Thank You Fumihiko Sugano and Koetsu

This is also a sobering reminder: many of the cartridge masters we rely on are getting up there in age - well past the normal "retirement" watermark.

You could point at Ortofon as a model of continuity through multiple master designers, but quite frankly the models from differing eras do not sound alike.

I've also been pointed to a lot of cheap Chinese "knock off" MC cartridges starting to flood the markets over there. These will not be mistaken for a genuine Koetsu, Van den Hul (etc), but it perhaps points to a further shift in the landscape, and I'm not a fan. 

My Blue Lace:

Sad new indeed for this storied and magical company. And with the future still unknown, I finally made the jump and ordered a Blue Lace, something that has been on my wish list for quite some time. I was luckily able to find one available and it should be up and running by the end of the weekend.

Let’s hope that the future of Koetsu holds true to the past and that they continue to create new cartridges with the same beauty as in the past.

Great choice! My favorite Koetsu (Jade / Onyx / RSP / Coralstone) would change from month to month until I got my Blue Lace around 5 years ago. That’s continuously been my favorite Koetsu, ever since day #1 and hour #1. If need be (and in absence of a Koetsu rebuild option), I'll get my Koetsus retipped by a very carefully selected retipper - whomever I determine will most respect the original design & build of Koetsu. That means NO stuff like ruby cantilevers, or blobs of glue. 

Also agree - I hope Koetsu can find a way forward after a respectful period of mourning.

All high end MC brands sound different. Most of these sounds are truly excellent, just different. Koetsus have a particularly distinct sound (on the side of: voluptuous & full bodied, with a very vivid midrange), and are extremely good at what they do. That doesn’t mean they’re "the best" in an objective sense - but they have a vehement fanbase for good reason.

Years ago I didn’t buy the hype, and thought Koetsu’s pricing was outright stupid. Then I actually heard one (on loan, in my own system no less) - and that’s when they get you! I was blown away - expectations absolutely shattered, and I couldn’t box up my Ortofon Windfeld MC fast enough lol. In fairness, my system at that time was absolutely dying for some injection of warmth (Windfeld was a terrible match), and the Koetsu Onyx swap-in gave not only warmth in spades, but an overall quality boost as well.

These days I’m enjoying exploration of other MC’s. AirTight, MSL and Van den Hul are the newest on deck. All superb. But the Koetsus in my collection will always be like family.

Also, you can get a quality used Koetsu for $2K. You’re buying the seller as much as the cart itself.