It is not about the stylus...
but it's conical
Sounded ok, although...
Only "OK", but not spectacular. And this is clearly stylus profile limitations.
EMT 75th Anniversary series... TSD75 SFL ... and a bit of history.
Herb Reicherd on EMT, Koetsu and Miyajima in his review at Stereophile magazine (2018). Tested those 3 carts: -Koetsu Rosewood Standard ($3495) -EMT TSD 75th Anniversary SFL ($2150) -Miyajima Saboten ($4875) His summary on page-2 is interesting: "Choosing only one of these cartridges could be an anxiety-provoking enterprise. To help you think more clearly about them, I’ve summarized my observations: The Koetsu Rosewood Standard’s bass range was the biggest, strongest, most exciting; the EMT TSD75DFL’s was the tightest and most finely detailed; and the Miyajima Laboratory Saboten’s was exquisite but slightly unforceful. The EMT’s midrange was the most detailed but the least colorful, the Koetsu’s the most dense and colorful, and the Miyajima’s the most relaxed and transparent. Overall, musical instruments sounded most like themselves through the Koetsu, choirs sounded most like individual singers through the EMT, and singers were scintillatingly real with the Miyajima. In Short: The EMT seemed the highest resolving, the Koetsu the most vivid, the Miyajima the most natural. Each of these cartridges confirmed my status as a lucky guy. Doing the work for this month’s "Gramophone Dreams" was the most pleasure I have experienced as a Stereophile reviewer. God bless analog!" - Herb Reicherd |
Thanks, some reviews with pictures for our readers: + In Stereo Magazine from 2015 for download (.pdf) + In German here More about EMT history and their products on official website. |
The high output and internal impedance of the EMT didn’t sit too well with my system, which is more tailored towards (very) low output, low impedance types. Do you mean your phono stage? @edgewear I don’t see any problem with EMT high output and high impedance if a phono stage have adjustments of gain and load impedance (like Gold Note PH-10 for example). |
Well, I hope 75th Anniversary "naked" edition with Super FineLine tip is different from oldschool headshell integrated TSD 15 originally designed for conical tip @edgewear. **Since 2014 EMT Cart manufacturing transferred to Switzerland: After working up to 45 years for EMT continuously, the production team in Mahlberg gets retired. The manufactory of the EMT cartridges is moved step by step to Micha Huber’s company HiFiction AG in Winterthur. In a long-lasting process, all know-how, equipment and tooling is carefully transferred to the young team in Switzerland. **In 2015 the TSD 75 & JSD S75 were introduced: To celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary, the TSD75 is introduced being the latest addition to the legendary EMT Stereo cart line. The JSD S75 complements the reference line with a light cartridge body. |
More from the History of the legendary German Broadcast Pick-Ups: In The 70-Ties The XSD 15 became available for direct connection to popular Hi-Fi-Tonearms (SME or others with appropriate connection) and EMT started custom developments and production runs for OEM partners. Modern tip shapes and technical improvements provided a linear frequency response well beyond the audio band, and a substantial reduction of distortions at high frequencies. 1992 Came The HSD-6, EMT’s first cart with a standard ½ Inch attachment for the Hi-Fi market. *** It Wasn’t before 2006 that something new came to the marketplace: In 2006 the first JSD cart, The “Silver”, was Introduced! Developed for the occasion of EMT’s 66th Anniversary, the JSD-5 and JSD-6, two new MC-Systems were launched. They Immediately won awards like “Product Of The Year 2006”. 2007/08 The TSD-15 LZI with low output, low impedance and international connection was introduced. 2008/09 The Jubilee series was extended with the JSD G, now completely gold plated and made of a special high grade alloy. All JSD Cartridges employ highly polished bare diamond styli on Boron cantilever, either In Gyger S or Super FineLine shape and strong AlNiCo Magnets. In order to celebrate 75 YEARS EMT In 2015, The TSD-75 is being introduced and is the latest addition to the legendary EMT Stereo Cart line that started Its prof. broadcasting life In 1965. The stereo and or mono cartridges come with ½-Inch standard fastening and diamond tips in numerous versions. While The JSD Silver and JSD Gold use Diamonds On Boron, the new JSD Platinum and JSD S75 Anniversary use Diamonds on Sapphire cantilever. EMT‘s most authentic and musical stereo phono carts with body made from and milled out of a massive block of special aluminum, for The JSD Gold Out of a massive block of high-grade, gold resp. platinum plated alloy for The Platinum Version. Gold plated system components with ALNiCo magnets, ½-Inch standard fastening for the use with every high-quality tone arm. Especially polished, bare and natural diamond stylus of the highest available quality. JSD 5; Gyger S Diamond on Boron ($4700+) ** Another interesting model is EMT JSD VM Reference series: VM = VARIA MASS The JSD VM is the only cartridge that allows the user to tune the resonance behavior according the tonearm specification and personal preference. It comes with three inlay bolts made of different materials. All EMT reference-line cartridges feature a multi-facet diamond on sapphire cantilever. The unique assembling technology makes it possible to tune the individual sound properties of this high-resolution transducer unit to maximum musicality. JSD VM; Diamond On White Sapphire ($6300+) JSD Pure Lime ($5500+) All parts and works, including the diamond shaping process – this is both; an art and a science – are entirely Made In West Europe. |
SPH is for Sperical tip, it can be OK, but for a proper reproduction there must be a better stylus profile. Read tuchan’s comments in this thread: "If you especially go for a TSD15 Lzi you will go for one of the great carts in this audio world - the Japanese know, most European and American not." |
I know exactly what you’re talking about about rubber damper, I just mentioned that even with a perfect damper this cartridge with Conical tip is a broadcast model for radio use and it can’t be even close to the same cartridge with advanced profile like Fine Line or F.Gyger they are using now. EMT has been sold a few times and now it’s a different company with completely different cartridges. |
@vortrex I wouldn’t rule anything out because of the stylus profile. The new DaVa field coil cartridge is conical and by all accounts it’s in the upper echelon of the current crop of high dollar cartridges. Yeah, some designers like it. Comparing conical to many other profiles in my system it was the worst (always), so in my opinion conical sound is old school. Using conical tip with vintage records is the worst situation, because most of those vintage records previously played with same conical tip and definitely slightly worn at this are of the groove walls. The cure is advanced profile that can ride in previously untouched part of the groove. This is one of the main reason I don’t use conical (90% of my records are originals from the 70s). DaVa cartridge is definitely inspired by JVC Victor Direct Couple type and Ikeda cantileverless design LOMC (but those old Ikeda and Victor comes with LineContact and Shibata). DaVa is cool looking retro cartridge, never seen it before, thanks. |
Seamail is so slow, but finally I got my EMT TSD75 Look at this cute package with a handwritten letter from the Japanese seller. I’m always happy to support honest sellers who take care of their customers. See what’s inside! |
Thanks. My turntables in the main system are not Technics :) Two Luxman PD-444 with Fidelity-Research FR64s, FR64fx and now 66fx, Lustre GST 801 is what I’m running @fjn04 With EMT TSD75 I received Shelter 5000 to fill my collection of modern MC cartridges (even if they are not the latest models, they are still modern compared to my rare NOS carts from the past). |
@lewm My old Zu Druid speakers moved backward just because I use Tannoy System 15 mkII as my main speakers now. Before I bought the Tannoy it was slightly different position. When my Tannoy System has arrived I just placed them like this. It took some time to figure out that I can use my Audio-Technica adjustable pneumatic insulators to change the attack angle of the cabinets and now in my listening chair the angle is right. maybe in the future I will make a custom stands for Tannoy. Zu speakers are connected and can be used, but it’s a compromise, the position is not ideal even if I can’t detect any airborne problems at all. Anyway, I have no room for Zu and can’t move them anywhere. I am fascinated about Tannoy and mostly listening to music on Tannoy now. Bi-Wire configuration is noticeably better and I love Tannoy with Yamamoto A-08S (45 tubes). |
Interesting, I’d love to have some nice Aloe Vera, I remember huge Aloe at Canary Islands. I thought “Mother in Laws Tongue” is only local name for Snake Plant :) Green plants are great in interior design when you live on north-west where the weather is bad most of the time, except very short summer. It’s amazing if some plants can soak up stray electromagnetic radiation. Good to know for the next plants swap meeting! |