Koetsu Blue Lace Onyx vs. Coralstone


wondering if anyone has had the opportunity to compare these 2 cartridges?

would also like to know if anyone feels the "diamond cantilever" to be a worthwhile upgrade?!

any insights appreciated...
11flat6

I was looking everywhere to find any information about those

Ikeda's ''cantileverless'' series 9 cartridges but without any

succes. But I obviously overlooked this short sentence by

''our'' Syntax: ''Ótherwise I use my cantileverless Ikeda system''

(12-30-2014 sic!). This means instead of Blue Lace Onyx or

Coralstone. No wonder I always felt to be member of this

so called ''German group'' . That is to say in good company (grin).

I'll add my $0.02 to this thread. I've had a Koetsu Urshi Sky Blue for a few years now. I have been using it with an Ikeda IT 407 tonearm and an updated (electronically) SP-10 MK II in a Vinylista plinth. Nice sound but somewhat dull. Handily beat by my SME 30/2 and Graham Phantom II tonearm with Dynavector XX2 cartridge. UNTIL - I put the IT 407 and Koetsu into an SME 30/12 turntable! No other change. It is like a totally different cartridge (and tonearm?). Amazing. The Koetsu is sublime. I'm will move up to something like the Coralstone eventually. 
I now have both. From the examples I have in my system, the Blue Lace is better - more dynamic, more lifelike. Yes the Coralstone is warmer. I like the Blue Lace better. And in either case the diamond cantilever increases detail and clarity over boron, with no apparent downsides (i.e. it’s NOT more analytical, dry, or bright, which are the negative attributes sometimes associated with increased detail). However, the big problem with the diamond cantilever, even more than its initial cost, is that it more than doubles the rebuild cost. Is it worth it in the long run? I’ll have to answer that question for myself, after I account for how many hours mine lasts before it’s time for a rebuild.

I’ve also acquired the Koetsu SUT (late version), which is currently my favorite SUT for these cartridges (over Sky, Lundahl, EAR, Hashimoto HM-7). I’ve got at least 350 hours on my Blue Lace Diamond now. Many days it’s hard to even enjoy anything else. Though once in a while I really enjoy my Shelter Harmony and/or Accord, and find myself thinking "man, this comes really close". I think the Accord in particular, even more so than its big brother, captures some of the essence and beauty of the Blue Lace in a much less exorbitant package. However, other days the gap seems very large again, with the Blue Lace simply crushing all else.

Big fan of the Blue Lace!
@mulveling 

Expect I'm preaching to the Pope, but just wanted to say that I've had great results with ultrasonic cleaning. I use a German commercial unit, the Elmasonic, which has an 80KHz option. The results are obvious sonically, but also you can see the grunge in the bottom of the tank.

That's important because the grunge in a record groove is said to be equal parts of fluff, grease, and diamond dust. If true, it is an ideal grinding compound. And I don't need my stylus reshaped with every record. 

Had a photomicrograph of the stylus taken with a scanning electron microscope after 980 hours. According to the dealer, wear was "minimal", and absolutely not ready for rebuilding. Unless I had a LOT more money than he suspected.

Hope this might help a little.