Should I buy a VDH Colibri or Black Beauty?

vdH cartridges can be extremely finicky. Additionally wide variations between cartridges, even the same model, are not unusual.

That being said, if you happen to find a good one and set it up properly both Colibri and Black Beauty can be breathtaking cartridges. Spectacular dynamics and detail.

Disclaimer- I purchased a Condor from the North American distributor last year as a precursor to picking up the line. I mounted it in 4 different tonearms (high quality products by most standards) and couldn't get it to track properly. The distributor, Bluebird Audio, insisted the cartridge was not installed properly and offered to have their 29 year old tech guy pay me a visit. I laughed and told them a cartridge exchange would be more appropriate.

Anyway, I sent the cartridge back and 10 weeks later (that's right 10 weeks) my money was refunded. A few weeks after they told their US representative, not me directly, that the cartridge was indeed defective.

So, if your purchase in any way, shape, or form may involve Bluebird Audio, I suggest re-thinking your current strategy.

Good luck.

From my experiences (I've owned or used 5 vDh cartridges - a Grasshopper, a Black Beauty and 3 Colibris), I can tell you Audiofeil is right on the money. My Grasshopper and Black Beauty were great (it may be that I had them back in 2001-2003 when quality control was better).

The three Colibris I had afterwards completely turned me off the van Den hul line forever. I had the same experience with them - they were either defective from the get go or they had crooked cantilevers (seen with a naked eye no doubt) and/or they had the worst tracking I've ever experienced. These Colibris were from a different distributor than the one Audiofeil mentions.

IMHO, this is sad because it appears to me that either these VDH "distributors" were selling defective units (maybe B-stock or seconds) or the quality control at VDH is horrible.

As Audiofeil said, when you get a good one and set it up right, they can be breathtaking. The problem is, I don't have the patience or disposable income (or, at the rate these things come defective, enough days on earth) to screw around and try to go through the frogs (no pun intended) to get to the princes.

Thanks for your interesting responses. I live in the UK, and both of the cartridges I'm looking at - BB & Colibri - are previously used, the BB having been sent back to VDH for a check-up, and returned with a clean bill of health. The Colibri has low hours, and is vgc indeed!

I am building a system on a limited budget, and want one cartridge that will sound heavenly - I cannot afford to buy several to play with. I use heavily modified Quad 63 speakers and valve (tube to you lot over the pond!) amplification.

I had heard that the Colibri had some characteristics of a thoroughbred - fantastic, unbeatable performance, but always a danger of being a bit twitchy, unpredictable sharp. The BB, on the other hand. as being a fantastic all-rounder. Any truth in this?

Any more comments? I want to get this one right!

All the best

Simon

In my similar inquiry a few months ago, I found that many of the guys who post here and who have the most experience with a wide variety of high end cartridges were in awe of the Colibri, but all said that it was a cartridge that will reveal the "truth", good or bad, of the quality of the recording. The essence of their collective opinions was that if the LP is well recorded, the Colibri will give a uniquely thrilling experience. I bought a used one but have not had a chance to listen yet. However, I am rather surprised that so far none of the Colibri admirers have responded to your question. I have no feel for the sound of the Black Beauty, sorry to say.

I meant to add that if you are looking at a used Colibri, especially one that has recently been "readjusted" by van den Hul, then any fears of manufacturing defects should be ameliorated. Someone else has done the beta testing for you. Therefore the putative problems cited by Audiofeil and Fmpmd, whether they were the fault of the distributor or of van den Hul, would not apply.