Suggestions to replace Benz LPS

M

Mikeoo

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Sep 4, 2017
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Hi All,

My Benz LPS has met its master and now I am thinking of if I want to replace with same or look for something else!?

LPS has been a very nice partner but I am ready for a change. Any suggestions in this price/performance range that may fit my setting, Dr. Feickert-Kuzma 4p/Kondo silver-Aavik U300?
In essence a bit more top end stretch and dynamics plus better defined bass (referred to what I hear in my system - see my profile).

Keep it coming/Mike
 
Mikeoo said:
Hi All,

My Benz LPS has met its master and now I am thinking of if I want to replace with same or look for something else!?

LPS has been a very nice partner but I am ready for a change. Any suggestions in this price/performance range that may fit my setting, Dr. Feickert-Kuzma 4p/Kondo silver-Aavik U300?
In essence a bit more top end stretch and dynamics plus better defined bass (referred to what I hear in my system - see my profile).

Keep it coming/Mike
Click to expand...

Ortofon Cadenza Black
 
If you can stretch your budget beyond the Cadenza Black, their Windfeld Ti is reportedly a significant step up in performance. Not unreasonable in today's reality of $10K to $15K cartridges!
 
Thanks guys!

A friend of mine recommended Van der Hul Frog Gold. Any opinion?

Mike
 
Mikeoo said:
Thanks guys!

A friend of mine recommended Van der Hul Frog Gold. Any opinion?

Mike
Click to expand...

I haven’t tried the Van der Hul Frog Gold (crazy name!). But Myles is quite high on Van der Hul Carts.

I will tell you, a beautifully romantic sounding cartridge is the Miyajima Madake.

Another option are the My Sonic Lab cartridges. They are superb value.
 
In case you're looking for more info, the brand is actually Van den Hul. With any of these choices you need to ensure that they're a good match to your phono stage, regarding gain and loading options. The MSL cartridges for example are very low impedance designs which could cause potential matching issues, and MC output levels also vary.
 
The top Shelters - Accord and Harmony - both sound superb, and somehow fall under the audiophile radar these days. Probably underrated. Just throwing it out as a wildcard. I've been loving my Harmony on a CA Universal for the past year (actually I've found I like it even MORE as time goes on), and also just today mounted a new Accord on a Graham Phantom - sounds awesome right out of the box, already giving my Coralstone a tough time of it in the quick comparison I did. The Accord might just be the most reasonably priced cartridge with a Titanium body. Sonically, these carts have a very clean detailed sound with just a touch of warmth in the midrange. Absolutely smoothness with no hint of grain, ever. Not as fat and lush in mids as a Koetsu, but not anywhere close to sterile either. Great extension. Very clean, fast, and punchy bass. Good visceral impact. These Shelters particularly excel at a very large soundstage and extremely low noise floor (exceeding Koetsu stones in these areas). Quietest cartridges I've ever run. Perfect pricing for an LPS replacement, at upper-$3K's (Accord) and 5K (Harmony).

The Windfeld Ti mentioned above also looks very interesting. The Shelters definitely perform at a higher level than my Cadenza Bronze (also a very good cart for the price, though), so I'd go for the Windfeld line and above if you move to Ortofon from an LPS.
 
audio.bill said:
If you can stretch your budget beyond the Cadenza Black, their Windfeld Ti is reportedly a significant step up in performance. Not unreasonable in today's reality of $10K to $15K cartridges!
Click to expand...

I agree with the Windfeld Ti recommendation. I initially recently upgraded from a Cadenza Black. My upgrade path has Bennett Benz Ebony > Cadenza Bronze > Cadenza Black > Windfeld Ti.
 
Thanks All,

Well, the Ortofon range hasn't been my cup of tea in the past but it is some time since I lend an ear to this brand. Tough to say how 'accurate' things are when there are so many parts of different origin involved compared to my own setup when auditioning.

I'll take my time to get some impressions.

Mike

More suggestions please/Mike
 
If you can find a Transfiguration Proteus, THAT would be a great cart to own (I’ve owned it and currently have the Transfiguration Proteus D (diamond)). The regular Proteus sells for around $5K, but sound like $12K.

Agree with the Windfield Ti suggestion above. I prefer it to several much more expensive cartridges.
 
Hi Mike.
Does the Winfeld Ti have body to it, in that i am looking for something that is fast but think not like Lyra and not as thick as Koetsu. I am looking to replace an old Koetsu black. I have had a Dynavector TKR and it was nice but i want a little more body than that.



Mike said:
If you can find a Transfiguration Proteus, THAT would be a great cart to own (I’ve owned it and currently have the Transfiguration Proteus D (diamond)). The regular Proteus sells for around $5K, but sound like $12K.

Agree with the Windfield Ti suggestion above. I prefer it to several much more expensive cartridges.
Click to expand...
 
Hi All,

Some water under the bridge and little time to think about LPS replacement until a few days ago. Though I thought I rise my bar a notch and now viewing towards Van den Hul Crimson. Any one have experience from this cartridge?
Briweed, thanks for the suggestion and you are not the only one that give Kesiki Purple heart a nod.

Best/Mike
 
Mikeoo said:
Hi All,

My Benz LPS has met its master and now I am thinking of if I want to replace with same or look for something else!?

LPS has been a very nice partner but I am ready for a change. Any suggestions in this price/performance range that may fit my setting, Dr. Feickert-Kuzma 4p/Kondo silver-Aavik U300?
In essence a bit more top end stretch and dynamics plus better defined bass (referred to what I hear in my system - see my profile).

Keep it coming/Mike
Click to expand...

This weekend I was at an dealer show, A10 in Amsterdam.

He was showing his new Merill Audio Jens phono stage. For this he was using a Reed TT with Reed tone arms and EMT Jubilee carts. But the real beauty of the show was a Pluto TT (my dream TT) using a Thales Statement cart and MySonicLabs Signature Platinum.

That truly sounded wonderful, on the YG Haily speaker powered by EMM labs pre amp and mono power amps.

My personal dream carts would be a van de Hul Crimson which I prefer over the colibri.
 
Haven't been on the forum some time. Though I managed to get a new cart, the Soundsmith Sussurro II. It really left the LPS in the dust! Adjustments took some time as well as the finer ones after the break in which took over 100 hours. Small changes in VTA, VTF and Azimuth makes big difference but when that magic spot is hit it just shines!

Mike
 
Mikeoo said:
Hi All,

Some water under the bridge and little time to think about LPS replacement until a few days ago. Though I thought I rise my bar a notch and now viewing towards Van den Hul Crimson. Any one have experience from this cartridge?
Briweed, thanks for the suggestion and you are not the only one that give Kesiki Purple heart a nod.

Best/Mike
Click to expand...

All IMHO

I have heard the Crimson on multiple occasions. It is one of the best cartridges available. In some ways it is better then the Colibri. The Crimson is more dynamic/alive sounding compared to the Colibri. If you would only listen to Jazz or chamber music the Colibri might be better, since it is more detailed. However if you also play a bit of rock or even metal, or orchestral music my money would be on the Crimson.

Other good cart are made by
My Sonic Lab
Dynavector
Ikeda
Koetsu

I have heard these carts on Avik amps and Feicker turntable (Reed arms)
 
Hi Mordante,

Well I ended up getting the SS Sussurro II and it is an amazing cartridge but need some time to adjust for perfection, not that it sounds bad basic adjusted but hitting that golden spot brings so much more out of the records.
By the way I replaced my beloved Feickert with a Kuzma drive unit, the Stabi R, and this one is so much better in the context of my cart and 4P arm. The jump in SQ was huge to say the least but it doesn't mean the Feickert sound bad it is just that Kuzma brings so much more out of those tracks.

Mike
 
Mikeoo said:
Hi Mordante,

Well I ended up getting the SS Sussurro II and it is an amazing cartridge but need some time to adjust for perfection, not that it sounds bad basic adjusted but hitting that golden spot brings so much more out of the records.
By the way I replaced my beloved Feickert with a Kuzma drive unit, the Stabi R, and this one is so much better in the context of my cart and 4P arm. The jump in SQ was huge to say the least but it doesn't mean the Feickert sound bad it is just that Kuzma brings so much more out of those tracks.

Mike
Click to expand...


Which Feickert did you have?

It is not surprising that a Kuzma arm performs best on a Kuzma turntable. I have never adjusted or tweaked my tone arm.

If I had the money I'd buy a Thales tone arm. These are on another level compared to Kuzma, Reed or Dynavector IMHO.
 
Hi,

Woodpecker 2, and to my ears the best sounding of the collection at least at the time when buying. WP 2 just played music. Kuzma Stabi R does that too but with so much more insight to the music, with effortless dynamics and stability.
Not sure all brands has super symbiosis and Kuzma 4P works super in many set ups. Until you hear what arm adjusting can do to some carts for optimal SQ it is perhaps hard to understand how small changes make big effects. My previous LPS didn't react to any changes unless extreme adjustment to VTA or azimuth though setting VTF to 1,78 gr instead of 1,82 gr made huge difference. With my new SS cart all changes give a definitive effect (also on Feickert). As usual it is all about the collective sum of parts that decides the final output. Have heard the Thales to little to comment if it was arm, tt or cart that made things sing. But pretty sure it is a great arm as I read from all the accolades on the web. The SAT arm is the one I would refer to as the best arm I heard but again all in the context of that particular system.
Anyway, not having Ansuz Mainz and Darkz, will keep your systems real qualities hidden...

All the best/Mike
 
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