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Can I get more out of my Koetsu ?

Hi Team, 
This might be one of my only discussions on here so pls take it easy on me🙏.

My current dilemma is, as the title suggests, I don't know if I am doing one of my carts (Koetsu Rosewood Standard) justice. 

Current setup is:
Koetsu > Yamamoto HS-5 headshell 18.4g > Technics 1200GR standard arm W-achromat > EAR MC4 > EAR Phonobox Classic > Leben 600x > Devore Fidelity 096;

The MC4 SUT is a new addition and it is all sounding pretty magical to me right now. Previously I was using the SUT in the phono stage. 

I know the Koetsu is meant to be on a high mass arm and that is why I added the HS-5 head shell. It is heavy and brings the resonance calculation to acceptable range. I do have to add the added counter weight for the technics arm but with it everything tracks perfectly. 

My other cart is a Hana ML low output MC cart. I like that one too but it only requires a medium mass arm which the Technics is so theoretically a better match.

The Koetsu already sounds magical and better than the Hana to my taste but how do I know if It could be sounding even better?

The way I see it:

  1. somehow hack a high mass arm onto the technics (don't think this would be easy and maybe not recommended) 
  2. Upgrade to technics 1200g (better arm but still not high mass. actually think its less mass than the GR)
  3. Start a new journey with another table with high mass arm (possible but $$$) 
  4. Just be happy with what I got and buy more records 😃

Strategy advice on how to navigate this problem and if new turntable is the answer some suggestions on how to approach that. 

I am not fussy about audio equipment that looks like it can take me to the moon. I am more into older style equipment that just sounds lush, magical and gives me technicolor dreams. 

Thanks in advance!!!

kdogsy
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 

@ghdprentice , you need to try the combo of a very low impedance cartridge and a transimpedance phono stage. 

@jasonbourne52 , What being an audiophile is all about is neurotic worrying about how to make your system perform better. Most people who love music are not audiophiles.  I am convinced that being an audiophile is a surrogate for being a talented musician. I use to play the drums. I have a natural sense of rhythm and timing but not enough fast twitch fibers to make it work at the appropriate level. So, I listen to Dave Weckl, Gavin Harrison, Billy Cobham and Buddy Rich, dreaming I am them.

lewm
13,102 posts
 

I’ve seen various numbers for the internal resistance of these wood bodied Koetsus, but never so low as 3 ohms, except maybe for the Platinum version, e.g., Rosewood Platinum. My info suggests 5-6 ohms, but would still mate well with a current drive type phono. However, I don’t think such an expenditure is necessary. Also, my 12 year experience with my Urushi suggests that it is not just for the resonant frequency calculation that Koetsu likes high effective mass tonearms. The Urushi sounds best at all frequencies, bottom to top, with higher mass than necessary to bring Fr into the acceptable range of 8 to 12 Hz.

kdogsy OP
23 posts
 

@mijostyn I got the EAR MC4 to give me options for what loading different carts want to see. I currently have the Koetsu plugged into the 3Ω taps. I will experiment with he other taps too but its sounding pretty good here. Am I solving the the same loading subject you are referring to with this SUT and would I then just consider upgrading to a higher quality MM level phono amp and keep the EAR MC4 or are you imagining replacing bot the EAR SUT and the EAR phono with something like the Sutherland Little Loco?.

Edit: Am reading about the Little Loco now and see it is a different type of design path that is instead of using a SUT.

Is the consensus that this is a better design or a matter of taste?. The little loco seems to be a cheaper option than my current solution of SUT + Phono 

kdogsy OP
23 posts
 

@ghdprentice Appreciate your message and approach. Thank you 

kdogsy OP
23 posts
 

@jasonbourne52 totally. Sometimes I have to make myself get off my ass and go help another human with their problems just to stop my worrying about my own irrelevant crap.  😂

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