Koetsu surprise


I have to hand it to my wife.  Like many of us, I have always plotted and schemed my own system upgrades based on my interests and perceived best bang for the buck.  I have been concentrating on the analog front end for the past 4 years and have been listening to a lot more music.  I had been enjoying a Lyra Delos for its detail and upper register energy, a SoundSmith Zephyr Star for its amazing instrumental separation and full frequency balance and an Ortofon MC A90, that I purchased used of Agon.  Thought I was done with cartridges for a long time.
So when on the eve of our 20th wedding anniversary I received a little square box from her, I had no clue that she would gift me something for the stereo.  But there in front of me is a pretty little Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum!  
Its hard to describe the disbelief.  I had never considered a Koetsu.  My impression of them was that they were rolled off, romantic, old school cartridges that had been bettered long ago by the likes of Ortofon, Lyra and SoundSmith.  Never really read up on their cartridges given that their cheapest models were about as much as I would ever consider spending.  
Fast forward one month and I have put about 40 hours on the RSP.  From the first needle drop I was very impressed with the midrange presence and the utter ease and extension into the very highest frequencies. The bass did sound a little soft in the first several hours but has tightened up considerably.  It sounded its best loaded with 100 Ohms and mounted on my Mørch DP-6 with heavy brass headshell screws from SoundSmith.  I currently have it on my Jelco 750D with a Jelco Rosewood headshell.  
I don't think any of these arms are the best match but the RSP does sound quite special on all of them.  Just purchased a 40 year old Fidelity Research FR-64S.  Can't wait to listen to the RSP on this arm.  Any recommendations on the FR-64S/RSP combo are welcome.

This whole experience has taught me an interesting lesson about assumptions in our little hobby.  You just have to listen before you judge.  This is a quantum leap in musical enjoyment that would never have happened if left to my own devices. Anyone else have this type of experience?  First time you heard something that changed your mind about what you thought you knew about audio?

I married up!

128x128karl_desch
Dear @13blm: """  Even if perfect accuracy was achieved it would not automatically ensure listening pleasure ... """

we can't have listening pleasure with true bad recordings even if the room/system is nearest to the recording.

The other reason is that each one room/system audiophile has different main target. You posted exactly that:

"  many of us are saying is that ultimate neutrality or faithfulness to the recording isn't necessarily the goal.  """


@lewm :  """  Your opinions are "facts". """, totally wrong. My opinions is only that: an opinion but ( again . ) I 'm talking of true facts not opinion and I can see you have a very short memory because you participated more than one time against those facts but you never gave any single fact but opinions.
You can re-read my posts about and is there where those facts are.

Just an example: everything the same what do you think is nearest to " perfection ": an electronic item with a 60 db signal to noise ratio against other electronic item with 85db on that same figure. The same items where one has a RIAA eq. deviation of 3db against the other with 1db deviation or one with limeted frequency response against the other with wider frequency response?  what do you prefer ( everything the same. ) a cartridge with a frequency response inside 0.5db at 10hz to 100khz  to other with 3db of deviations. Or a measurable ( same cartridges ) where the first one has higher tracking abilities than the other.

All those are facts and I prefer to listen the ones that measures the better because puts me nearest to the recording due that has lower inherent distortions/colorations.

That you don't want to change your self even with facts that proves you are wrong this is different.

Problem is and I posted several times that everyone is willing to gives opinions and be " severe " critics when can't understand the main subject and can't understand because they don't give his self the opportunity to understand it.
I posted what to do ( an experiment or whaever. ) to confirm  by it self that those facts will tell everyone how wrong they are but no one is willing to discovery the " true ".

So how almost any one of you already knows my facts are wrong if never  had a single self experience on what I'm talking about ????? ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ and I already had for years the experiences you are living today.
At least I know both sides of the today " moon ".

It's as some people that do not like to go to the doctor because they are afraid that the doctor can tell they have cancer. Exactly as many of you in the whole audio subject: we are fear of reality and hide behind that: I like it, it does not matters I'm wrong.

Regards and enjoy the Music Not Distortions,
R.



@terry9 
The stylus visibility is all varies a lot with Koetsus. On my Coralstone, it barely protrudes from the cantilever towards the record -- certainly hard to see. On my other Koetsus (including vintage RSP), the shank protrudes quite a bit and is very easy to spot even with a naked eye. 
@13blm I totally agree with your sentiment here.  A goal for a good hifi in my opinion allows one to cater to their moods.  For most that means a high relolution low distortion system, most of the time. I finding that the KRSP is giving me all these things, with just a dash of beauty.
The late Peter Aczel (an Objectivist) gave the Koetsu Rosewood his highest rating as the best sounding phono cartridge - even though he was a bit appalled by its price of (then - 1979) $1000. His second choice was the GAS Sleeping Beauty Shibata (this was a Coral 777 in a custom body - I owned the Super Elliptical version - $200) A great sounding cartridge for its time (late 70's).
Just an update after dialing in the Koetsu RSP on the FR-64S tonearm. I have tried a couple different headshells including a stock Jelco, a Jelco HS-30 Rosewood (which is heavier and with different headshell leads but still contacts the cartridge with its metal underside), a Yamamoto HS-6S (all titanium), and an Ortofon LH-8000 (all oak headshell with Urishi lacquer). I have on hand a Yamamoto HS-4 (all carbon fiber) that I have yet to mount. 

My favorite combination is with the ortofon wooden headshell.  This seems to bring out the best characteristics of this cartridge which I hear as dynamics, clarity and midrange naturalness.  This is such a musically informative cartridge.  

For anyone else using tonearms with headshells and Koetsu, what have you found to work best?