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benz ref 2 or sumiko celebration

hi currently own the benz, but it's in for repair, and i have the celebration for a loaner. i love it, and i've read some very flattering things about it. i'm running it with a vpi scout/jmw-9 table/arm combo. i have a tube pre and a ss amp. i listen to mostly acoustic jazz, folk, classic rock, everything except for classical. so should i keep the benz, or trade it for the sumiko? my ears tell me sumiko is the way to go hear, but maybe it's not the match with my rig as the benz is. or maybe it's better?

would love to hear opinions. thanks.
sberger
sberger OP
146 posts
 
thanks monk. i agree with your statements. im wondering what break in will do for this? this is a demo, but according to the dealer it probably only has a couple of hours on it. any thoughts?

im also using a dynavector p-75 phono, and use the phono enhancer which determines input sensitivity and gain by the celebration's internal resistance. i assume this is the same thing as "internal impedance", which, according to sumiko is 30
Ohms. would this be correct?

i'm also tracking at 2.2g, which is the upper limit. i have a vpi scout and best results, according to my ears and vpi, seem to come when the cart's tracking weight is set in this manner. i can always experiment, but would be interested in what anybody else might have experienced with the celebration.

again, thanks for all the comments.
rauliruegas
13,125 posts
 
Dear Sberger: Your analog rig works fine with the Celebration, but if anyone want to have the Celebration at it very top performance we have to mate with the SME IV/V tonearms ( static balance way ). The SME tonearm was what Sumiko used for do the Celebration voicing.

Monk, I use around 700 ohms of load impedance and the Celebration really shine.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.
monk
121 posts
 
Sounds about right to me! 2.2, p75 phono enhancer is the way to go there. Right at 2.2 does seem to be the most used as well. That P75 is a sweety for the $$$.

Funny thing, is the Celebration really seems to work well with unipivots. Everyone who has a Celebration and Unipivot of some sort(a Basis Vector here)really digs it. jmw9, Graham, Vector, Moerch,... probably nothing, but a slight coincidence?

The killer setup manual as well! Pay close attention to Azimuth - If you feel the soundstage leans more toward one side or the other - or the center vocalist leans more toward one side or the other - or you hear more hall info on one side or the other, just adjust the azimuth to center it all back up. Its the stylus shape used - you can really dial it in if your picky like me. It sounds great when perpendicular, but just a hair to one side or the other can really make the images "POP".
reb1208
518 posts
 
Well, having sold a Benz Ruby "3" and also a Shelter 901. I am looking for a new cartridge. Problem is how can I hear a Celebration before buying. Neither the Benz or Shelter (both opposites IMO) worked for me. One guy I know is pushing me to buy a Transfiguration Temper W. I want to get off the cartridge merry-go-round. But again, I not buying without hearing first. I live in NYC area.
sberger OP
146 posts
 
i'd call or email sumiko. there has to be a dealer in nyc.
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