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Koetsu Jade v SPU classic v FR 7 fz cartidges

Greetings to all !
I am hoping to get some advice concerning my analogue set up.
I use a Brinkmann La Grange turntable with a FR 66s tone arm.
I bought the FR 66 as a high mass "match" for my Koetsu Jade cartridge which has just been fully rebuilt by Koetsu with diamond cantilever.
The rest of the system is Allnic H 3000 phono stage , Allnic L 5000 line stage, Aklnic A 6000 monoblocks and Quad 2905 speakers / Audiophysic Rhea 2 subwoofers (pair).
I listen to a lot of choral classical music and for this the midrange needs to be really " organic" and free from any harshness or glassiness and , very importantly, the cartridge needs to track demanding loud and complex passages properly.
In this latter regard I am not 100% convinced by the Koetsu. It has been professionally installed in the FR 66 using proper alignment tools and is mounted in an Orsonic headshell. Yet to my ears it gets " nervous" in certain demanding passages of music .
I have tried increasing the VTF to 2.5 grams (the maximum recommended is apparently 2.2 gm ?) and this does seem to improve things but I assume that this will have som negative effects given it is some way over the " limit".
I just bought a " standard" SPU Classic (with spherical stylus) in the integrated headshell and, tracking this at 4 gm, I was instantly bowled over by the " organic" midrange in the type of music referred to above.
After a series of "A/B" comparisons with the Koetsu I am struggling to say I really prefer the Koetsu to listen to in my system , although it clearly has greater frequency extremes, transparency and detail than the basic SPU ( it costs over ten times as much !!)
I was wondering if anybody out there has had similar experiences with Koetsu stone bodied cartridges ?
I am now thinking of going for one of the FR 7 cartridges ( fz version) and again would welcome any comments on this and how it might compare to the Koetsu / SPU ?
With kind regards,
Howard
128x128howardalex
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
Halcro, do you mean those fake Orsonic headshells from Juki?
How can you say which one is fake or not ?

Howardalex, for me it's hard to imagine that someone prefer classic spherical SPU, i've bough Schick tonearm especially for SPU and sold the cartridge quickly here on agon (for the lack of details and not involving presentation at all). Hard to believe that Koetsu can't cream the SPU Classic. Only limited edition SPU SPIRIT that i owned did the majic to my ears, but in the right set-up on Schick where Classic SPU tracks everything very well, the SPU SPIRIT (elliptical, ltd unit , with rare 8N copper coils) was a poor tracker even with 4g on some records. So i returned it to Japan, funny that they listed same cartridge (SPU Serial number 500 or 500) now for sale. I think it was deffected unit.
dcbingaman
93 posts
 
Howard, you need to try an FR headshell - you can find them on eBay. The Koetsu is too heavy and too low in compliance for an Orsonic.

You can occasionally find an FR-7f or fz on eBay but they are rare and go for $2500+. Well worth the effort if you can find one.

I disagree with Syntax on the Ortofon SPU's - they are marvelous cartridges on the right arm and for the right music - namely classical and orchestral. The FR-64 and 66 were MADE for these cartridges. I don't think your experience is a fluke. I'd try a newer one like the Synergy or the 95th Anniversary one which is an A90 electrical design with an elliptical stylus and the SPU body. In an FR-66 it will compete with anything out there.
dkarmeli
334 posts
 
Howardlex, the SPU was and still is a great cartridge at any price. Many are influenced by price and hype but what you hear in your system is accurate ime.

david
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,380 posts
 
I have a Windfield which is quite good. I just came from a Benz LPS...the Ortofon is less colored and still has all the good stuff I heard from the Benz. My Ortofon took lots of time to break in and required careful setup. I loaded it with various settings but 1000 ohms really made it sing. Very musical.
halcro's avatar
halcro
2,664 posts
 
It doesn't much matter whether the Orsonic is a fake or real. The design indicates little appreciation for structural mechanics or the job of a proper headshell.

Whilst I have used many good headshells in the FR Series tonearms....there is a definite affinity with their own headshells particularly the S3 of which I have five...👅

The FR-7f is a fine cartridge.
It's limitation unfortunately is its conical stylus which sadly leaves some critical groove information undisclosed.
Change the stylus to a Line Contact however....and there are very few modern uber $ cartridges which can play on the same field....😎🎼
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