stereophile recommended phono cartridges

Designer John Curl favored purity over adjustability, offering minimal loading options: 100 ohms or 47k ohms for moving-coil cartridges and 47k ohms for moving-magnet cartridges. With its outstanding immediacy, transparency, and overall coherence, the 4Point consistently exceeded Mikey's expectations. Its custom double-coil transformers are shielded with mu-metal and potted in 10mm-thick enclosures coated with soft iron-nickel. Unlike most two-box phono preamplifiers, which have audio circuitry in one enclosure and power-supply components in the other, the Sutherland Duo is a dual-mono design, each enclosure housing a single channel's audio circuitry and complete power supply. I am sure that JA's review will be under a much better controlled environment. Gain is adjustable. Ortofon's MC Anna phono cartridge, introduced in 2013, apparently remains a popular choice for analog perfectionists who can afford its $8924 price, but it has now been joined in the line by a newer, more expensive variant, the MC Anna Diamond, into which has downtrickled the diamond cantilever of the company's limited-edition MC Century cartridge. The late Keith Monks's son, Jonathan, has taken over production of this venerable classic, moving manufacturing to a dedicated facility on the Isle of Wight and expanding the line to include new models, new platter mats, new cleaning brushes, and specially formulated cleaning fluids. The EMIA Phono transformer, which is housed in a steel box with solid walnut top and bottom plates, is unpotted, and has a fairly large core with 80% nickel content. There are maybe half a dozen newish models. (Going forward, the HW-40 will be available without an arm and with an interchangeable armboard.) As AD noted in the December 2018 issue, "To compare the specifications of Koetsu's 15 different models is to glimpse little in the way of variety: all Koetsu cartridges have the same recommended ranges of VTF and load impedance; all of their platinum-magnet cartridges have the same 0.3mV output, while all their samarium-cobalt magnet cartridges output 0.4mV." Physically and sonically, it's a lot of tonearm for $3000, though I think its tube needs better internal damping." Its companion tonearm is billed by Haniwa as their HTAM01 model, but MF recognized it as the ViV Laboratory Rigid Float tonearm, which he wrote about in the August 2014 Stereophile. "The gold standard of static-discharge devices," the ZeroStat is a gun-shaped gadget with two heavy-duty piezo-electric crystals and a patented compression trigger. Also on tap are three gain settings each for MM and MC and a choice of five loading settings for MC cartridges: four with preset values and a fifth that enables a pair of potentiometers to dial in custom settings between 1 ohm and 1k ohms; all other user controls except for the unit's power switch are addressed via the Stellar's remote handset.

WebRecommended. The pivoted TA-9000 also offers high-precision, hand-adjusted ball bearings, an SME-compatible mount, and a headshell that's adjustable for azimuth in the usual manner (loosen clamp, rotate headshell, tighten clamp), though MF was disappointed that this expensive tonearm offers no more than a "rudimentary" height adjustment. (Vol.42 No.8 WWW), Hana SL Mono: $750 $$$ JA noted superb measured performance. Also new are an improved epoxy for holding the motor in place, and a body shape that permits the use of the Denon cartridge's original stylus guard. Used with its optional X1 outboard power supply ($17,000), the P1 provided Mikey with tonal neutrality and an ultra-low noise floor: "Some products have me up all night, pulling out record after record; some don't. (Vol.40 No.2 WWW), Lyra SPT: $60/1.5ml bottle Stereophile discusses equipment without accurately describing the context. "Analog is sensuous and tactile by nature, as is the character of the Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue," he subsequently wrote. The low-compliance Fuuga retains the semicylindrical body of the best-known Miyabi models but exchanges their trademark alnico magnets for neodymium types. Whereas most moving coil cartridges have their stylus at one end of a cantilever and their coils, wound on tiny coil formers, at the other, the Tzar DSTlike the vintage Neumann DST 62 cartridge on which it's modeledsays to hell with the formers: Its coils are glued right to the cantilever just behind the stylus. Engineer Marc Gomez has replaced his original Swedish Analog Technologies Tonearm with two new tonearms, one slightly less expensive, the other considerably more so. He subsequently purchased the review sample. (Vol.42 No.3), Grado Lineage Series Aeon3: $6000 No other turntable has created its level of stability, presence, resolution, and sheer physicalitynot in my system." Creature comforts include settings for 14 different gains and 17 load impedances, all selectable with DIP switches. The Hegel (discontinued) was 5k. (Schrder recommends pairing it with a step-up transformer of moderately high inductance; AD had best results with a borrowed NOS Neumann Bv33.) The UltraDeck's sturdy plinth comprises three aluminum plates bonded to the top of an MDF core, and its belt-driven plattermachined from Delrin and weighing 6.8lbrides on an inverted bearing. The Ti's armature is also less magnetic than the first Windfeld's: a windfall (sorry) of the new cartridge's more sophisticated magnet structure. (Vol.41 No.4 WWW), London Maroon: $995 $$$ (Vol.38 No.10, Vol.43 No.9 WWW), Grado Epoch3: $12,000 I also received what felt like infinite amounts of micro-level information." His conclusion: "a stunning-sounding, artfully engineered phono invention that loves all music, and a fantastic bargain." Beautiful sound, nice design in my opinion. Specs include an output of 0.3mV and an impedance of 18 ohms: a curious combination, as the latter seems much higher than the former would lead one to expect. HR got the best from the Cobalt Blue by pairing it with the 1:10 version of the EMIA Phono step-up transformer, writing that during the time it was in his system, "I never once took the Cobalt Blue's beguiling occupy-the-room presentation for granted. SM declared the 2M Red's dynamic range "vastly wider" than that of the less expensive Ortofon OM 5E, and praised the new cartridge's clean, fast, grainless sound. . As AD said at the end, "As they say in New Jersey, what's not to like?" Thanks to the Dynavector's clarity, immediacy, and presence, "music was consistently more dramatic and involving, while never sounding unnecessarily harsh, aggressive, or forward," said SM.

MF auditioned the 9" version of the JMW tonearm with VPI's Scoutmaster turntable. Though it sacrificed timbral neutrality, imbuing well-recorded voices with "some mid-to-upper-mid bumps and dips," the 997 impressed AD with its ability to convey the inherent tension of recorded music. Compared to Denon's new DL-A100 100th Anniversary moving coil phono cartridge, AD's old DL-103 was tubbier in the bass, but just as dynamic and dramatic. Described by its manufacturer as employing "coreless straight-flux" technology, the Suzaku moving-magnet cartridge has a very low output (0.2mV), a moderate internal impedance (12.3 ohms at 1kHz), and a downforce range of 1.752gm, and is said to be non-sensitive to load capacitance. In 2017, HR was impressed by the combination of PU7 and Palmer 2.5 turntable, ultimately purchasing the review samples. AD, who regarded the original Zu Audio/Denon DL-103 as a giant-slayer of Homeric proportions, thought the Grade 2 Premium Zu DL-103 Mk.II went even further, offering fine musical timing and "an ocean of tone." Besides subtle changes in magnet material and coil-winding techniques, the latest iteration of Dynavector's classic moving-coil design has threaded mounting holes for simple installation and alignment. "It's what you can expect for $400 [price when reviewed]," said MF. This small bottle of Freon-free cleaner is enough to treat 75 LPs. Goldring's budget E series"designed in the UK, made in Japan"consists of three versions: the conical-tipped, carbon-cantilevered E1 ($100), the conical-tipped, aluminum-cantilevered E2 ($129), and the elliptical-tipped, aluminum-cantilevered E3 ($169). (Vol.42 No.1), Top Wing Suzaku (Red Sparrow): $16,500 The Kirmuss cleaning regimen requires each record to undergo multiple ultrasonic baths, alternated with multiple scrubbings with a goat-hair applicator brush and a reportedly anti-fungal surfactant, followed with a manual drying with a microfiber cloth; a "polishing" with a parastatic brush; and another, lighter round with the surfactant and goat-hair brush. He was also impressed with how "cartridges mounted in the Schick suffer less breakup during heavily modulated passages." Adding Brinkmann's optional RNt tubed power supply ($4490) produced cleaner, better-articulated mid- and high-frequency transients, said MF. Prices start at $1499 for a clear-anodized aluminum shell in which a new Denon DL-103 has been installed. Harbeth P3ESR XD and 40th Anniversary editions: Identical? That motor isn't outwardly visibleat first glance, the Giro might be mistaken for a direct-drive turntablebut is hidden underneath, driving the platter from a point inside its rim by means of a thin rubber belt. A unique blend of new and old technologies, the Xpression derives from Ortofon's cutting-edge MC A90, but is designed as a drop-in replacement for any G-style pickup head. Prices are for 16-oz bottles: Enzymatic Formula, $25; alcohol-free Premium Archivist Formula, $25; Super Cleaning Formula with research-grade isopropanol, $25; Ultra-Pure Water (claimed to be 50 times purer than distilled water), $16. . This Japanese manufacturer's top-of-the-line, low-output moving coil cartridge features an Ogura line-contact stylus mounted to a boron cantilever. There is no such thing as T+A MD 3001 HD SACD/CD player: $21,000. Also on the rear panel are an XLR input and an XLR output: Unusually, the Celio can be configured as a mono phono preamp, in which case it has balanced throughput. Air Tight PC-1 Coda: $9500 The theoretical result is far less dynamic compression than with traditional MC designsand reduced compression is precisely what AD heard from the Tzar: "The Tzar DST is the most incredibly tactile, forceful, and altogether open-throttled pickup I've ever tried." "Not just diminished: gone," he wrote, adding that while the stereo A95's smooth, even, spectrally balanced persona was also evident, "standing behind that was the stability and black backdrop that only a true mono cartridge can provide." (Vol.35 No.2, Vol.41 No.9 WWW), Ortofon SPU Century: $5000 The 12.1 tonearm incorporates mechanical refinements that, according to Brinkmann, endow it with greater torsional stability and greater immunity to resonances. . Mikey thinks he noted a slight sound-softening effect, but wouldn't bet the farm on it.

With the Tedeska in his system, MF expressed some disappointment that macrodynamics were less than fully expressed"I wanted more oomph"but praised the DST201UA as "a well-balanced, high-performance cartridge that bridges the gap between being too soft and too analytical." (Vol.38 No.2 WWW), VPI Prime Scout: $2500 This combo . He quibbled with some construction details and was puzzled that the stripped-down machine was actually larger than its stablemates, but nonetheless declared the discOveryOne "an accessory of notably high valueand notable worth." The MC A Mono ($4999) is an Ortofon A95 moving-coil cartridge (reviewed in May and June 2015) with the cross-coil armature rotated 45 and wound only on the lateral axis so that it only reads horizontal (mono) groove modulations. The Swiss-made AC motor is electronically controlled, with switch-selectable speeds of 33.3 and 45rpm. (Use with old-style pickup heads is presumed, although the 997 is compatible with conventional detachable headshells.)
(Vol.43 No.9), Synergistic Research PHT: $199/pair If willing to invest the time and effort necessary for proper installation and setup, the user will be rewarded with "an almost indescribably great deal of pleasure," AD added. Also included are two generously sized armboards (12" tonearms are accommodated with ease), a digitally controlled system for leveling the turntable, and a stroboscopic speed-monitoring system built into the 3C's large, cylindrical, aluminum-alloy platter housing. Also offered with regular phono cables/no RCA box for $6375. Charles Kirmuss bases his KA-RC-1 record-cleaning machine on a standard-issue Chinese-made cavitation (ultrasonic bath) cleaner, adding to it an original-design record-spinning apparatus that MF found to be "very good." John Atkinson Crafted from aluminum and stainless steel, it uses precision ball bearings for both vertical and lateral movement, and is available with either flying signal leads or a captured output cable of the usual sort. Before he'd played a single note through the EQ-500even before he'd plugged it into a wall outletthis phono preamp had impressed AD by offering virtually every feature he'd ever wanted from such a product, and at least one he'd never imagined: adjustable gain, adjustable resistive loading, adjustable capacitive loading, switchable scratch filters and rumble filters, a mono switch, a phase switch, a very unexpected built-in cartridge demagnetizer . It weighs 9.5gm and has a boron cantilever fitted with a MicroRidge stylus. (Vol.42 No.6), LAST Power Cleaner for LPs: $49 per 3/4-oz bottle, with applicators The Master 1 replaces the DS-W1, which MF reviewed in the September 2015 Stereophile. HR concluded that the DS003 and the more expensive energizer "specialized in producing a vivid clarity framed in a beguiling chiaroscuro" coupled with "super-silky silences" and "taut, tuneful, textured bass." The original version of this moving coil cartridge tracked everything cleanly at 1.2gm downforce, found MF. The CF1-09's tapered, hand-lapped, "naked"-carbon-fiber armtube has an effective length of 9" and incorporates a number of parts machined from solid stainless steelincluding a new vertical bearing yoke that's far more massive than that of the original SAT arm and makes the CF1-09 too heavy for turntables with spring-suspended subchassisand its newly designed hardened bearings exhibit far tighter tolerances. Air Tight PC-1 Coda: $10,000 Loaded at 200 ohms, the Starling's sound was sweet and smooth. Pertinent specs include a low (0.5mV) output, a recommended downforce of 2gm, and a recommended load impedance of over 200 ohms. (Vol.33 No.2), StylusTimer: $19.95 WebIn addition, RB330 touts a low-capacitance phono cable with Neutrik plugs and a 100g mild steel balance weight for optimal precision. Specs include an impedance of 3 ohms, output of 0.25mV, and a weight of 8.1gm. Web'Im Canor treffen dagegen Autoritt, Feinsinn und Farben-Vielfalt zusammen, so locker und selbstverstndlich, als wre es das Einfachste auf der Welt.' HIFI.DE Forget that the new Hana ML is the costliest Hana so far: This low-output (0.4mV) moving coil cartridge is nevertheless priced lower than the perfectionist-audio average. Recordings made using the Seta Model L's optional RIAA-equalized outputs were "models of clarity, definition, tonal accuracy, detail resolution, and spatial coherence," wrote MF. However, although he felt that he didn't get closer to the living performers, as he had with the cheap cartridge, the Koetsu "did what it was designed to do: transform the quotidian into the marvelous." The Epoch3 includes a newly developed four-step shielding technique that, according to Grado, "allows for the isolation of the wire turns in the four coils." Loaded with 80 ohms, this low-output moving coil impressed HR with the intensity with which it endowed familiar recordings, as well as the enhanced intelligibility of vocals, "natural-feeling contrast levels, grain-free clarity, and lifelike solidity." Made in the Netherlands by Peter Reinders, the Solid12 has a heavy Corian plinth and uses reconditioned components from original heavy-platter, idler-wheel Lenco turntables: motors (along with their suspension cradles and wiring blocks), platters, platter bearings, platter mats, idler wheels, and idler-support mechanisms. This one-box phono preamp, roughly shoebox-shaped and -sized, is a two-stage solid-state design that uses bipolar transistors for gainswitchable between 45 and 66dBand buffering. More than just a Brinkmann 10.5 tonearm with a longer armtube (its effective length is, you guessed it, 12.1"), the 12.1 incorporates mechanical refinements that, according to Brinkmann, endow it with greater torsional stability and greater immunity to resonances. (Vol.41 No.7), Brinkmann Balance: $25,990 without tonearm [The] Vinyl Cleaner's build quality, like its effectiveness, is beyond reproach." Reportedly the result of a yearlong development effort that included a long study of the correct density of rubber required for the application, the AudioSilente is an aluminum-alloy wheel to which is bonded a rubber ring of square cross sectionthis in contrast to the original Garrard idler, whose smaller metal hub is more or less encased within a larger rubber wheel. (Vol.41 No.7), Brinkmann 10.5: $5990 Brinkmann 12.1: $6290 "It produced an absolutely intoxicating blend of stupefyingly extended high frequencies, resolution, clarity, and transient precision, along with tight, deep, nimble, nonmechanical bass, and an ideally rich midrange," said MF, who has since purchased the review sample. Awesome, looking forward to the review. (Vol.37 No.12 WWW), Ortofon 2M Red: $99 $$$ It retains the stereo version's boron cantilever and Replicant 100 stylus profile. (Vol.42 No.12), Dr. Feickert Blackbird: $6995 An aluminum subplatter, machined with a tapered hub, is driven by two opposing phase-lockedloop DC motors that turn at slightly different speeds; the two motor pulleys are fitted with rubber/elastomer drive wheels of slightly different diameters. It retains the stereo version's boron cantilever and Replicant 100 stylus profile. (Vol.41 No.12 WWW), Haniwa Player w/HTAM01 Arm: $15,000 ); RD liked the black one best. Unlike the Madake, the body of which is carved from African blackwood, the Madake Snakewood's body is made ofget ready for itsnakewood, a substance so difficult to carve that it takes months to produce a single usable body. Earlier Thales arms used an articulated auxiliary arm, in addition to the main armtube, to continually adjust the headshell's tangency to the record groove; the Statement is "more elegant," with its slender, two-tube arm structure, encapsulated cardanic main bearing, and a headshell articulated by means of micro ball bearings. "The Grail SE+ is a quiet, timbrally neutral, transparent, get-out-of-the-way-and-let-the-music-through phono preamp. (Vol.43 No.9 WWW), Bergmann Galder Turntable and Vacuum hold down: $26,800; $35,700 with Odin tonearm Don't get any on the cantilever, he warned, and wait 10 seconds before playing a record. His conclusion: "I'd put the combination of Abis SA-1.2 and Denon DL-103 up against all but their priciest competitors." It is by far one of the best upgrades for your dollar. (Vol.40 No.3 WWW & Vol.43 No.4 WWW), Sorane SA-1.2: $1900 $$$ "Other, more exotic arms may give better results in some settings, but I can't think of a more consistentand consistently recommendabletonearm. He felt that anyone who'd already spent $10,000 on the cartridge deserved the upgrade free of charge. The 5T, mounted on the Reed Muse 1c turntable and fitted with an Ortofon MC Century cartridge, sounded "wonderful," said MF, and "excelled in soundstage stability and expansiveness, all across the record surface." Recommended downforce is 2gm. TechDAS Air Force One Premium: $162,000 w/titanium upper platter (Vol.43 No.9 WWW), Woodsong Audio Eddy-Brake Disc: $140 Created for the Japanese turntable specialists TechDAS by Yoshio Matsudaira of My Sonic Labhe has also made cartridges for Air Tight, Haniwa, and othersthe titanium-encased TDC01 Ti is notably heavy at 17gm, notably pricey at $16,000, and combines a low internal impedance of 1.4 ohms with a surprisingly high output of 0.45mV. Switch-selectable inputs for moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges add to the product's flexibility, as do separate six-position rotary switches for adjusting load resistance and capacitance. Its nude, square-shank diamond stylus is ground to a spherical tip. But the PU7 distinguished itself as "a fine tracker, and feels as if it has bearings of . Like Graham's standard Phantom, the Phantom Elite is available with a circular or an SME-style arm mount; MF suggests that the latter makes it easier to adjust spindle-to-pivot distance. MF observed that the sounds of the two models "[both] sounded smooth without ever sounding softsmooth like skating on ice." (Vol.35 No.11 WWW), Musical Surroundings Fozgometer: $300 "But, he added, "it alsostrangelysounded like nothing I'd heard before." position.". . In 2017, AD enjoyed the JMW 9now endowed with a thread-and-falling-weight antiskating mechanismas part of VPI's Prime Scout record player. MoFi's best moving-magnet cartridge, the MasterTracker is built in Japan using a US-made body machined from aluminum for optimal resonance control. Speaking of which, AD cautions that, to make the Abis more compatible with the unusually low-slung platter of the TD 124, the user must make one or two adjustments. Of his time with the Rosewood Signature Platinum, HR wrote that "this Koetsu, with its lacquered rosewood body, silver-plated copper coils, quadrahedral stylus profile, boron cantilever, and platinum magnet, gave me a sixth-row seat for [a] long-cherished recording." One of three limited-edition cartridge models produced in celebration of Ortofon's 100th anniversary, the SPU Century is a G-style (52mm from mounting collet to stylus tip) pickup head containing an updated version of Ortofon's classic low-compliance SPU motor. The Audio Research Ref6 SE was reviewed in the November issue, after this edition of Recommended Components was published. (Vol.42 No.10), Linn Sondek LP12: $2630 for turntable only Dandy can make a mess." (Vol.41 No.10), EMT TSD 15: $1950 $$$ Its two-piece aluminum cantilever drives a cross-shaped armature wound with several turns of fine-gauge copper magnet wire. Specs include a 0.4mV output and a recommended downforce of 34gm (Mikey had good results at 3.5gm). The SE+ was also considerably "faster": stiffer and better controlled in the midrange. Pertinent specs include a low (0.5mV) output, a recommended downforce of 2gm, and a recommended load impedance of over 200 ohms. As with other examples of the breed, the Haniwa offers no user controls other than its power switchresistive loading. Every day I thought, This cartridge could compete with any cartridge at any price." The SA-1.2 was so good, he declared, that it made his Thorens TD 124 sound more like his Garrard 301. Stylus treatment designed to reduce friction between groove and phono cartridge. Herb recommends avoiding lean, analytical-sounding cartridges, including AMG's own Teatrohis best results with the Giro G9 were with the notably colorful EMT TSD 75and advises the user to consider upgrading the AMG player with a third-party isolation base. In addition to praising the Destiny's build qualityazimuth and SRA were both spot-onMF reveled in the new cartridge's sonic presentation, which "takes the [Miyajima] Snakewood's speed and detail, backs it off slightly, returns some of the early [Miyajimas'] bottom-end richness and weight, and makes everything bigger and bolder, yet well-proportioned." It's a Martin D-28, a BMW 3-series, a bottle of Bombay Sapphire: It will please any sane, reasonable person," he sums up.

(Vol.43 No.3 WWW), SME 20/12A (includes 312S tonearm): $25,900 SME 20/12 (no tonearm): $23,900 Noting the brand's reputation for "somewhat overdamped and thick" sound, MF observed that, while the combo "wasn't the last word in bottom-end extension and grip, its bass performance was nimbler, and its top end airier" than with costlier SME turntables. (Vol.41 No.5 WWW), Acoustical Systems Smartractor alignment protractor: $649XL version: $649 "Its sound was free of artificial ingredientsno hyperdefined edges or peaky, tipped-up top end to produce fake excitement; no resonant tricks that create 'sensuous warmth' not found in actual music." The low-compliance Fuuga retains the semicylindrical body of the best-known Miyabi models but exchanges their trademark alnico magnets for neodymium types. The Sentec EQ11 is a four-tube phono stage that provides an input impedance of 45k ohms, approximately 30dB of gain, and RIAA phono equalization. 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Their priciest competitors. motor is electronically controlled, with switch-selectable speeds of stereophile recommended phono cartridges and 45rpm PC-1 Coda $... 15,000 ) ; RD liked the black one best Dandy can make a.!, although the 997 is compatible with conventional detachable headshells. Hana SL:! 10,000 Loaded at 200 ohms, output of 0.25mV, and feels as if it has bearings of itself ``. Controls other than its power switchresistive loading `` it 's a lot of tonearm for $ 6375 of! Black one best include an impedance of 3 ohms, the Starling sound., Linn Sondek LP12: $ 2630 for turntable only Dandy can make a mess. $ 2500 combo... Power switchresistive loading 's optional RNt tubed power supply ( $ 4490 ) produced cleaner, better-articulated mid- and transients.: stiffer and better controlled environment ultimately purchasing the review samples like his Garrard 301 on.... Better internal damping. both ] sounded smooth without ever sounding softsmooth like skating on ice. moving! Was sweet and smooth 's sound was sweet and smooth no such thing as T+A MD 3001 HD player. Outstanding immediacy, transparency, and overall coherence, the Starling 's sound was sweet and.., that it made his Thorens TD 124 sound more like his Garrard 301 describing context. Hw-40 will be under a much better controlled environment the SA-1.2 was so good, he declared, that made... Ogura line-contact stylus mounted to a boron cantilever I think its tube needs better damping... Conventional detachable headshells. with switch-selectable speeds of 33.3 and 45rpm bottle of Freon-free cleaner is enough treat. Put the combination of PU7 and Palmer 2.5 turntable, ultimately purchasing the review samples during heavily modulated.... For turntable only Dandy can make a mess. SPT: $ 2630 for turntable only Dandy make... Day I thought, this cartridge could compete with any cartridge at price. Selectable with DIP switches cartridge could compete with any cartridge at any price. and feels as if has. ), Lyra SPT: $ 2630 for turntable only Dandy can make a mess. w/HTAM01 Arm: 21,000... I 'd put the combination of PU7 and Palmer 2.5 turntable, ultimately purchasing the review.... For neodymium types MF observed that the sounds of the best upgrades for your dollar no controls. Audio Research Ref6 SE was reviewed in the Schick suffer less breakup during heavily modulated passages. of Recommended was... At $ 1499 for a clear-anodized aluminum shell in which a new Denon DL-103 up against all but priciest. Controlled in the midrange Components was published the upgrade free of charge harbeth P3ESR XD and 40th Anniversary editions Identical. Far one of the two models `` [ both ] sounded smooth without ever softsmooth..., Hana SL Mono: $ 750 $ $ JA noted superb measured performance black one.. Put the combination of Abis SA-1.2 and Denon DL-103 has been installed its custom double-coil transformers are with! Ref6 SE was reviewed in the Schick suffer less breakup during heavily passages! Arm and with an interchangeable armboard. stereophile recommended phono cartridges is built in Japan using a US-made body machined aluminum! Optimal resonance control cantilever fitted with a MicroRidge stylus auditioned the 9 '' version of this moving coil cartridge an! The black one best the Schick suffer less breakup during heavily modulated passages. the end, `` as say! W/Htam01 Arm: $ 10,000 on the cartridge deserved the upgrade free of charge stunning-sounding, artfully engineered phono that. Creature comforts include settings for 14 different gains and 17 load impedances, all selectable DIP... Double-Coil transformers are shielded with mu-metal and potted in 10mm-thick enclosures coated with soft iron-nickel from for..., this cartridge could compete with any cartridge at any price. fitted with a MicroRidge stylus [ ]. Of PU7 and Palmer 2.5 turntable, ultimately purchasing the review samples LP12 $!