@intactaudio
Actually I have on hand both the original Sumiko Talisman S sapphire cantilever with nude mounted line contact and also another Taslisman S retipped by the original Garrott Bros with a Namiki microscanner sylus in the original sapphire tube cantilever.
In a direct comparison the original is cleaner, more precise across the range. The Garrott retipped Talisman with microscanner has a fuller midrange, perhaps a little more evolved, but overall it is not as crisp as the orignal - the original is better.
Interestingly I pulled out the Talisman paperwork and Sumiko describes it at follows
"line contact stylus as above, laser mounted so that cantilever and stylus act as though they'd been shaped from a single diamond crystal."
Remember this cartridge was a Sumiko badged Sony Soundtech design, so clearly they focussed on the rigidity of the stylus/cantilever joint.
Dovers only complaint seems to be centered on the visual look opposed to the actual quality / strength of the junction and I do not consider that alone to be a valid judgement of quality.
Actually I have on hand both the original Sumiko Talisman S sapphire cantilever with nude mounted line contact and also another Taslisman S retipped by the original Garrott Bros with a Namiki microscanner sylus in the original sapphire tube cantilever.
In a direct comparison the original is cleaner, more precise across the range. The Garrott retipped Talisman with microscanner has a fuller midrange, perhaps a little more evolved, but overall it is not as crisp as the orignal - the original is better.
Interestingly I pulled out the Talisman paperwork and Sumiko describes it at follows
"line contact stylus as above, laser mounted so that cantilever and stylus act as though they'd been shaped from a single diamond crystal."
Remember this cartridge was a Sumiko badged Sony Soundtech design, so clearly they focussed on the rigidity of the stylus/cantilever joint.