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Just picked this up today. New packaging with their name on it. It looks a bit cheap compared to the nice soft to the touch hardwood box I received the other in.

Here's a closeup of the cartridge. Nice translucent cantilever and ebony body. Notice the silver coils! I like the red color but there's a gold colored one too.

 

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I had to hear it. So I built it in on a spare headshell. On my cheapest arm. I had to take the picture upside down from the other side. Third arm ... Awkward position.

I picked a classical album from a Readers Digest boxset of romantic music 'Sheherazade'. These are really cheap but amazing RCA recordings. De Falla - Three cornered hat (Sombrero de très Picos) and El amor Bruno (the enchanted love).

First second I started playing it already sounded astonishingly good. Straight into the MC input on 47 Ohm. My least favorite option but the most versatile input for switching headshells. I'm now playing via my silver x-former. I don't know what they used for the damper, it looks like transparent silicon, but it sounds good from the start. The ceramic cantilever certainly is very stiff. The nude diamond is glued to the top with a blob of metallic looking glue. I checked the profile with a microscope and it looks pretty sharp. Not a simple elliptical. So the whole thing might not be super light but it certainly is stiff.

The sounds is very open and has a great sense of space and dimension. The sound is very even, balanced and natural. Good microdynamics. The soprano went well with just a hint of stress (I only did sideforce on the fly with thread and weight). Highs are wonderfully smooth and I'm amazed at how quiet the record sounds.

This was a blind buy. After the first model that I knew nothing about. I can buy another one of these for the same money as getting my broken Koetsu retipped. Yet this one is on the same level. Only it's a little less pretty than the Urushi. But the sound is better. (hard to compare from memory but I do not feel I'm missing anything).

Can you believe they sell this for $300? I now tried 2 and they are both close to perfect. I'm going to save up for one of the top models with sapphire cantilever and shibata stylus.

 

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I just have to come back to that theme of the cover kitten, or 'hoezenpoes' as we call it. There is a series of covers from Westminster Gold reissues that illustrates it well. They were probably on drugs when they came up with these covers because they certainly have a devil may care attitude. No inhibitions and sometimes grossly inappropriate, sometimes hilarious, sometimes straight on the head.

I got track of it when I bought this 'Romeo and Juliet' gatefold. Typical 70-ies vaselin soft focus. "Pull me other leg, it's got socks on!"

This one is kind of irreverent

And so is this. Not very sexy though.

This one is

A series of 'make Wagner sexy again'?

Although it doesn't seem to end well... They don't seem to pleased.

Here's another one of the best. That'll get you interested is astronomy. Or astrology. Or paganry. (Holst was antroposofist)

Of course, like Annie Lennox sang: I love to. .. listen to ...Beethoven. Of course intellectuals always have a bust or 2 of him. Very strategically placed. I wonder if Jaqueline du Pré approved of this?

And to end with the final blow. You would wonder "WHY?". But it is actually the nail on the head. Macabi means hammer, the nickname of the Israeli zealot leader. That's why the romans called the province Palestina, just to spite them. Thanks for that never ending problem Rome.

So, on that blow we ends our Sunday afternoon classical diversion. English sense of humour eh?

 

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I found one of the companies the OEM I bought manufactures for. Does that make sense? The first I bought had no branding at all. The second I just built in had a brand on the box that I can't find anything about. But googling ceramic cantilever I found this site Lesson: https://www.leson.org/
Interesting site. Prices are quite reasonable if you compare it to the usual suspects. There's also a real high output MC (2mV).

I also found out the ceramic material. Boron carbide. Very stiff, very light (lighter than pure boron). The hyper elliptical stylus is a line contact.

Compare LeSon LS10 II

To my Zhige

 

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I just received some more lp's. These old Blue Note Records are a real opportunity to get into jazz. I payed only €14 a piece. For a very good sounding and well made record.

I could have bought some more but I had a listen first on Qobuz and I liked these best. I'm not looking for another reinterpretation of the same old song from the Songbook without any singer.

I also bought this one. Most are really dusty and worn. Or very expensive. Or a compilation. And while I usually don't care for live recordings (with the exception of Brel a l' Olympia 1963) this one is a classic. And only €18. For these prices you can score.

Unlike the 'popular records' that are pressed in large quantities. Because they are the new stars. Like Billie Eilish het album 'Happier than ever'. It was €40, now discounted to €22. But I still didn't buy it. I have enough regret of buying Adele's '30'. When surprising newcomers get the deadly embrace of the record industry executives and are pampered, coddled and pressured to write 'another hit album' for them everything starts going south. Weird things start to happen to their personalities as they get corrupted by the elites who parade them around as their pets (or worse!).

Just listen to Dusty's voice and her technique and personality, and compare that to Billies. No amount of cute can compensate for that. And the cute is wearing off pretty quickly.

 

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Just an update on the Dusty album. I always thought it was a live performance. It is not. It's her fifth studio album recorded in Memphis 1969. It's a really good sounding album. A bit left right, like early stereo. But very clear. Almost exaggerated. Her voice is very articulate. I think it has also to do with the half speed mastering. Like my new silver coil cartridge squared. A bit much but never aggressive or tiring.

The cover is just ok, simple and effective. Poly lining.
Mastering is very good but not to everyone's liking
Pressing is superb.

What I also found out, if a recording is very left right, like the instruments are in the speaker (panned all the way) if you double our listening distance it sounds like they are in the room, expanding between the walls instead of between the speakers. Quite ok.

A short frustration relief: don't you hate it when suddenly one channel suddenly doesn't work? I put on Dusty in Memphis to listen and the right channel doesn't work. Just a bit of soft treble. That means capacitance contact, close but not touching contact. So I had to go troubleshooting before I could listen in peace on my best arm.
Im still not sure what caused it but I think it's the unplugging and plugging of the SME DIN plug under the arm. I think I pushed it in the wrong way round as the middle pin was pushed up. Also the tags were all pretty loose (I bought it 2ndH). I had to unmount the entire arm to reach it.
Punchline: leave the SME plug in place. Especially if you can't see how you're plugging it.

 

[Oboe]

I just have to come back to that theme of the cover kitten, or 'hoezenpoes' as we call it. There is a series of covers from Westminster Gold reissues that illustrates it well. They were probably on drugs when they came up with these covers because they certainly have a devil may care attitude. No inhibitions and sometimes grossly inappropriate, sometimes hilarious, sometimes straight on the head.

Love the Planets one, makes me want to hear a cyberpunk version of it.

 

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Actually, the music of Holst is often used in science fiction music, in fanfilms etc. It certainly thoroughly inspired John Williams for his Star Wars music (Mars vs imperial march).

The cover reminded me of Blake's 7. A '70-ies BBC SF series. Obviously very low budget but very imaginative. When writers weren't all woke yet and still knew how to write a compelling story.

 

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I just received this at my door today.

I noticed I had forgotten to checkmark the Chemical Brothers LP with the rest of my basket. That was discounted for €19. And free shipping is only over €20. So what do you do? Pick up another cheap item to fill your basket. And Coltrane was only €12. I know, sacrilege! But I didn't know anything about the quality of the pressing. It's no Blue Note. It's on impulse! (Verve) reissued by Universal Music Special Markets. But the music is a must have, so... in the basket. There we go. (hmm, that was Chemical brothers' 'Hey boy, hey girl').

I just gave it a first spin. The gatefold is beautiful matt finish, iconic cover. Inner sleeve simple white, polysleeved. The pressing is flawless. Then the music starts from a black background. Typical Rudy van Gelder left- right wide panning sound. But the music sounds awesome. Very realistic instruments. So I do the RvG back step to double the distance. Again: like they are playing in a room bigger than mine. So, forget the worries, this just sounds great. Period.

Just a little note; it sounds like a very good digital remaster. It sounds like that slight digital smoothness of modern recordings. And there is NO mention on the cover how the mastering was done or by whom. So this is my suspicion based on experience. No matter, it sounds great. Smooth and detailed and very 3D. The Blue Note all analog just have a little more bite, a bit of grain like analog film. I like it either way.


The album that I wanted originally, I didn't buy in the shop when it came out because it was as the shop owner said: "not their best" and frankly said, expensive. The Chemical Brothers have been around for quite a while now and, as stars go, they tend to fade. Agreed, this is mot their best or most innovative or most refreshing album, bug the opening hits the 'Zeitgeist' right on the noggin' with 'Eve of destruction '. The music is supposed to play loud and it's a headtrip when it sounds good. And it does.

As much as I'm happy to listen to Coltrane, this is more like my kind of music. It just takes me to another place. Jazz is more melancholy, this makes me feel happy. Makes me wanna dance and move, forget about the impending doom, war, destruction and the end of the world feeling. Yes, I know we're not there yet and the tide is turning. But the wind hasn't been layed to rest yet. And you can bet your ass(ets) there's another storm coming.

Anyway, this music is escapism. It sounds just great. Huge spacy sounds, thumping bass and catchy lines. Mastering is great, pressing is perfect. Nice artwork. Double album in a single sleeve with an info sheet. Simple and sleek.

Music: 8
Artwork and sleeve: 8
Soundquality: 9
Mastering and pressing 10.

I like it a lot better than I expected really.

 

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Uh oh. I bought another new cartridge. I decided against a 2ndH Miyajima Takumi (€850) and bought some Chinese crap instead. Sorry for Miyajima but I consider a bonded elliptical crap.

Something I wanted for a long time; I chose one with silver coils, sapphire cantilever and shibata stylus in a stealthy black body. I payed €720 so far (+ w/e customs charge later on, I know they don't put the full price on the customs form so ~50).

I think it's an unbeatable price, even other Chinese (Excsoni) costs 1.5x as much without the silver. Or even the Sky analog G3 (which is identical to the Excsoni) costs €2100 locally. The Excsoni EC-3 costs $1369 from a Chinese webshop LTDoremi (+ customs surprise charges).

I like the other top models but I like the sleek look. The others are more expensive all naked models. I like the Lyra/Linn lookalike (check out the Linn Kandid and tell me how it's different!). No yokes; direct on the magnet. But it doesn't have silver coils. The van den Hul lookalike ditto. And the exposed sapphire cantilever on my oil rig just hanging in mid air... Gives me shivers. So exposed.

This last one is not the actual cart but the cheaper one with titanium + SE. They don't have a photo of it. This one is 350. Also a bargain considering.

 

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I just revisited my old goodwill store to check on a turntable. It was crap. But I did buy a new couch! I sat down and .... Ahhh. Relaxed.

Plus after a bit of browsing found 3 nice records. Very Karajan.

I almost bought the Grieg reissue recently. I wasn't sure if I had it somewhere. But now I got it for €1. But I made a buy because of the mono Columbia really. As you can see NM.

About the Cello concerto; the guy (or gal) who put the 2 hype stickers on (very permanent!) should have been sacked. Straight over the main performer and his cello! Shame on you.

 

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I recently bought this jazz album, and I confess I really didn't know much about it. I gave it a short listen on Qobuz and it passed the test (he said irreverently). I bought quite a few of these Blue Note classics and they are really good sounding and only €12! Where I buy 'em anyways.


Now I just saw this comparison. Now you can decide for yourself. Btw: he says he has a 'midfy' system. Man, I wish I had that Kiseki purple heart and Audiomods arm (I'm saving for the arm).

 

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Another finding...

As you know I have I have a Chinese turntable that fulfills all my technical wishes. A heavy 6cm thick platter, good motor that switches speed at a mere touch and 3 arm positions. Before I had a perspex platter, not as heavy but it sounded more dead. Perspex sounds like 'plock', the aluminum sounds like 'tingk'. Perspex has the same modulus as vinyl so it transfers vibrations better (no diffraction).

So, what did I do? I put a platter 'mat' on top. One I had intended for a Thorens 115. It's from Juno (UK) and 5mm solid black vinyl with a recessed mirror surface for the label. It looks quite spiffy and better than the milled alu with through holes for the speedometer. It's solid matt black and less prone to fingerprints and it reduces static a lot.

Also, I found that my third arm, the EIZZ with detachable headshell, was up too high. I made the armboard of 18mm black MDF. The others are solid Alu 10mm. And I can't go further down that bottom contact. I can put the others higher though. Easy. Now I can put the VTF correctly.

Now that's all good. But I don't want a slipmat effect. I use a clamp to get a good contact and I want the lp to drag under force. So I want to make a solid contact between the vinyl mat and the platter. I chose a kind of Blue tack. Grey tacky chewing gum like stuff. I made several very small balls, spread the evenly and puched the vinyl on with force to squish them flat. Well, that sounds easy. But it is NOT. It didn't work to my satisfaction. In the tapping test I got a resonant 'clack, clack, clack'. So I put more dabs on. Problem got worse. So I removed all Bison tack and left 3 tiny stains of grey stuff I also use for cartridges. It's a bit more fluid and tacky. Result: the platter doesn't move and the tapping test gives a solid dead 'tock'. Hah!

I don't have a full expansive test on how it sounds but my impression is it sounds a bit more fluid and relaxed with a blacker background. I think it is definitely an improvement. Also less static when removing a disc, and less attraction of dust is a benefit. I find this to work much better than my leather+cork mat (or felt, I hate those).

I just added a photo to show the look. It's not just a flimsy mat, it's a disc. And now it sounds dead everywhere on the surface. Same thing when I clamp the lp on it (that's why that yellow foam thingy around the spindle, to put the centre up, the clamp pushes the label edge down). With a felt mat it sounds like 'tack' when I tap the lp.

 

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I just payed customs for the new cartridge. I suppose they think a cartridge is ink? I'm not complaining. I'm not going to argue. I think €14 is just right. Anyway, I bought a high end cartridge for mid-fi money. Of course the proof of the puddin' is in the eating. But I have little doubt it will perform as expected. ETA is tomorrow. I'll share my findings asap.

It's the black one from my post above from december 29

 

[mbphotox]

would love to see measurements of cartridges.