Any word on the Blue Angel "Mantis"?

Hi Axel - I got the Mantis far from the 5k mentioned earlier here, way south
that figure! Not a drop!

Txs

Hi Flg2001
the figure last mentioned (by me for) the snake-wood cart with alu cantilever was ~ $1'800, and I'd also mentioned it was a "fair" price in deed for a good MC.
Raul had a small issue with this, so I explained my take in a follow-up.

Yet, I have a cart that sounds as good as a good 1.8k$ cart and it cost $150 --- NOS "M20FL super" --- and that is where I'm coming from, and that is what Raul had in mind also when I'd called the MC price fair, which I still think it is, going simply by what MCs go for these days.

Now you mention 'south of 5k$' -- hell that's a long way to go in getting to 1.8k$, so I'm not TOO sure if there was too much left for vinyl, which like hell it is looking at a 150$ NOS MI (moving iron) cart.
Cheers,

Indeed!

I am glad that your MI cartridge is giving you that level of musical satisfaction Axel - Raul and some other guys down here are also experimenting great results with inexpensive cartridges (MM and MI designs).

I ended up paying @ $2,200 usd for the "Mantis", I considered it a great buy and a bargain.

Take care,

Dear Flg2001: +++++ " I considered it a great buy and a bargain. " +++++

I respect your opinion but certaninly what for you is a " best buy/bargain " is totally different for other people mainly because the different know-how level on each one " other people ". It is clear for me that you have a long long road to walk in the whole audio learning curve.

The 50.00 P-76 cartridge is IMHO a true " great buy and a bargain " not only because its " ridiculous " price but because its very high quality performance. I can't imagine how you could name the P-76 that is a " little " better than your 2.2K cartridge or the Axel ( 150.00 ) Ortofon M20FL Super.

Like Axel posted the " balance " on those prices tell us that we have more than 2K to spend on LP's where you only have the cartridge ( that we have too ): to each one what deserve it.

Anyway the important subject is that you are happy and enjoying it, good.

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Just for some interest and still on the M20FL super subject.
My Audio friend, a VERY fussy stickler to sound performance and owner of Transfiguration Orpheus-L has heard both carts in my system and conceded that the M20FL was doing A LOT of things better the his Orpheus! (I'm shocked) ---- he also agreed with my earlier statement of the M20FL bettering a Kontrapunkt-B, and being at least on a level with a Jubilee performance, possibly even slightly better.

What more to say then, that MCs are just in another -cost- but not -value- bracket?
(I do own a ~ 3.5k$ MC just to mention)
Greetings,