Bought an Original Kiseki SilverSpot Today...

The thread title is wrong it should read:
Kiseki 'BLUE' Silverspot maybe that will help some.
Thanks
Steve

Online reviews suggest it's a  "middle of the road" performer in category of  moderate priced MC carts. 

I have the new version. Nice cart, but overpriced based on the competition, which I have also used. Should be a $1K cart.

Thanks tablejockey.
Just going to play around with it and once my Zxy gets out of jail maybe I`ll send it off for a rebuild.
Steve

Very clean,,, cantilever straight and centered
 
  I set it up using a Mint Protractor, it was a little difficult trying to see under the body for the alignment but it wasn`t as bad as a Dynavector 17d3 that I had before.

Set tracking force to 1.9 gm.

Played 3 albums :
Joe Cocker 'A luxury You Can Afford  (a favorite of mine)
Jack Johnson 'To The Sea'
The Teskey Brothers 'Run Home Slow'

This cartridge really surprises me !
Not bad at all... I Really like it
I didn`t expect it to be so quiet in the grooves which took me by surprise.
It`s a keeper.
Still can`t figure out if it`s Japan made though


Steve

The review doesn't mention where it's made. Maybe a Japanese  company contracted for OEM.

Review doesn't mention anything
https://www.stereophile.com/content/kiseki-blue-goldspot-phono-cartridge

I'm curious how different the SQ is compared to my current model. The original MSRP is a nice price. No way you're getting an all aluminum bodied LOMC today for  $700. That could be a dealer cost now, but not for the  end user!

The cart looks excessively long compared to the current model. I like the KB, quite refined and capable. Just not worth $2100 MSRP- IMO.

I think adjusted for inflation a new one back then would be $1300-1500 or so in todays dollars. 

"I think adjusted for inflation a new one back then would be $1300-1500 or so in todays dollars"
 
Depending on which calculator used, $1300 would be the "get real" price for MSRP. That in mind, dealer cost which would be $3/400. Now that would be my kind of price!

Enough of me yapping about cartridge pricing......All this audiophoolery is really if you don't like the price-don't buy it, shut up and  look for something else!

I'm guessing your Kiseki is a good "close enough" to your ZYX, but not in the same league?  Now that you're getting a re-tip the ZYX, it is a different animal now, so that may change when you get it back.

I hear the current model as a competent cartridge only limited by the table/phono stage. Something for us in the $5Kish+ table/phono stage  crowd.

tablejockey:
"I'm guessing your Kiseki is a good "close enough" to your
ZYX, but not in the same league? Now that you're getting a re-tip the ZYX, it is a different animal now, so that may change when you get it back".
Not getting a retip my ZYX actually had a Paratrace stylus on it when I sent it in to VAS.
He said it looked pretty good but I opted to have a whole new Namiki Microridge stylus assembly put in, that way, it would be 'new' once I got it back.

The Kiseki is more than "close enough" I`d be hard pressed to pick a clear winner between the two.
  I`m amazed to hear different tones coming through and I`m beginning to understand the allure of these types of cartridge's 

Thanks
Steve