Ortofon MC A90 cartridge

Mike, I did not wish to play that game of value for money. I actually think that the M20FL Super is delightful in its own rite/right/wright (never knew which form was correct for this phrase). Just consider it as another cartridge, if you get a chance to listen to one. In fact, since I have two, one of which is still in its box, I would be willing to lend you one of mine. My first one sounded excellent right out of the box but got much better after 2-4 hours and a couple of tours of the Cardas test LP.

I know nothing about the Jubilee; that's another kettle of fish. I suspect that the MC7500 is superior to the Jubilee, but I have no data to support that idea.

Having used the Jubilee for couple of years before acquiring the A90, I can say emphatically that the latter is on a completely different performance plane.

The Jubilee does share some of the same ease (tracking prowess?) and throws a pretty big stable soundstage while balancing neutrality and robustness well.

But the Jubilee does not have anything like the open window clarity of the A90. The A90 throws a wider deeper stage and has far more life and transient quickness. The top end of the A90 kills the Jubilee.

As others have said, the A90 is a real chameleon, it's sound can change dramatically from record to record and track to track (the Jubilee does this to a lesser extent). The field of depth is greatly expanded - records recorded distantly from the mics sound further back, upfront recordings further forward. But it's the clarity/transparency I can't get over. It's the first really expensive cartridge i've owned, so maybe this is par for the course, but it's made my (relatively modest) system sound much more transparent than I thought it could.

If you want hear back into the recording and be put in touch with the musicians, this is a great cartridge.

The posts above summed it up well. This cartridge's clarity is amazing.

Hi MikeL - I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the A90/Reed combo. Steve has said good things about it, and I'm taking the leap on a Reed 2P. I'd be curious to hear your impressions as well. - Chris

Dear Downunder: I don't own the A-90 but I already heard it in my system, here is what I posted that time:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1200430667&openflup&1026&4#1026

Ortofon was in this cartridge market for so many years, I always admire their skills/knowledge about. Why their top LOMC cartridges were not " inside " the high-end community day by day " mouth "? is something that I can't explain due to Ortofon great cartridges quality performance.

I'm glad that with the A-90 things are improving in this regard as improving is their cartridge top performance.
The A-90 motor/stylus is similar of that of the Windfeld and the 7500 model but that A-90 new cartridge body makes a difference for the better making " dust " several top today LOMC cartridges, of course that each cartridge performance is system dependent and owner dependent but with the A-90 I think that any one that can hear it will concur on its very high quality performance.
No I don't go/run to buy it but I like it.

regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Raul,
I just read your post in the above link.Very Interesting and Informative.Thank you for taking the time and giving us insight to your experiences with cartridges.
I for one appreciate your efforts
Thank you