It's a Sumiko MM cartridge. Sells for $600 in the US, and about $900 in Japan.
What makes Garrott Brothers carts so much better? Thanks. |
Thanks, @dover . I'm starting to think I'd really like the MP-200/MP-150 for their warmth and richness, but they probably wouldn't be a sufficiently different option from the Amethyst to provide that high energy spot that I feel is missing. I've been curious about AT carts--maybe that's the route to go. Thanks, mate. |
"Or all you need is just an approval of your own suggestion?"
Is there a need for that? I just asked why you think it’s better. The fact that they have a good story doesn’t answer my question, nor does merely pointing to stylus topology. I’m curious what sonic characteristics set it apart. You haven’t answered that. Instead, you’re making snarky comments about me. Maybe just sit this one out, mate.
Noromance, the top end is exactly what’s missing for me. It’s warm and smooth but a touch too polished and laid back for me--I want a little more energy on top. Appreciate that feedback.
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Thanks--I'll keep those in mind. That said, I'm still curious about the two carts I was actually asking about. (While I appreciate your effort to broaden our horizons, if questions about "A versus B" are answered with "go with C", not only is the question actually not answered, but the conversation loses focus and spirals.) |
Thanks, sir. Do you have an opinion about the cartridges i asked about, by any chance? |
I listen to a mix, and I definitely don't obsess over finding mono pressings, etc. In fact, I'm just as happy with more recent reissues so long as they have the musicality/warmth of the originals. (And of course not all originals have that anyway.)
I think of Sumiko as warm, so it's interesting for me to hear you say that Nagaokas are warmer. My entire system, from phono preamp to speakers, tends to run toward warm, so I actually wonder if adding more midrange/low end from the cart will throw off that balance and muddy the waters. Or maybe there will be even better synergy. Food for thought.
Thanks again for your thoughts! |
If that's how you're defining pure, I'm a bit confused, as I don't think the Amethyst replicates the original tonality with some magical accuracy. I think it gives them a warmth that isn't inherently there. That's actually why I like it so much.
Btw, I'm not sure what in my post has given folks the impression that this is my first cart, etc. I have several TTs, amps, speaker pairs, etc. I am just asking about these two specific cartridges, not for advice on how to shop, how to build a system, etc.
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@noromance , sure, but I never said all detail is inherently bright. High frequency detail, or excess of it, certainly can be, especially when the cart lacks tonal balance. That's not a system issue. |
Thanks, guys.
scchengmus, I totally agree with your description of the Amethyst, and I've thought for a while that it's probably a great cart for classical, though I haven't really tested it with that genre, since I listen mostly to 50s-70s jazz these days. The only thing I miss with the Amethyst is a bit is more energy from the cymbals (I'm a drummer, so that's partly why), which is why I find myself listening to the Sumiko Olympia more often than the Amethyst -- it's not nearly as clean, but it's very alive, and it still has the warmth and musicality that I really like. I was hoping that the MP-150/MP-200 would have the same lower frequency depth and presence but a bit more happening in the upper registers, too.
@noromance , do you find the AT bright/fatiguing at all? |
thanks, dude, that's super helpful.
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(I have the Olympia and I love it, but I wouldn't say it's better than the Amethyst--just a different sonic signature.) |
Sorry, didn’t see this earlier.
The Amethyst is a bit brighter than the Olympia to my ears, but it definitely has that Sumiko warmth and musicality. I really love it, esp for jazz. I also find Ortofon carts too hard, dry, and bright. I like them in small doses, but with Sumiko carts and my MP-110 I want to keep listening to the music, whereas with Ortofons it always feels a bit like a science experiment after like 15 minutes.
Still trying to decide if my next cart should be a Moonstone or MP-150, though. My fear is that the MP-150, precisely because it’s brighter and more detailed, etc., will lose that warmth and softness that the MP-110 has. |
Not sure I'd like the 200 as much, but part of the appeal of the MP-150 is that I could upgrade the stylus down the road. |
Checked out the Lyra Delos. I'm sure it's beautiful, but can't imagine dropping that kind of $$ on a cart, haha. |
@noromance , ha, I honestly can't even imagine what a cart would have to sound like in order for me to consider spending that kind of $$ on it.
mijostyn, thanks. I'm sure it's great, but I want to stay in the Sumiko and Nagaoka lines.
I also just love the MP-110 so much that I wonder if I really need to get the 150.
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