@rdk777 What’s your phono preamp? That’s my dream arm, by the way. Always looking for deals but they never pop up! My DL103 is an Ana Mighty Rebuilt. I'm really thinking my lack of gain is the issue now.
Cartridge recommendation around $2k?
I'm ready to invest in a new cartridge having become tired of the quirks of my Decca Super Gold. Previously I've owned a Delos and I'm currently testing out a highly upgraded DL103R. Really like vocals and strings with the DL103 but dynamics and soundstaging are lacking. I listen to all kinds of music, except rock. Lots of jazz and blues but also tons of psych and hip hop/electronica. Soundtracks and Latin music too. Nothing dense though, if that makes sense. The Delos was a good cartridge at it's original release price, less so at $2,000. Arm is a unipivot, VPI Fatboy. Anyone have a somewhat versatile cartridge to recommend?
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I have the ARC Phono Ref 2SE preamp which has a gain of 74 dB balanced. Excellent preamp - I’d highly recommend. Can find a used one around $5.5k or so. The newer used Phono Ref 3 (replaced by the 3SE) goes for around $7k-7.5k. As for the Kuzma 4P (11), hard to find used - they do show up occasionally. The 4P is an end game tonearm and works well with low compliance carts like the 103, so it may be a worthy investment. |
dhcod- If you're comfortable with purchasing overseas, this seller has a good reputation and is selling a Kiseki Blue at a more realistic price. https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa6acc-kiseki-blue-n-s-brand-new-cartridges With it now on level cost comparison, I believe it's "better" than the AT ART 9. At least in my setup, it performs with more overall refinement. To my ears either one is a good buy. ART9 is has a more in you face, detailed presentation that an overall laid back/warm system may need? I've never heard the Decca carts. All the articles I've read point toward a very engaging sound. If you liked the Lyra presentation, I would say the KB is more of that "sound" compared to the ART9. |
@dhcod No bass issues. I've mounted cartridges I can't afford on it and I was blown away by how balanced and transparent this arm sounds compared to many high priced arms I've used in the past. People are squeamish about Uni's for some reason. I've always preferred them. We all hear differently. I agree with your comment on balance and transparency. I actually use the Naim Aro unipivot daily ( along with Dynavector 501, FR64S & Eminent Technology ET2 modded ) which I preferred to the Graham. The upsides of a true unipivot are that they have far less stiction than arms with gimbal bearings - this CAN mean more fluidity, speed and coherency when the cartridge is matched. Like any arm they are not perfect - I can get more extended, deeper, tighter bass out of the FR64S & Dynavector than the Aro. As an aside my turntable that I use for all these arms has been extensively auditioned in a controlled system flat to 13hz. I doubt there are many if any systems on this forum that achieve this. My point was that unipivots require more care in matching the cartridge to the arm if you want to achieve extended, accurate bottom end simply because they dont have gimbal bearings gripping the arm/cartidge when the cartridge gets excited. My suggestion is look at the expensive cartridges that you liked best but cant afford, and see if there are common attributes on mass, compliance, gain ( for the Lamm ) that give you pointers as to which cartrdiges are likely to be more successful. Harbeth 40's might be an alternate solution. |
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