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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
dover
2,251 posts
 
@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.

stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,475 posts
 
These things happen.....I got a new Ortofon Winfield that was internally wired wrong.....they easily replaced it.
laynes
62 posts
 
First post - I have a vdh Crimson and broke the cantilever and sent back to AJ for repair last week. I didn’t want to go too long without a good cart to I bought a Hana Red. Wow - it sounds very (!) similar to the Crimson which is to say it sounds phenomenal- even with only 12 hours or so on it. That said, I’m a bit of a newbie and probably don’t have the discerning ear many of you have. 
It will be a tough decision which cart to run full time. I’ll probably buy another matching tonearm and just swap them out from time to time. 
nandric's avatar
nandric
4,086 posts
 
Dear dover, You of course know that M. Levinson discovered
Takeda san. I am not sure about ''Krell'' in the sense of ''before''
or ''later''.  However Krell mentioned Takeda on the back side
of his metal box while Levinson pretended that those were his
own. My guess because Van den Dungen and Kondo san were
good friends is that this misterious ''Fukuda'' may be advised
to Van Dungen by Kondo san. Van den Dungen  was not familiar
with Japan but shared ''obsession '' with tubes with Kondo san.
This explains their friendship as well the fact that Kondo san
designed 3 SUT's for Kiseki. BTW this ''secret'' may result in
''bargain Kondo '' if one can find ''the silver Kiseki SUT''. 
I own the whole Blue series with Gold spot as latest design.
In addition the (stone) Agaat and Black heart. The latest
Kiseki meant as ''poor man Lapis Lazuli''. I like  Agaat the
most.






creekrau's avatar
creekrau
1 posts
 

I know this is old but I just  busted a Kiseki Agaat Ruby. As I was looking for a possible retip I came across an exact model as mine minus the stone body. The Sumiko Celebration II. Its almost exacly the same. meh.. just sayin

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