Post by foveaux on Jan 22, 2017 11:54:48 GMT 12
If the piggybank builds sufficiently, a new cartridge is likely this year. accordingly research is underway... I'm interested in the Miyajima 'Cross Ring' concept. www.miyajima-lab.com/e-stereo.htmlDo any DL members have/heard any stereo cartridges from Miyajima? and can share their experience of the sound (and the system is was in) please? Im a long time Dynavector user (currently DV 20XH - Mk 1) and will likely keep loyal, but temptation for Japanese handcrafted HIFI exotica keeps niggling away. Thanks, f
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
850 posts
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Post by Owen Y on Jan 22, 2017 12:39:24 GMT 12
foveaux - I have a Kansui, acquired s/h from a pal. I like it a lot, it's become my go-to MC cartridge. Like any MC, it needs careful setup, but no more than most. Unlike many MCs, it's v warm-toned & not "hi-fi" sounding. I think (my own take on this) that Miyajima's different "fulcrum" geometry is heard in the way is provides info/resolution/easy-intelligibility without resorting to over-obvious HF or leading edges. The "cross-ring" design may help too.
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Post by foveaux on Jan 22, 2017 17:54:05 GMT 12
Thanks Owen Thats an excellent endorsement and appreciated (envious  ). The assumption Im making therefore is that there is a 'house' sound, incl. downstream from the Kansui - which seems 4/5 in their stereo lineup (Takumi, Waza, Shilabe, Kansui, Madake) - I'd prefer the Shilabe which has a shibata stylus, but Im not ruling out the Takumi or Waza (lower cost), noting these have an elliptic stylus. Your description of the Miyajima sound would suit my system and what I place priority on for my listening. Just revisited your webpage - your Kansui on your Aura TT - then Phi42 - JEL preamp - 2A3PP amps? And Ive read your detailed write up on your Kansui - I missed that earlier, apologies. I'm absolutely fascinated by the Madake with a 'bamboo' cantilever - its backstory is astonishing - just as well its out of my price range! cheers, f
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
850 posts
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Post by Owen Y on Jan 22, 2017 18:54:02 GMT 12
It's always a case of what suits your ear & music. If you like a sound with body & harmonic richness, then.... Miyajima himself listens to a lot of classical, so that's unsurprising. Fremer & Art Dudley liked the Shilabe in Stereophile. But somewhere I recall Fremer saying the Miyajimas have a mid-bass bump  What I hear, which I haven't heard before, is this 'easy intelligibility' (eg or vocal lines) - which may be where the coil geometry thing comes in. However, if your system needs more 'bite' or 'spotlighting'. then this may not be it.
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Post by Owen Y on Jan 22, 2017 19:18:45 GMT 12
I vaguely recall that gortnipper on the AEnz forum had a Shilabe.
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Post by foveaux on Jan 22, 2017 21:35:30 GMT 12
Thanks Owen Like many others I gave up on the AE forum, but may go back and search for shibale/gortnipper. My system has the electronic facility as a 'Loudspeaker Management System' - includes digital crossover with a Room Correction System, Digital Signal Processor and Real Time Analyser - so could identify variations and correct these. Whether I could actually hear any mid bass bump would be a moot point before dabbling. I think those chaps with the golden ears are obliged to find weaknesses with any reviewed product! The inability to listen to items, such as Miyajima cartridges, in your own system is a serious limiting factor in determining suitability/purchase or not. No problems on this front with Dynavector though. f
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
850 posts
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Post by Owen Y on Jan 23, 2017 4:39:34 GMT 12
What is your current phono stage & TT? Also amp & spkrs? Being a Dynavector man, the 17D3 would be the obvious poss candidate, if going low output MC.
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Post by foveaux on Jan 23, 2017 9:42:47 GMT 12
yes, the DV's Karat 17d3 and XX2 are high on the radar. I have a WT Simplex and P75 Mkii. Id need to suss out if the arm could manage a Miyajima, if I cannot suppress temptation My Sanders preamp has switchable gain phono (to my ears as least as good as the P75 - but I suspect the Sanders is way better - my present DV20H being the lowest common denominator) power amps - Sanders Magtech x 2, speakers Sanders ESL10e. n.b. system utilises a digital crossover unit. I will get a pic sorted for the systems show and tell page in due course
"I see music as a lifetime affair." [Rory Gallagher]
"Free - I miss that band, but when I look back, we were very young" [Paul Rodgers]
850 posts
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Post by Owen Y on Jan 23, 2017 14:55:04 GMT 12
foveaux , I'm looking forward esp to hearing about the Magtech amp/s. Oh, regarding the WT tonearms, which are silicone damped - which means that Effective Mass is raised by the damping & thus LF resonances should be plenty low enough to handle low compliance carts.
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Post by michaelw on Jan 23, 2017 15:20:20 GMT 12
the simplex simplifies damping adjustment by simply altering the height of the fluid cup.  surprisingly the user manual says this adjustment is not critical and may be adjusted to suit the listener's preference. 
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Pundit
Post by Gryffles on Jan 2, 2019 20:31:45 GMT 12
With a Miyajima Shilabe on the way and my PTP Lenco nearly ready does anyone have any ideas for a suitable 12" high mass tonearm?
So far I'm looking at a Groovemaster II but its at the top of my budget ($2000) and I'd like adjustable on the fly VTA if possible.
Any options?
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Post by jon on Jan 2, 2019 21:07:48 GMT 12
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Pundit
Post by SL1210 on Jan 3, 2019 7:08:48 GMT 12
I second the Jelco. They have a new range and I may upgrade. Interestingly this year I thought I would go all in with an Origin Live Conqueror (latest version). What a waste of time that was! Onsold it and back to my trust Jelco. Note though that they are an S Shaped and require a headshell.
Edit: "last" year
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Post by Owen Y on Jan 3, 2019 8:21:51 GMT 12
The new Jelco 850 series with knife-edge horiz bearing, looks interesting, esp 12" version. SL1210 - what was the problem with the Origin Live?
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Pundit
Post by Gryffles on Jan 3, 2019 10:54:51 GMT 12
Thanks gents I can get the Jelco 850L 12" for $1650 or slightly less in Australia which is handy. Owen Y why the 850 series versus the other options Owen? I'm no tonearm expert and have only ever used VPI arms.
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Pundit
Post by Gryffles on Jan 3, 2019 11:07:26 GMT 12
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Post by Owen Y on Jan 4, 2019 8:19:18 GMT 12
Gryffles - I have no hands on experience with Jelcos (apart from a Sumiko MMT years ago, Jelco OEM some say, a decent arm). I just saw that the 850 was less costly than the 950 (with 'dynamic balance') & both seem to be newer design Jelcos.
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Pundit
Post by Gryffles on Jan 4, 2019 8:26:22 GMT 12
Owen Y fair enough. I think that's the way I'll head when I'm ready.
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Pundit
Post by SL1210 on Jan 6, 2019 12:29:08 GMT 12
The new Jelco 850 series with knife-edge horiz bearing, looks interesting, esp 12" version. SL1210 - what was the problem with the Origin Live? Hi Owen. First up it was a right pain to install. A fiddly install that took ages. The VTA is excruciating, and all but impossible to get the antiskate right as wiring pushes the tonearm sideways. This could have been overcome in design by having the tonearm wiring ending in the arm somewhere. They terminate in a din plug in the Jelco for example. No doubt this is to avoid the holocaust of a non single-run. Then there is the sound quality, or rather lack of it. Once I got it set up correctly I was left wondering what all the fuss was about. To be honest I slightly preferred the Jelco. (In the interests of disclosure I should say that the Jelco arm has had some mods: Silver rewire, improved mounting collar by Ammonite Acoustics, Ebony headshell, Isokinetic counterweight - though I am not sure this last one made any difference.) Comparisons were done with two cartridges - (a Benz Wood, and a Charisma Ref 1) and two phono stages (Perreaux VP and Benedict Audio Hothead).
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Post by michaelw on Jan 6, 2019 13:51:03 GMT 12
was that the older, black 750 series jelco ?
nice arms, easy to setup/use, sound great.
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Post by cartridgeguyonline on Jan 6, 2019 14:14:14 GMT 12
Also a fan of the 750 series Jelco particularly with the Ammonite mounting collar which makes a huge difference IMO.
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Pundit
Post by Gryffles on Apr 13, 2019 12:26:36 GMT 12
With a Miyajima Shilabe on the way and my PTP Lenco nearly ready does anyone have any ideas for a suitable 12" high mass tonearm? So far I'm looking at a Groovemaster II but its at the top of my budget ($2000) and I'd like adjustable on the fly VTA if possible. Any options? After some toing and froing I decided on a Reed 1X 12" arm. Original budget is now a mess but I managed to do a part trade in which made it possible. Should arrive in a month or so. So after 18 long months I will finally be able to get me PTP Lenco up and running! 
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Post by Citroen on Apr 13, 2019 16:56:08 GMT 12
Only about double your original budget!
Not heard of Reed tonearms but wow it really does look gorgeous.
What type of arm wand are you getting? Cocobolo?
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Pundit
Post by Gryffles on Apr 13, 2019 19:57:10 GMT 12
Only about double your original budget! Not heard of Reed tonearms but wow it really does look gorgeous. What type of arm wand are you getting? Cocobolo? Yes, sigh......way over budget but should be great with the Shilabe and if I change cart I can change eff mass by changing wand. Will use an ebony wand for the mass. The price very quickly increases with any extras so sticking with the standard model.
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). The assumption Im making therefore is that there is a 'house' sound, incl. downstream from the Kansui - which seems 4/5 in their stereo lineup (Takumi, Waza, Shilabe, Kansui, Madake) - I'd prefer the Shilabe which has a shibata stylus, but Im not ruling out the Takumi or Waza (lower cost), noting these have an elliptic stylus. Your description of the Miyajima sound would suit my system and what I place priority on for my listening.
