Cartridge Recommendation

Dear jarret: Agree with Larryi: if you will move to headphones then it could be better to wait for before cartridge changes.

Btw, seems to me that your priorities are very " sensitive " because before the Kansui you owned the Ortofon A-90 and I assume that you did it for good reasons on quality performance that does not matched your analog source priorities and now the Kansui. Both very good cartridges so maybe the " problem " could be in the phono stage performance that can be different of what you want and if this is the case then headphones or not that unmatched priorities will continue. IMHO I think you need to evaluate where in your system could be a " trouble " about.

regards and enjoy the music,
R.

Have you contacted Steve Dobbins? Presumably he sold you his Technics/plinth combo and the Reed arm. Perhaps he has some recommendations.

interesting post, I have a 4D-X and I was considering to get another cartridge.
How would you compare the A90 versus the miyamhima?

Jarrett,

Don't know if this thread still matters to you, but I found the Kansui to be very sensitive to VTF and anti-skate on my Tri-planar. I had to drop VTF to around 2.16 before it really opened up on top, with minimal anti-skate (although more than zero--I had to get a lighter anti-skate weight from Tri Mai). I'm loading at 315 ohms. At even slightly higher tracking weight (like, .02 grams more) I found it sluggish on top. Now it sounds well-balanced, full, dynamic and detailed. It's an excellent cartridge. To me it sounds like an extremely refined SPU.

I also have an A90 on a different arm and table, and it, too, took a lot of patience to dial in. It sounds quite unlike the Kansui--leaner and less robust but more pristine and pure. They offer different but equally valid presentations, and are worth the effort to get right, IMO.

If you want the most lively cartridge, then buy a Decca (London) cartridge. Stunning dynamics and soundstage. My vintage 60s rebuilt Decca FFSS MkIV C4E in an old 70s Hadcock beats my Schroeder Model 2/Allaerts MC1b on my Platine Verdier. As I have a two arm set up, I can just swap from one to the other and the Decca just sounds alive.