This guy posted the sounds of different cartridges as full wave files!

[DaveThreshold]

I searched, and am hoping that this hasn't been posted on here. I think it deserves it's own thread. I don't know if anybody has seen this. This person posted the sounds of diferent cartridges as full wave files for people to listen to. For the most part, he used the same preamp, and TT, and you have a few diferent types of music to compare. Gets my nomination for coolest audiophile of the month.
Hi-Fi Cartridge Reviews - Home

[SY]

If hifi magazines did reviews like that, I'd take them more seriously.

Many thanks for the link.

[rrrremus]

This is exactly what i was looking for. It saves me from asking opinions about cartridges. Great job indeed

[bear]

Originally Posted by rrrremus

This is exactly what i was looking for. It saves me from asking opinions about cartridges. Great job indeed

well, sort of, but not exactly...

You still get the effect of his arm - is it proper for high compliance carts or low? Both won't really work properly in the same arm...

You get the effect of the phono preamp, and they are definitely not all equal - the wav files will give you a relative relationship between what he got out of the carts, which will have value IF you know ONE or more of the carts very well, AND he has them set up properly.

The same cart (the one you know) on the same arm with improper overhang and VTA can sound like doogie poopie. You have been warned.


_-_-bear

PS. it's a Sansui integrated...

[sreten]

Originally Posted by bear

PS. it's a Sansui integrated...

Hi, he specifically states not to underrate the amplifier , /Sreten.

[rrrremus]

Yes Bear, i am perfectly aware of this. But nevertheless, it helps me a lot in choosing a cartridge.
I am new to hi-fi approach on vinyl. I am a few weeks away from completing the cartridge amp v 5.1 that you can find here Low noise designs

I will need a good cartridge for this and this guy's site is a good start for me.

[DaveThreshold]

Originally Posted by bear

well, sort of, but not exactly...

You still get the effect of his arm - is it proper for high compliance carts or low? Both won't really work properly in the same arm...

You get the effect of the phono preamp, and they are definitely not all equal - the wav files will give you a relative relationship between what he got out of the carts, which will have value IF you know ONE or more of the carts very well, AND he has them set up properly.

The same cart (the one you know) on the same arm with improper overhang and VTA can sound like doogie poopie. You have been warned.


_-_-bear

PS. it's a Sansui integrated...

Oh boy. This is a very hard test to do. If he uses a diferent arm between the lower and higher compliance cartridges, then obviously the ARMS might sound different. The best type to use would be something like ADC (I think) developed with removable moving mass weights. That way the characteristics of the arm would remain in tact.

We don't need to know how one cart sounds to hear the differences between the cartridges. Granted, I wish he used a Spectral for the phono stage, but once again the Sansui effectively cancels out between the listening tests if we are listening for the difference between the carts.

I emailed this guy, and he knows plenty well how to set up a given arm/cart combination.

[DaveThreshold]

Originally Posted by rrrremus

This is exactly what i was looking for. It saves me from asking opinions about cartridges. Great job indeed

Yeah, the first thing that I noticed was that the difference between the carts wasn't exactly mind-blowing. FURTHER keep in mind that some of the output files were a DB or two louder than others. This can be interpreted as better sound. After listening to most of them, I liked the Karat. I was thinking about upgrading to that, but that short little diamond cantilever worries me.......a LOT! (I've heard horror stories involving slightly warped records and damping troughs)

[rrrremus]

Dave, thank you for your input.
I only had a few weeks to experiment with vinyl, and i can see that you guys are talking in extreme detail about things that i wouldn't even consider.
But isn't the quality of the record itself rendering the cartridge's performance quite insignificant? I own records that sound excellent while others sound very very poor.

[bear]

no, rrrr, the cartridge's contribution is very significant, much more than almost any other hifi component. Sort of like a speaker...

regarding the posted schematic, I do not like to use RIAA EQ in the feedback loop. The 797 is supposed to be a great sounding chip - Scott Wurcer design. I'd skip the relays unless you use very high quality relays and more than one contact at that. It ought to sound pretty good if you use good parts and a clean supply... match the jfets for idss if you can... or use just one...