. Just imagine these moderator guys reading all the stuff about themselves and taking very serious decisions what they should do with the posts, maybe sending to the next hierachy or pull the trigger. Anyway let me express we share your work dear moderator, we know that this is hard business and we will try not making it too difficult for you. In case of John we are pleading for letting him free...you agree?
BTW I bought another MI cart, a vintage Decca ffss with a special sme adapter. I will test it against the London Reference and the Ikeda 9 also writing about my experiences. I also detected some fine Shure MM variants, bough a NOS V5VxMR replacement stylus and will test them, too. As you are one of our MM heros for which Shure would you go? |
Dear Lew, If he was Alsatian (Alsace) he would be 100% German. But he is only 1/2 German as I already stated. He is from Czech Moravia in which there is a village called Suchy.'suchy' means 'dry' while there is, as you should know, a 'dry' kind of humour usually attributed to the Britons. My free interpretation would be: Goldfinger 'only 10.000 GBP'. Like me he was a refuge from the Eastern bloc (70is?) and got somehow German citizenship. Nobody in Germany like the guy because he seems to be succesful. As a foreigner in Germany one is allowed to be 'only'a common labourer in order to confirm the German superiority. However: there is also a place in Switzerland , canton Voud, called Suchy. Peter's kids claim to be originaly from there because they also don't like their father. He is namely their boss and who likes his boss? To my knowledge only some dogs.
Regards,
|
Dear Thuchan, I was never in the GDR but the system is recognizable for everyone who lived in such a system. That is why the 'microphone joke' was so succesful in Eastern Europe. But to me it is obvious that we also have some telltale person in our forum. Disgusting because the reason can only be hate or anvy. The MM thread is the largest but the participants are pretty constant. I can't remember when my last approval was needed. So why now? Btw I am not sure about Shure.
Regards, |
The new Clearaudio's have been available here for a number of months. They have been selling off the old Maestro's for $600 new. The major claims here were the stronger magnets and less resonant bodies on the new v2. Thucan - against the general trend I preferred my Shure Vxmr over the Vmr. It had more hf extension, detail and transparency and life when used with either the Eminent Technology ET2 or Dynavector 501 in my system. They never sounded any good on unipivots. Look forward to your comments on the Decca FFSS vs the Ikeda. |
It's interesting that Don and Fleib reintroduce the Clearaudio Virtuoso into the discussion? After Raul proclaiming it the COTM (cartridge of the month) a while ago....I found a cheap used example (black) in Tokyo (HiFiDo) and sent it to Axel for an aluminium cantilever and pressure-fitted nude line-contact stylus transplant. The returned Virtuoso Black became an instant 'Reference' for me and both Nikola and I waxed lyrical on this Thread about it.
A fair time has passed and new tonearms and other cartridges have occupied my attention since then. How quickly one forgets? With my 'new' SAEC WE-8000/ST tonearm apparently designed with high-compliance MMs in mind......I removed my Virtuoso from its aluminium headshell and re-aligned it in the wood Ortofon LH-8000 which allowed me to 'twist' the cartridge for perfect Baerwald alignment. Raul, you should try this with your WE-8000 as it allows the use of interchangeable headshells without the unobtainable SAEC off-set ones? Geometry now set and with a VTF of merely 1.1Gm.....I sat back and listened. Now Raul has extolled the dangers of the 'Wow' factor in audio many times......noting its alignment to his famous 'distortions theory'.....and indeed sometimes, a 'Wow' response can happen because of some anomaly in the design of a particular cartridge? But the 'Wow' that I experience with this Virtuoso in the Ortofon headshell on the SAEC tonearm......is so alluring and constant...that I fear for my other cartridges?
What does one do with a cartridge that projects the sound in a way that makes others sound reticent? If the mid-range is strong and vibrant and natural AND the bass is controlled and deep and tight AND the treble is delicate and extended and shimmering.....all at the same time......what particular 'artifice' or 'voodoo' is at work in this design? Why do I feel guilty about being so seduced by this 'sound'? For three days now, I have been awaiting the revelation of 'the three-card-trick'.....and I'm still waiting? I cannot force myself to attempt the restitution of another arm or cartridge for fear that:- a) The audio world as I have known it will collapse or b) This magical sound will somehow disappear and never be recaptured?
I fear even attempting a change to VTF after reading Fleib's 2.4 Gm recommendation.....I fear ANY change? I fear the possibility of a 'mirage' which may vanish? But meanwhile.....as long as it lasts......I am glued to this currently produced MM cartridge which may.....just may.....become my standard reference? |
And now suddenly.....I am up for 'Moderator Approval'? Ohhh how the mighty have fallen?! |