Cartridges better than Colibri XGP?


It's time for me to change my cartridge ( I'm using a ZYX Airy 3 Gold) trying to improve my analogue source. So, I'm using a DIY suspended turntable and my technician believes in low mass tonearms - low mass / high compliance cartridges combo. I know that Colibri is a major cantidate but with which tonearm? Do you believe there are cartridges better than colibri? Which would be your favor tonearm/cartridge matching? Please give me your opinions.
Thanks a lot in advance.
pentatonia

Showing 5 responses by andromedaaudio

In a german magazine (link vd hul site)also was mentioned that the colibri was on the edge ,, the condor was a saver bet that was in my mind a couple of years ago.
Here s M fremers opinion.

http://www.vandenhul.com/userfiles/docs/The_CONDOR_Gold_XGP_-_Stereophile_Mar_2005.pdf
The X stand for cross shaped coils(standard as far as i know ) , the second letter stands for the coil material and the third for the bodymaterial.
XGP would be X coils , gold coil windings , plastic body.

everything can be found on the vd hul site /cartridges .

www.vandenhul.com /cartridges

Any body has any recommendations as to what is the most dynamic /revealing colibri type?
Thanks for the tips , the one i go for will then be one with copper coils ,some time in the future , have you ever heard a XCM version?
I read somewhere that the metal body also contributes to the explosiveness/dynamics of the colibri , also i "reckon" the lower the output the better as there will be less moving mass/coils .
I have had 3 cartridges at this time a zyx fs and the current ones , the zyx had the plastic body , on which i had too put extra weight to get to the correct tracking weight so far i had not any problems with the arm/resonances , im concerned i would need extra weight with the xcp version so metal might be better.
I heard indeed that the colibri is tricky with arms , i dont know how well it works with the sme 5 , i just have to expirience that i reckon
If all goes well , i will have a new Colibri XCP with a 0,22 mV output by the end of next week .
i ll post on my expiriences.
That never happened , sorry.
Some audiodealer i will not mention here owned me some money , and the colibri should have been part of that deal , but he choose not to keep up on his part .
The case now is a juridical one unfortunately.

But i have good news , i bought a Moving Iron london decca cartidge as there were some raving reviews about them.
I have the london decca supergold now playing for a couple of months and i think its the best i ever had .
No need for transformers you just need a (tube) MM gainstage .
That thing is very microphonic /sensitive its also very dynamic , full of body and detail.
I think its a gamechanger , i have not touched my mc s again.
Retips are cheap , so is the cart, i will buy a reference later this year.
I m sorry that i cannot comment on the colibri.

I dont have any plans for upgrades at the moment as i am very happy with the soundreproduction , although i have plans for another (better? ) speakermodel .