Experience with Sensitive Sound MC cartridges

@chakster The reason I want to try is that I would never know if I didn't. It's part of our hobby. With all due respect, not to try a new company because there are well-known companies around does not make much sense. Imagine if people never tried Benz Micro carts when Ernest Benz first introduced them at a time when vinyl was on a decline. Why did people bother buying Hana when they came out when there's Audio-Technica? What would happen to small outfits like Soundsmith? 

In reality, I dare say, every cartridge is a "copy" of the other. Cartridge technology is pretty much set. Designers simply tune their products by choice of materials and design tweaks or little innovations. Good products could come out of Russia, I think it's fair to say, just as there are good products out of China. 

To answer your question at the end of your last post, I'm planning to mount the Sensitive Sound cartridge on a Jelco TK-950S tonearm on a VPI HW-19 with ADS power supply. Rest of the system (not including digital components): c-j EF-1 phono stage, c-j PF-R or PV-10AL preamp (I switch between the two), c-j MF-2100 power amp, KEF Model 105 (restored, not modified). Cables by Morrow Audio. (I also have other systems by the way.)

Aside from the VPI, I also have the Technics SL-150MK2 with SME Series III tonearm and the STD 305 turntable with SME 3009 S2 Improved. Yes, I have other cartridges at present: Shure V15 Type IV with original MR stylus, V15 Type III with JICO SAS/B, Technics EPC-205C MK3, Stanton 681EEE with JICO Shibata, Ortofon MC-1 Turbo (the least among the group), Hana SL, Benz Micro MC-1 and Wood SM. I use the TK-950S for the Hana and the Benz carts. 

I have a bias so won’t comment much more, however:
@chakster don’t dig it? Cool. But it’s a bit rash to make negative assertions on a product you have NEVER seen. What you see from pictures is (for the large frame carts) a magnet array and a field stabilization element. Yep others do it to. And?

@audite84, I just pissed my audio allowance away on Sound Labs 845's,
a Sota Cosmos Eclipse Vacuum and a Schroder CB, an finally M2Tech USB to SPDIF adapter with external clock and power supply. A new cartridge is not in the mix for another year or two. Certainly I am all in for more cartridges. The more the merrier. But there are so many great cartridges out there that are proven that I would love to try.

Mijo, That there is some hefty audio allowance you got.  Do you have enough left over for a milkshake at the drugstore?  You previously mentioned that your new "turntable" (without at that time mentioning what you were buying) was going to cost you $19K.  I gather that is the price of  a new Sota Cosmos Eclipse Vacuum or does that also include the Schroeder tonearm?  Nice rig.  Would $19K have gotten you at least close to a used Dohmann Helix, maybe without tonearm?

Cartridges are not the same if you know a little bit about cartridge design, some cartridges are unique and i can recall many unique cartridges. Respectful designers do not copy other cartridges, even the way it look. I collect cartridges and have more than 60 different models of very rare high-end cartridges (all types).


Great Russian cartridges, tonearms, turntables .... what are you talking about? Is that a bad dream or what? I live in Russia. This is the last country in the world when it comes to phono cartridges! Who is that guy? 

My advice: do not buy it!

You can find some amazing cartridges made in Japan and you can be sure that if you need service it will be first rate service in Japan via distributor.

In America look for SoundSmith cartridges!

If this thread is not an ad of unknown Russian cartridges I don’t understand your enthusiasm.