|
General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
|
|
|
General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
|
In Reply to: Which of your carts would you say is the best performer for the money? *. posted by Guy on March 7, 2006 at 13:03:29:
each cartridge has it's strengths; depending on taste and context.the Koetsu RSP is pure butta. really quite a great all-around cartridge IF your like a 'golden' view and have a low-noise high output phono stage (only .2mv output). at $5500 list price and about a $3500 'street' price a good buy.
i haven't really played the Colibri XGW .65mv cartridge enough (about 20 hours) to have it's full measure. very dynamic but also a little forgiving compared to the XCP. wonderfull ease and see-thru transparency. $7000 list price; around $3k street price if purchased 'grey' market.
if i were to choose one cartridge to recommend to anyone as the overall best sounding cartridge it would be the Dynavector XV-1s. it's a bit of the Koetsu combined with more dynamics and energy. not so colored but still having color. at $4200 list price and likely a street price in the mid-$3k range it's not cheap but always sounds great. the only drawback is that at .25mv output it also needs a very good low noise high output phono stage. it is a good tracker and works with well with most arms (according to feedback i read).
the vdH Colibri XCP is the most exciting piece of audio gear i have ever heard but it's also an edgy piece of shit when not fed properly. i bought the XV-1s because my system was going thru a phase where the XCP made much of my favorite music sound edgy. i thought the problem was my cartridge but it turns out the Colibri was just telling me that the system had 'issues'. that was last summer. in the last 6 months i solved the issues and the Colibri is now singing beautifully.....the system is now worthy of the cartridge. the list price of the Colibri XCP .85mv is $7000. i bought mine 'grey market' 4 years ago for $1700. the same cartridge now is $2500-$3000 street. it is the steal of the century if your system is up to it.....and.....you have flat records, a very good clamping system, or vaccuum hold-down. it is 'nude' and intimidating to handle....and does track very light---1.35-1.50 grams. the XCP is amazingly explosive, detailed, has very natural sense of sorting out complicated musical lines, and is really unflapable on musical peaks......and yet will deliver the most delicate nuance and musical pulse. really breathtaking and humbles any other cartridge on direct comparison.
i did a shootout of a couple of these cartridges a few months back.....click below if you are interested.
mikel
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Follow Ups
- not a simple answer. - mikel 05:16:23 03/08/06 (0)
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
