Who needs a Diamond Cantilever...? š
When you have 2 identical carts, one regular cantilever and the other one with diamond cantilever (Koetsu Stones for example), the one with diamond cantilever shows more details, is a bit sharper in focus and the soundstage is a bit deeper and wider. They can sound a bit more detailed overall with improved dynamicsIāll leave it at that for the time being. I will soon upload to YouTube, the sound comparisons between the two Sony versions on my HEAR MY CARTRIDGES THREAD.
That expletive is really hard to pronounce.Ā What language is it?Ā I don't blame you for your consternation at being asked to pay $600 to diagnose a problem in your preamplifier, but could that be because SS are not necessarily expert with electronics per se and would need to farm out the work, pay some third party at his retail, and then make a profit over that amount?Ā I think that could be the explanation.Ā In the area of cartridge manufacture and repair, we are lucky to have both SS and vdH at our service.Ā If you have a problem with electronics in future, I recommend Bill Thalmann at Music Technology in Springfield, VA.Ā Very capable, honest as they come, a nice guy, and reasonable charges. |
Dear @halcroĀ : """Ā
WHY we are able to hear such differences between cartridges, tonearms, turntables, drive-systems, solid state vs vacuum tube.....should make it obvious that we are in the hands of āArtistsā, āCreatorsā...""" """"Ā This state of affairs has not existed in āAnalogue Audioā for 30 years and the elder masters and craftsmen have virtually all disappeared together with the vast data-banks they had assembled within their mega-billion $ companies. The result has been, that the recent resurgence of āAnalogue Audioā has inevitably led to āself-taughtā, under-educated and inexperienced ānewbiesā entering the industry to fill the vacuum. Their sole contribution to the āArt/Scienceā of cartridge, tonearm and turntable design is ātechnologyā š They believe that everything can be improved by the advancements in materials science, computers, lasers, 3D printing, CNC machining, chemistry etc. They are mistaken.....! And so are all the gullible, innocent followers of most of the new analogue products launched over the last 15 years. """" I think that when you postedĀ that dayyou wake up very " romantic " and yesĀ about vintage analog rig there is " romanticism " around it. Look, your tonearm that comes from the Cobra one really is about computer software " technology " . Its shape has nothing to do with that art you mentioned. In its site you can read: """""Ā Ā A complex shape and choice of materials demonstrates a departure from the norm in the commercially available alternatives. Just as Caliburn, the turntable, revolutionised turntable design by use of FEA software and shape optimisation, so too Continuum Audio Laboratories has used the same software technology to derive the new shape and performance parameters of the potent Cobra tonearm.Ā """"" When you posted this :Ā "Ā innocent followers of most..." You forgot to mention: " me included " because you owned TW TT, ZYX , Da Vinci and otherĀ items coming from " mistaken " designers/manufacturers. Could you try to tell us what's wrong with the Ortofon A95 or the Xquisite or Etsuro or Lyra Etna Lambda cartridges and many today " mistaken " designs? or what's wrong with Kuzma 4 point, SME 5, Reed, etc, etc. tonearms? or what's wrong with the @jtinn DD Wave Kinetics turntable? Of that you can to follow living in the " past " because is what you enjoy through your listening sessions butevery hting in erth is moving on at each " second " and normally for the better ( sometimes is not. ). Like you I love MUSIC and certainly LPs too but from some time now digital is a superior alternative. Like it or not you can't stop " mistaken " digital technology ( with out that your tonearm just does not existed. ). I enjoy both alternatives and if you know how to use technology is always welcomed and that's what all those today " mistaken " designers/manufacturers are doing day after day. You can live sticked to your " art " when all the audio world ( not only analog rig but electronics and the like. ) is MOVE ON in favor of MUSIC. As you all these is only my opinion, I respect yours. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
Chakster, if by VdH, you mean Van den Hul: I have been sending my cartridges to him for 25 years minimum. Iām a ānormalā person (if I put aside the fact that Iām an audiophile) and I speak to people there, get emails back and forth... When youāve been sending your cartridges to him 20-25 years ego it was way before internet communication became worldwide standard and a big part of our life. Itās obvious that you build your personal relations with Mr. Van den Hul in 20th century, now itās 21st century :) You became his customer long time ago and all you need is to ask him by email when you need his help, because youāre his customer for 25 years. This is fine, I like it! BUT when people like me would like to contact him itās impossible! Customers can do that ONLY via his distributors. When I asked local VdH distributor about rebuild/retip they did not even replied to my request! I am much closer to Netherlands than you, but I have to ask distributors according to VdH sales/service policy. I doubt he proceed with rebuild/retip by his own nowadays, with exception made for his long time customers (or his own products) and his distributor will definitely add his margin to the final price for service @unreceivedogma |
When I asked local VdH distributor about rebuild/retip they did not even replied to my request!Better this way ... maybe you saved your cartridge! I would never send a cartridge to VDH first of all because he has the habit of signing by engraving with electric pen on the body all the cartridges that pass through his hands without the authorization of the customer and this is very irritating as well as indelibly ruining the virginity of the bodywork, second because in the 80s my brother sent a Nakamichi MC 1000 to replace the stylus and the cantilever and came back with a terrible job, basically a graft with a lump of glue to join the two parts that not even the worst retipped could do; moreover he has pasted personalized stickers on the whole original box and on the front of the cartridge, going to ruin the support if it were necessary to remove them. I have read of other poorly executed works on the cartridges of the owners who later complained and this made me reflect that not all the cartridges that pass through his hands are perfect; I have several things to write but I prefer to stop here. No no no I'm sorry ... I don't trust this character at all in the way he works, neither he nor his assistants, probably other owners are more fortunate. |
