My kiseki Blackheart nightmare.


First, I want to disclose I’m not a dealer or in any other way affiliated with any company related to audio. I’m just a life long Audiophile that has traveled many roads good and bad. I highly recommend when buying a delicate component like a phono cartridge buy from a dealer that will standby you so when issues like I had with the Kiseki Blackheart arise, so they will be there for you like mine was.
I purchased my Blackheart after owning the Purpleheart for approximately 6 months without any issues. I liked the performance so much the Audiophile in me decided I needed to see what the new Blackheart was all about. After receiving my first Blackheart about 5 hours into the break-in period I started hearing a tinkling noise in the left channel. I check all my settings and they were fine. Even checked phono stage. Called my dealer and he advised me to bring my table in to see if we could replicate the noise. I did and the issue was the same; thank god they heard it. My dealer called the distributor and they wanted it sent to them so they could test it. It took over 2 weeks after they received it to confirm the cartridge was defective. They immediately sent a replacement (Blackheart) cartridge. I was very positive the issue was with just that cartridge. Unfortunately the same issue again. Dealer notified the distributor again they advised I try one more Blackheart. I unwilling accepted the idea not having any confidence a third one would not have the same issue. After receiving the new cartridge the issue was still present and it also was returned. I’m not sure if it was just a bad batch of Purplehearts that were defective, but at $4200. this type of quality control is un acceptable. Thank god my dealer was there for me it could have been much worse. I’ve since moved on the a Hana UmamI Red; which smokes the Blackheart in every way. And yes, the Hana has no issues.
hiendmmoe
Quality control relates to possible defects. But sound quality 
relates to the ''master'' who make the cartridge. Van den
Dungen obviously deed not find the ''right master'' as (alias)
Mr. Fukadu who made all ''old Kisekie's'' which were in high
esteem. This explains so many new Kisekie's offered second
hand. Try to find ''old'' Black heart , Gold spot or ''stone kinds''
as Agaat and Lapis Lazuli. Those who own them are not
willing to part from them.  

Dear Lew, Fukadu is also invented by Van den Dungen. Nobody
 knows who made those ''old Kiseki's'' . My guess was Kondo
san because he made SUT's for Kiseki but other think that Dynavector made them. 
@nandric 
I firend of mine has the original Kiseki Blue Silver Spot and the original Kiseki Agate Ruby - both of these were superb cartridges - the energy of the Koetsu range but very precise in their sound.

Of the current Kiseki range I have only heard the Purple Heart Sapphire and it had less detail and transparency than an aging Ortofon Rohmann on the same TT/system. It was vague and lifeless, nothing even remoteluy comparable to the originals.

Needless to say the owners current VDH Colibri and Kuzma CAR50 are in another universe. Given the price of the new Kisekis they seem extremely poor value in my view.

These things happen.....I got a new Ortofon Winfield that was internally wired wrong.....they easily replaced it.