Miyajima MADAKE experience

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.

@montesquieu thanks for your story, i believe it was your post on theartofsound. Have you ever tried FR-7fz? And what was your source to buy hashinoto sut? 

Latecomer to this post...

I own the Miyajima Madake and use it on an SME V arm. It replaced a Clearaudio Stradivari on which I broke the cantilever and then used as a trade in.

The Stradivari was a good high resolving cart but I never loved it. It could at times be a bit sharp. I borrowed a Koetsu Black from a friend and while that was all smooth I did, after an initial period of total infatuation, long for some treble extension.

With the Madake I get firm bass, good speed and detail resolution and smooth but extended treble. What more could I ask for?

My other favourite cartridge is the Cartridgeman MusicMaster, which is similar to the Madake in presentation but somewhat weaker in the bass and hence not as "muscular" in its presentation (the "budget" option).

I’m happy now, my quest for the perfect cartridge is over.

But then again, a London Decca for my Garrard 401 project could be fun...

@mhr1229 

My other favourite cartridge is the Cartridgeman MusicMaster, which is similar to the Madake in presentation but somewhat weaker in the bass and hence not as "muscular" in its presentation (the "budget" option).

That's interesting.
The Cartridgeman Musicmaster MI cartridge cost  £1,649.00 and looks similar to Grado cartridges. In fact the generator is Grado, but the stylus is different, they call it "Propriatery Line Contact". I've never owner Cartridgeman pickups, but i'm familiar with Grado house sound, the best i've heard is Joseph Grado's Signature model: Grado TXZ with very special stylus profile called "Twin Tip" (it was a $750 top of the line model back in the days) and probably better than current Grado cartridges of any kind, still cheaper than Cartridgeman.

I'll be surprised if Madake is close to Grado XTZ as you said it is close to Cartridgeman based on Grado MI generator. Hmm.