2. analog
  3. 159703-135055

Am I asking too much?

I’ve  been looking to finally buy the cartridge my turntable - a restored Garrard 401 with Reed 3P tonearm - deserves.  So I sent a note to a local Koetsu dealer - wanting to support them over your typical big names (e.g., Music Direct, Upscale Audio, etc.) particularly during covid.  Though I’ve never bought from this local place,  I’ve visited them before a couple times, and live less than 10 miles away.   When I asked the dealer if they provide turntable set-up — remember, this is for a $7000 cartridge — he told me that they refer people to a local company for that (which means of course at an additional charge).

wtf?  So the only service provided by the local dealer is to order the cartridge that I can get cheaper on-line and then refer me to someone else to provide actual service.  Anybody else have a reaction to this?
128x128mdalton
sancho22
106 posts
 
Well I have a bunch of old carts from Grace, Pickering MM, to tricked out Denon-103 )mono and stereo), Fidelity Research, Supex (both retipped), Klipsch MCZ7, Phillips GP922. Some others I just got (on their way to me). Also, some new ones like the HANA SL and Ortofon Cadenza Black.
I think if you like lush sound the Koetsu could be the ticket.

Depending on your arm's specs in your price range, top end SoundSmith, Van de Hul, Miyajima, the recently announced TOTL HANA (around $4K), Ortofon, ZYX, Kiseki (Purple Heart?) and many more could possibly work.
If you can perhaps visit some local AG members or music lover friends and listen or get advice.
mdalton's avatar
mdalton OP
467 posts
 
wow.  what about preferences on SUTs?  I will need one for first time; am corresponding with Andrew Rothwell (quite the contrast from the local deSker in terms of service, btw.  more like your experience with Schroeder)
sancho22
106 posts
 
Well for the Klipsch, Fidelity Research and the Phillips I have the matching factory SUT.
I use the Auditorium Hommage T2 (Seteophile class A+; ~$5k new, $3K or so used) )with the Ortofon Cadenza and the Auditorium A23 with the Denon-103 - the one is again developed to be specifically used with this cart.

FR has a few ones (I think the 4 and 5) which are supposedly really nice.
VAS audio MC-1 MK II is also really good (~$1200)
Many good ones from Bob's devices etc.

What phono amp are you using?
mdalton's avatar
mdalton OP
467 posts
 
my phono amp is a Synthesis Brio
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
mdalton, I'm late in the game here but tell us what length and which arm wand do you have? This will determine which cartridges are appropriate for your arm. The 3P has arm wands available made of various density woods. For more compliant cartridges you want the lighter wands. I think the lightest is teak. If you don't already have the teak wand it is probably a good one to have. You can always add weight for more compliant cartridges. Congratulations by the way. That is a beautiful well designed arm. 
More to discover