Hello ,
I might be interested by a soundsmith cartridge but it is always difficult to buy a1000 $ cartridge without testing it .
As this is a Moving iron , may be I could get some idea about the sound .
MM even with difference have a signature sound like MC have them ( colder and tighter bass than MM ) as I believe .
What would be a Moving Iron signature ?
I remember having a long time ago a B&O mmc20 , if I recall the sound was between MM and MC with a less extended treble , analytic but not as cold as MC I have heard .
Thank you for your advise
Regards
I might be interested by a soundsmith cartridge but it is always difficult to buy a1000 $ cartridge without testing it .
As this is a Moving iron , may be I could get some idea about the sound .
MM even with difference have a signature sound like MC have them ( colder and tighter bass than MM ) as I believe .
What would be a Moving Iron signature ?
I remember having a long time ago a B&O mmc20 , if I recall the sound was between MM and MC with a less extended treble , analytic but not as cold as MC I have heard .
Thank you for your advise
Regards
Have a look at the Garrott Brothers of Australia who sold Moving Iron cartridges .
They are idiosyncratic in other words they are a "law unto themselves " not MC ,not MM, the Garrott Decca sold in the UK many years ago required a higher effective mass tone arm and is --quote- quite insensitive to capacitance .
Mid range was "startling " -speed of reaction lack of "hangover " --great stereo focus but treble is a bit strong and low bass a bit lacking and wont put up with sub standard pressings --very revealing .
You either love it or hate it .
While this applies to an old cartridge the audio qualities apply to Moving Irons generally ,as it says --not for the beginner requires a lot of setting up.
They are idiosyncratic in other words they are a "law unto themselves " not MC ,not MM, the Garrott Decca sold in the UK many years ago required a higher effective mass tone arm and is --quote- quite insensitive to capacitance .
Mid range was "startling " -speed of reaction lack of "hangover " --great stereo focus but treble is a bit strong and low bass a bit lacking and wont put up with sub standard pressings --very revealing .
You either love it or hate it .
While this applies to an old cartridge the audio qualities apply to Moving Irons generally ,as it says --not for the beginner requires a lot of setting up.
Soundsmith cartridges ARE B&O MMC. So if you liked the MMC20 then you will likely like the soundsmith. There are a number of MI cartridges out there. For example all ortofons are MI despite ortofon themselves calling them MM and all Nagaoka models. Grado as well, but they are different in other ways.
Personally I don't think he topology (fixed coil or moving coil) has a signature sound .It's all in the implementation.
Personally I don't think he topology (fixed coil or moving coil) has a signature sound .It's all in the implementation.
The engineering aspects of MM and MI are not the same -FYI--
there is no conventional cantilever just a tie-wire holding the vertical moving IRON element with its attached stylus.
You say -quote -"all Ortofons are MI --eh!!!
Has there been a major engineering shift in the company ?
VMS10E2=MM
OM20=MM
VMS30E2=MM
to name but three.
Please quote the Ortofon cartridge models that are MI ?
there is no conventional cantilever just a tie-wire holding the vertical moving IRON element with its attached stylus.
You say -quote -"all Ortofons are MI --eh!!!
Has there been a major engineering shift in the company ?
VMS10E2=MM
OM20=MM
VMS30E2=MM
to name but three.
Please quote the Ortofon cartridge models that are MI ?
Go read the ortofon patents for VMS. All ortofon fixed coil cartridges use VMS, which is a MI technology. I've attached a diagram where you can see the fixed magnet.
Attachments
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Ortofon sell MM and MC cartridges to the public -
Ortofon HiFi cartridges ranges
what you are saying their advertising and every shop /business / hi-fi magazine/ audio testers /Hi-Fi Choice /etc etc is wrong and they are selling M IRON cartridges ?
When you looked at the design did you read the words -
The Ortofon VMS armature is a tiny, thin-walled tube placed at the end of the cantilever.
Notice the word -Cantilever then read my post #4-
I said-quote-
"there is NO conventional cantilever just a tie wire" that is a MI cartridge.
If what you say is true then a lot of false advertising is going on , can you point me to a ortofon advertisement that says--
"our cartridges are moving IRON not MM" -
Reading --Cartridges & Accessories (Hi-Fi Choice )--quote -
"the most comprehensive guide to buying cartridges ----ever published "
book I read --Ortofon VMS20E11 -quote-"the Ortofon VMS20E11 sits firmly in the middle of Ortofon,s conventional moving MAGNET range ,as is the VMS10E2 similarly quoted--"the £10 contender amongst Ortofon,s conventional bodied moving MAGNET cartridges .
Their VMS30E2 is quoted "their top model (at the time ) in the range of ------still similar to that with which Ortofon introduced their first moving magnet models some 15 years ago".
As this book was published in the UK why hasn't any enthusiast queried this --told them /him he/them were wrong and that includes some very well known UK audio gurus ?
Where is the law suite from the company or even a printed retraction by the publishers ?
Why has nobody challenged this and accused -Paul Messenger the author of "fraud" "lies" etc in 35 years ?
I know Paul Messenger a well known UK audiophile of good reputation having been on various books/magazines etc of audio nature or for that matter why hasn't Ortofon challenged the organisation he writes for ?
And why does the book say that Garrott made/makes MI cartridges while it does not say the same for Ortofon ?
I hope you can enlighten me on this ---please ?
Ortofon HiFi cartridges ranges
what you are saying their advertising and every shop /business / hi-fi magazine/ audio testers /Hi-Fi Choice /etc etc is wrong and they are selling M IRON cartridges ?
When you looked at the design did you read the words -
The Ortofon VMS armature is a tiny, thin-walled tube placed at the end of the cantilever.
Notice the word -Cantilever then read my post #4-
I said-quote-
"there is NO conventional cantilever just a tie wire" that is a MI cartridge.
If what you say is true then a lot of false advertising is going on , can you point me to a ortofon advertisement that says--
"our cartridges are moving IRON not MM" -
Reading --Cartridges & Accessories (Hi-Fi Choice )--quote -
"the most comprehensive guide to buying cartridges ----ever published "
book I read --Ortofon VMS20E11 -quote-"the Ortofon VMS20E11 sits firmly in the middle of Ortofon,s conventional moving MAGNET range ,as is the VMS10E2 similarly quoted--"the £10 contender amongst Ortofon,s conventional bodied moving MAGNET cartridges .
Their VMS30E2 is quoted "their top model (at the time ) in the range of ------still similar to that with which Ortofon introduced their first moving magnet models some 15 years ago".
As this book was published in the UK why hasn't any enthusiast queried this --told them /him he/them were wrong and that includes some very well known UK audio gurus ?
Where is the law suite from the company or even a printed retraction by the publishers ?
Why has nobody challenged this and accused -Paul Messenger the author of "fraud" "lies" etc in 35 years ?
I know Paul Messenger a well known UK audiophile of good reputation having been on various books/magazines etc of audio nature or for that matter why hasn't Ortofon challenged the organisation he writes for ?
And why does the book say that Garrott made/makes MI cartridges while it does not say the same for Ortofon ?
I hope you can enlighten me on this ---please ?
Basically yes. Being pedantic it would be moving alloy as aluminium would work for the shunt, but it does get mildly magnetised in use so there is some ferrous content there. VMS is a unique operating principle. Sorry that you chose to believe marketing rather than doing a little research for yourself.
When books are published unless they are repudiated I accept what they say if I was "taken in " then so have most of the UK and on checking there is much debate about this on audio forums but aluminum isn't iron unlike the Garrott cartridges which are iron.
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Ouch. This is NOT helping the OP one bit.
I have a Soundsmith Paua, a Ortofon Per Winfield a Benz Glider and have owned a SS Zephyr as well as an Ortofon Jubilee.
The Paua is my favorite. Slightly and I mean slightly less upper range dynamics compared to the Ortofon. Equal bass and a richer mid-range with the Paua. The biggest advantage of the Paua and to a lesser extent the Zephyr are the quietness in the groove! I feel like some of my less playable records have become much more enjoyable via the SS cart.
I have a number of audiophile friends that are shocked, it tell you, shocked by how much quieter their records sound with the Paua. Sometimes they go home and compare thinking the high-end must get rolled off to achieve this but that's not it.
The lack of groove noise is stunning.
The fact that he is a single artisan building these carts has good points too. Service, if needed can be a bit slow but I will probably never buy another cartridge as he rebuilds them for 15% of the purchase price. If I decide to replace the Ortofon or the Glider, I will be buying Sound Smith.
I have a Soundsmith Paua, a Ortofon Per Winfield a Benz Glider and have owned a SS Zephyr as well as an Ortofon Jubilee.
The Paua is my favorite. Slightly and I mean slightly less upper range dynamics compared to the Ortofon. Equal bass and a richer mid-range with the Paua. The biggest advantage of the Paua and to a lesser extent the Zephyr are the quietness in the groove! I feel like some of my less playable records have become much more enjoyable via the SS cart.
I have a number of audiophile friends that are shocked, it tell you, shocked by how much quieter their records sound with the Paua. Sometimes they go home and compare thinking the high-end must get rolled off to achieve this but that's not it.
The lack of groove noise is stunning.
The fact that he is a single artisan building these carts has good points too. Service, if needed can be a bit slow but I will probably never buy another cartridge as he rebuilds them for 15% of the purchase price. If I decide to replace the Ortofon or the Glider, I will be buying Sound Smith.
That raises an interesting and as yet unanswered question on the best stylus profile for less than perfect records. Everyone has their favourite profile. Currently I find shibata to be one of the lowest noise but I haven't done conclusive tests (i.e. rip the same track with the 7 odd different profiles at my disposal).