Ortofon Cadenza Bronze or...?

MikeCh

MikeCh

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Looking to possibly upgrade my cartridge...

How much better (or different) is the Bronze from the Dynavector 20X2H? I love the Dynavector but wonder if there is a better match for my listening which is mostly classical (90%) with some jazz, some rock & some electronic thrown in.

Will the Bronze be a suitable mate on a VPI Classic 2?

Thanks,
Mike
 
The Lyra Kleos (from Jeff at AV soulutions) has a great synergy with VPI. I very much like mine on the Classic 3. It's a very lively cartridge. Dynamic. Great balance. Good synergy with VPI IMO.
 
MikeCh said:
Looking to possibly upgrade my cartridge...

How much better (or different) is the Bronze from the Dynavector 20X2H? I love the Dynavector but wonder if there is a better match for my listening which is mostly classical (90%) with some jazz, some rock & some electronic thrown in.

Will the Bronze be a suitable mate on a VPI Classic 2?

Thanks,
Mike
Click to expand...
I own a cadenza black and used to own a blue(which I ran on a classic1). And did a lot of listening to the bronze on a classic 1 and aries3.
It is a very smooth well detailed cartridge. Lists at $2200 . For the money it's an excellent cartridge.and the best I've heard in that pricerange.
It is definitely the warmest of the cadenza line. . But it's not over the top warm .just real nice. and I don't think you can go wrong with it.
I've listened to a few dynavectors they were not for me. The ones I couldn't afford were awesome though. Lol.
For some reason the Ortofon cartridges appeal to me over others. It's a personal opinion but I think they are the best value as compared to similarly priced cartridges.
I've heard the shelter, lyra and clearaudio offerings as well . I really liked the shelters and lyras too. The clearaudio I think you need to spend more money to get the same quality. My choices were the black, the kleos, or the shelter 901. All were awesome and similar quality with different sound.
But I bought the Ortofon . Good luck!!!
 
Mike said:
The Lyra Kleos (from Jeff at AV soulutions) has a great synergy with VPI. I very much like mine on the Classic 3. It's a very lively cartridge. Dynamic. Great balance. Good synergy with VPI IMO.
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike.

I don't recall where I heard it, but I remember somebody saying that the Lyra carts are not at their best in the uni-pivot arm of the Classic? Perhaps this is unfounded, but for some reason it does stick in my mind.

What other carts have you tried on your Classic?



Thanks,
Mike
 
Petro85 said:
I own a cadenza black and used to own a blue(which I ran on a classic1). And did a lot of listening to the bronze on a classic 1 and aries3.
It is a very smooth well detailed cartridge. Lists at $2200 . For the money it's an excellent cartridge.and the best I've heard in that pricerange.
It is definitely the warmest of the cadenza line. . But it's not over the top warm .just real nice. and I don't think you can go wrong with it.
I've listened to a few dynavectors they were not for me. The ones I couldn't afford were awesome though. Lol.
For some reason the Ortofon cartridges appeal to me over others. It's a personal opinion but I think they are the best value as compared to similarly priced cartridges.
I've heard the shelter, lyra and clearaudio offerings as well . I really liked the shelters and lyras too. The clearaudio I think you need to spend more money to get the same quality. My choices were the black, the kleos, or the shelter 901. All were awesome and similar quality with different sound.
But I bought the Ortofon . Good luck!!!
Click to expand...

Hi Steve,

Thanks for all the great information.

What do you find that the Black does in comparison (or better than) the Bronze? If I'm going to spend this kind of money on a cartridge, perhaps going with the Black instead would be the better choice?

Thanks,
Mike
 
MikeCh said:
Hi Steve,

Thanks for all the great information.

What do you find that the Black does in comparison (or better than) the Bronze? If I'm going to spend this kind of money on a cartridge, perhaps going with the Black instead would be the better choice?

Thanks,
Mike
Click to expand...
Omg the black is so good !!! It has to be the best value in cartridges in this pricerange.
At $2600 retail it's worth the extra $400 over the bronze and $800 over the blue. I was shopping for $2k-$4k range and this was my first choice. When I asked our friendly analog guru what I should buy he said cadenza black without hesitation and im so happy I did.
Can't go wrong !!
 
Mike - no issues with the unipivot arm. That being said, I would seriously talk to Jeff at AV Solutions. That guy has tried more cartridges and more arms with more tables then everyone I know, except maybe Fremer.

Mike
 
Mike said:
Mike - no issues with the unipivot arm. That being said, I would seriously talk to Jeff at AV Solutions. That guy has tried more cartridges and more arms with more tables then everyone I know, except maybe Fremer.

Mike
Click to expand...
+1 Jeff is the guy I call with my questions.
Depending on music style is big too.
Where mike and me listen to some of the same stuff.
We have different tastes for the most part. The kleos might be better for him where the black is better for me.
I have heard of not being able to run a Benz well on a jmw. But I never heard that about lyras
 
If it makes you feel better there's a friend-dealer that told me in his opinion the bronze is the best cartridge he's ever heard, and he's heard at least one $6000.00 cartridge, that's why he owns one. Steve which heard the Bronze, seems to like the black a lot, and after buying his Classic 1 from with the blue which sounds beautiful. Oh year I happen to put the red on the Classic, don't even know if it's installed properly and that sounds pretty good! so guess what?! I think I'm going to take a break and listen to my CD player..! I will probably hear the bronze in my system soon and will let you know
 
Sorry for the delay in my response to this thread, but I've been kept busy setting up and getting used to a new Windows 8.1 PC. I own the Cadenza Bronze and have it mounted in an Origin Live Enterprise-C tonearm on a Nottingham Dais table. I chose it over the Black due to my system being solid state (Audia Flight Phono, Pre and the Rowland 625 power amp) and therefore preferred the slightly warmer tonal balance of the Bronze. The Black would be a better in my opinion most often when matched with warmer balanced tube electronics. They are both superb and offer performance well beyond their price points. I could have afforded several other more expensive cartridges, but after hearing the Cadenza Bronze in my system I knew that my search was over. I also continue to be amazed at how quiet the Bronze tracks the grooves, with virtually all of the surface noise that I thought was inherent to vinyl playback and specific records gone.
 
Thanks for all the great, detailed information guys. I think the Bronze might well be my next step with vinyl playback.

Mike
 
Mike (admin Mike), you have a new Bronze on the way eh? Sweet! Please let us know how it performs once you get a chance to break it in proper!!!

Thanks,
Mike
 
MikeCh said:
Mike (admin Mike), you have a new Bronze on the way eh? Sweet! Please let us know how it performs once you get a chance to break it in proper!!!

Thanks,
Mike
Click to expand...

Will do....I was thinking of trying the Cadenza Black, but Jeff indicated the Bronze has a tiny bit more warmth and pairs really well with the Classic 3. A friend of mine just bought the Cadenza Bronze as well and I got to listen to it. Very nice sounding cartridge. Full sound, rich, with loads of detail.

I would encourage anyone looking for anything analog/vinyl related to call Jeff at AV Solutions. He has tried them all! :)
 
Mike said:
Will do....I was thinking of trying the Cadenza Black, but Jeff indicated the Bronze has a tiny bit more warmth and pairs really well with the Classic 3. A friend of mine just bought the Cadenza Bronze as well and I got to listen to it. Very nice sounding cartridge. Full sound, rich, with loads of detail.

I would encourage anyone looking for anything analog/vinyl related to call Jeff at AV Solutions. He has tried them all! :)
Click to expand...

congrats mike!!!! your gonna love the ortofon. for some reason i was against buying an ortofon cartridge, not sure of the reason. but once i heard them i was hooked.
i think the best post in this thread was audio bill who said the warmth of the bronze suits his solid state gear well, and the black is better for tubes.
when i heard the bronze several times it was on a tube system, and it was extra warm.i thought way too warm for my hovland/snapper/faber setup.which already leans very warm and liquidy. i later heard it on solid state gear in a different location and was thoroughly impressed. any of the ortofon cadenza line is just a damn good buy, and great lineup of cartridges. i may not have heard loads of the newer gear thats out there, but ive heard most of the cartridges now, and would be hard pressed to honestly tell you to buy anything else.
ummm im going to hear a lyra etna in couple weeks!!!!! lmao!!! cant wait for that. :) i might fall in love again, but thats $7k of love. yikes!!!
 
Where does the new Ortofon Quintet series fall relative to Cadenza (above or below): Products - Cartridges - The Quintet series

quintet_all_230pix.png


From the body etc...looks like it's their entry level MC carts now (maybe replacing the Rondo line of old)??

Jeff (A/V Solutions)....have you heard these? Any thoughts?
 
cmalak said:
Where does the new Ortofon Quintet series fall relative to Cadenza (above or below): Products - Cartridges - The Quintet series

quintet_all_230pix.png


From the body etc...looks like it's their entry level MC carts now (maybe replacing the Rondo line of old)??

Jeff (A/V Solutions)....have you heard these? Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

The Quintet replaces the Rondo series......haven't had the chance to listen to the Quintet but will do so shortly.
 
Cadenza Bronze it is! Verbal order is now placed, should be here in a couple of weeks. Yay...:D
 
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