RE: set up tips for Cello Reference mc cartridge

As far as I know, one of the Ikedas was sold for a time under the Jeff Rowland brand, maybe there was also a Cello version?

If Daren's cartridge (whatever the brand is) is a cantilever-less MC, it would have been designed by Ikeda rather than Takeda. I just had dinner with Ikeda last week, and he gave me the clear impression that there was so much specialized know-how in those designs that no one else would be able to pull it off.

As far as I have seen, Takeda prefers fairly conventional designs in terms of both cantilever and magnetics. I can't recall any design that he has done so far which attempted to push the technological envelope (not that there is anything wrong with that approach).

The specs that Nsgarch posted clearly look to belong to a cantilevered cartridge - the Ikedas have quite stiff compliance, and 23 x 10-6cm/Dyne is in comparison far too high.

"Copper-colored pieces" sounds like an Ikeda design - I know that Ikeda used copper plating on the polepieces (yokes) of at least some of the Ikeda 9 family.

Hope you solve the puzzle!

regards, jonathan carr

Dear Daren: Jonathan is right, that non-cantilever Cello cartridge was build by Ikeda.
I own the Ikeda REX9 and if in any form the Cello one has the same sound signature than mine then you will be really happy with it.

The Ikeda cartridges are really low output ones, around 0.16-0.18mv so you need not only a high gain ( with out step up transformers ) phonolinepreamp but a very low noise too.

These cartridges performs well in a medium/high mass tonearms ( which yours? ), likes to see 100-200 Ohms impedance and a VTF around 2.4 to 2.6grs.. The cartridge needs too like 200-300 hours to be at its best performance and with a minute negative VTA.

If your system are not really flat from the high midrange through the high frequencies you could be in trouble with the Cello performance in that frequency range.

I like the Ikeda I own but the audio system has to be up to the task.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Daren, email Jonathan Carr and ask him for Ikeda-san's address. Then you can send him a pic of your cart. and ask him for the specs. He'd be the best source for the information I think.

BTW, I found the 9 to be unusually sensitive to VTF. Too little and you get huge amounts of needle talk, too much and the sound loses stereo spread and the phase seems to get screwed up.

hth, jonathan carr

Hello Rauliruegus and Jcarr, Nsgarch . Thanks everyone for the help I replied last night to this thread and it has seemed to dissapear? anyway I just wanted to thank everyone for all the help as now thre seems to be a glimps of light at the end of the tunnel. I think Jcarr and Raul have it right and the Cello Reference appears to be designed by Ikeda which is fine by me as you all know he is a pioneer in the industry and his workmenship nowdays commands big bucks! It may workout very well indeed as a Cello cartridge which is indeed a Ikeda mc is even better in my books. As far as my system Raul, I hope I can use the shortform? anyway consists of a Homebuilt 2a3 tube amp that was assembled using the best parts and also uses 6dj8's as driver tubes! Lowther Mau Horn Cabinets and drivers that wiegh in at 180lbs each, a Spectral DMC10 gamma and spin on an old DDx1000 tt that has mounted 3 micro seiki 505 arms drom various periods but basically the same. At the moment I am maily using a Spectral MCR signature that is fairly low about .20 and I'am running the pre at 47K in mm mode in the phono but I believe the gamma has a low output mc section or adjustments inside for it but have yet to remove the top? What do you think Raul will the Ikeda or Cello work Ok in my system? are you familiar with the gamma's adjustments? Regards Daren