neonknight

Responses from neonknight

Koetsu cartridges. They must be something special.
Kiseki of old is not the current day Kiseki.   
Analogue front end. You want more weight, scale and dynamics.Where do you start upgrading?
You seem to have all the answers already.   
SUT for AT-OC9XSL?
Rothwell should have one and he uses Lundahl transformers. You might even be able to find one on the pre-owned market at your budget. New might be a little higher but not way out of budget.  
Installed A Kiseki Black Heart Today. Lovely Cartridge
@lewm So I installed the MC2000 on the table again this morning. Been listening for awhile. The cartridges are so fundamentally different that making a decision of which one is "better" is not really possible.  The MC2000 is more in line presenta... 
Cartridge - sweet spot on the cost/sound curve?
@elliottbnewcombjr In the sub $500 new cartridge market I am interested in knowing what options there are for boron or other hybrid cantilevers. For awhile there was carbon fiber but that was more of a cheap as chips option for Audio Technica.   
Cartridge - sweet spot on the cost/sound curve?
If your phono stage can handle low output moving coil cartridges a Denon DL 310 MK II can be had from a trusted seller 2Juki for $330. If higher output is needed then the Denon DL110 is in the low 200's. Output voltage is higher, but not as high a... 
Is there usually a dramatic difference between $5k and $10k cartridges ?
I cannot comment on $10K cartridges since I do not own one. I think the most expensive cartridge I have is an Ortofon Verismo at $6K. But I am a hobbyist of modest means, and to be frank, the cartridges I own are usually bought carefully from the ... 
Installed A Kiseki Black Heart Today. Lovely Cartridge
@viridian The Purpleheart series of cartridges are probably the most famous of Kiseki., and are beautiful cartridges. I have always found it fascinating that us analog people find beauty in such a small component as a phono cartridge. Tables and t... 
Vintage Japanese DD Consult and Suggestions Please
If it were me and I had to get a DD with that budget I would make it a Denon DP80 and get the most cosmetically perfect one I could. You can always get the table serviced, you can never repair the cosmetics on these vintage tables. Some of the Jap... 
Vintage Japanese DD Consult and Suggestions Please
So you still have the 301. It is my opinion that you should not let it go. Sell the arm off it and replace it with a good basic vintage one for the time being. A Fidelity Research FR 24, an Audio Technica, a JVC, or maybe even an ADC. Sell the car... 
Installed A Kiseki Black Heart Today. Lovely Cartridge
@noromance Soundsmith charges $500 for a diamond only replacement while Expert Stylus and AllClear charge $350. Expert did not add a surcharge for putting a diamond on a diamond cantilever that the Ortofon Verismo has.    Secondly, I have seen so... 
Installed A Kiseki Black Heart Today. Lovely Cartridge
@lewm One day I will give that a go since this is the only arm I own that I can reasonably put the MC2000 on. Aligning cartridges is not a task I look forward to. But I am thinking of buying some of those glasses with lights and magnification to s... 
Installed A Kiseki Black Heart Today. Lovely Cartridge
@noromance Yes Australia is where Allclear is. I have used several retippers such as Soundsmith, Andy Kim, and VAS also. My preference for retippers is either Expert Stylus or Allclear. and the decision is based on what type of stylus I want. Allc... 
Installed A Kiseki Black Heart Today. Lovely Cartridge
@lewm These two cartridges reflect the differences we imagine between Japanese boutique cartridge shops and the juggernaut that is Ortofon technology. Yes Kiseki is not Japanese in the sense that it is based in Holland, but the designers/manufactu... 
Vinyl Lovers-- Cartridges!!!! Do you have a daily driver?
The cost of advanced diamond cuts are just as expensive, if not more expensive on MM cartridges. The Ortofon 2M Black is $633 and the Lvb is $745 or higher. The Nagoaka JPN500 is much more reasonable, about $250 to $300. I use Expert Stylus or All...