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Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood Phono Cartridge by Marc Bratton

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REVIEW: Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood Phono Cartridge

63.191.1.54


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Model: Virtuoso Wood
Category: Phono Cartridge
Suggested Retail Price: $750.00
Description: Moving Magnet Phono Cartridge
Manufacturer URL: Clearaudio
Model Picture: View

Review by Marc Bratton on September 20, 2003 at 19:39:48
IP Address: 63.191.1.54
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for the Virtuoso Wood


I am shocked no one's reviewed this xlnt cartridge! After really liking the sound of an Aurum Beta in my system, I bit the bullet and did the upgrade to the Virtuoso when ClearAudio was offering a 'special'...$400.00 and trade in of the Beta. The Virtuoso does not disappoint...it shares the same very CLEAN midrange and treble of the Beta (the familial resemblence in their sound is unmistakeable), with the addition of much better quality bass, and some of the best dynamics I've ever heard from any cartridge, MM or MC.
Still, every cartridge maker's products tends to have a 'house sound' and ClearAudio is no exception. Their cartridges tend to sound a bit analytic to my ears, and this is one continues in that tradition, though less so than some of their MC offerings of the past. As Michael Fremer noted in an aside comment about this cartridge, it'd probably sound best via an all tube phono stage, to flesh out and warm up the midrange a tad. I concur. It sounded about perfect with my EAR 834P, but when I switched to the hybrid phono stage in my AVA T7, it definitely seemed a bit peaky in the uppermost mid range/lower treble region. Not bad mind you, but noticeable. Loading or capicitance probs? Don't think so...input specs are identical, and the cabling was the same. I think the phono stage of the T7 is a bit less strongly flavored than the 834P was (which flavor I like, BTW, but the T7 does some things with dynamics and bass that the 834P couldn't even conceptualize), and that it was just letting thru the true sound of this cartridge.
So, if your sytem already tends slightly towards being analytical, this is NOT the cart for you. You got a slightly warm and lush system, this is your cart...it'll balance things very nicely. I only got 22 months out of mine before it started mistracking (it was a quite good tracker when new), so it's not any better a value for cost per record play than your typical high end MC. But it shares a lot of the same quickness, finesse, and dynamic shadings as a good MC, and can be a very good choice if you eschew MC's for whatever reason, but still want some of those qualities. I replaced mine with a Shure V15VxMR, as I stated in my recent review of that cartridge. In my system the Shure sounds smoother, warmer, tracks better, and is imminently listenable. But it's definitely not quite as good with dynamics, or inner detailing, or fleshing out the air around individual performers. The Virtuoso really, really does PRAT...if this one doesn't wake up your system, call the mortician, as your system is dead. Its sound with a groove heavy piece of music is UNSTOPPABLE...the Linnies got nothing on the Virtuoso in that regard. By comparison with the Shure, it sounds like the performers are on decaf, instead of espresso. So, if you've got a somewhat lush and warm sounding system that could use a good kick in the booty, but you don't want to lose any finesse, this is your cartridge. Plus, with the Woody body, it looks tres cool on the end of a good tonearm, not your typical blob of plastic like a lot of MM's. Looks matter a lot!


Product Weakness: Can sound slightly analytic if your system tends that way. Best with tubes IMO.
Product Strengths: Clarity, cleanliness, GREAT PRAT and dynamics.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Forte 4a
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): AVA T7
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Teres 200/Morch UP4
Speakers: MMG's
Cables/Interconnects: Dh Labs
Music Used (Genre/Selections): All types
Room Size (LxWxH): look it x up x
Room Comments/Treatments: as ennumerated under my system
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2 years
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Brickwall
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition): see system




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Topic - REVIEW: Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood Phono Cartridge - Marc Bratton 19:39:48 09/20/03 ( 1)