In heavy rotation tonight Debussy’s Nocturne on the new ax-Amp (Part 1 published 15 March, Part 2 15 April in audioXpress) through the X-Altra Mini II and the X-Altra MC/MM phono pre. I’m playing through the Dali Oberon’s - fantastic imaging and very weighty bottom end. I’d describe the sound and lush and mellifluous. The Druro is also good 😊
The Oberons’ have a very big, grown up sound.
The Oberons’ have a very big, grown up sound.
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Dave,
Were your SME arms the Series II (lightweight) types or the much later far more solid Series 5 etc. version with tapered arm tubes? If the former with perforated headshells I would agree with you; if the later tapered tube versions I would disagree strongly. The early arms were good with very high compliance MM cartridges such as ADC 25/26 etc. but not great with lower compliance or heavy cartridges such as (worse case) an Ortofon SPUG/TE. Yet with the original shell and transformer removed the cartridge for that time worked well enough with appropriate MC stepup.
On the other hand the Mk5 SME arms were light years ahead of the Series II and could deal very well with most modern cartridges. I have no experience of the SIII arms.