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Fremer's review of the Anna cartridge

Fremer reviews the $8499 cartridge very positively, but it takes three different samples of the cartridge for him to get there. The first sample exhibited "an incompatibility between the adhesives used and the elastomer of which the cartridge's damper is made." Fremer notes "[e]vidently, however, this problem didn't affect every Anna that left the factory." Wow, what a relief. In the second sample, apparently "some the glue that secures the stylus in the cantilever had dripped." The third sample, after 100 hrs of break-in finally delivered. Fremer suggests buying and using an USB microscope as part of the cartridge buying process.

Does anyone else think this is absolutely nuts? It seems to me, at this price level, every single cartridge should be absolutely perfect. Haven't Ortofon heard of quality control? This also applies to Lyra whose $9500 Atlas cartridge had the stylus affixed to the cantilever at an angle that made it virtually impossible to get the SRA of 92 degrees.
actusreus
tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,597 posts
 
I don't understand why Ortofon didn't explain in their Manufacturer's Comments in Stereophile that the first preproduction batch had some problems and that production was stopped and the problems had been corrected before any were shipped for sale to the public. This thread wouldn't have been necessary.

Did they think that if they didn't say anything that no one would notice that Fremer had to return the first two samples?

A little more honest explanation and less hype and obfuscation would do the high-end a world of good.
tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,597 posts
 
Dear 'Goners,
Please note that after rereading the above post I felt the first version had some problems that made it unacceptable to be presented to the esteemed readership of this blog.

Those problems have been corrected in the second version and I will give a full refund for whatever you paid to read the first post. Please submit your original receipt (not a copy) with your request.
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Mikelavigne- Thanks for your comments, which add a valuable perspective to this discussion. I guess we always need to remember that there is a reason the call it "the bleeding edge". I also agree that these threads can suffer from too much negativity. There obviously can be manufacturing problems in pre-production. But it also clearly demonstrates the dangers of beta-testing your products in the public eye.
mallen123
110 posts
 
I have owned my Anna for several mths and no problems.

I have a Benz LP s mr and while it is very good, the Anna is more open and tighter bass. Although I still like the Benz's lush sound, then Anna is very addictive.

I am running the Anna on a graham phantom, clearaudio innovation, Zesto Andros phono, CJ 16 ls, Cary v12 i, Avantgarde Duos, Synergistic ref cabling.

Now if I could just get a replacement stylus guard for the one i lost, I'd be perfectly happy.
diggory
38 posts
 
I have personally owned 2 different eras of Ortofon cartridges and have never had any q/c problems with any of of them. I know others that also had never had any q/c problems with their Ortofons. I will continue buying Ortofon products as they are excellent and have never let me down.
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