Hear my Cartridges....🎶

@lewm 
Thanks for the info, I was aware of the science on this, and use them myself in this application. It was the $$$ silver grounding cables I'm less sure about. Do you have any experience with the original non magnetic shinkoh tantalum resistors in the signal path with tube preamps ?  I have enough to replace the signal resistors in my Marantz 7 but have never got around to it. I use nude vishays for loading.

Victor nails it for me on my Macbook Pro.....more musical...less mechanical

Excellent observations and comments by Dover. His reactions to the three different cantilevers are almost exactly in line with mine and I rank the three in the same order.

For me, the Ruby ranks a distant third, sounding rough and less refined than the other two. That one out of the way, the choice between the Boron and the Sapphire is more interesting. Plainly put, for me, the Boron sounds more natural (realistic). The sapphire, while it "appears" more resolving in the highs, I hear as more generous in that range, but a range that is not as well integrated with the midrange. For me, a top end which is more generous will often tend to cause the midrange to seem less fully developed. The better integrated highs of the Boron help its midrange to sound more "fully developed". As far as overall tonal balance goes, in the context of a different system, one might easily be preferable to the other. In this context, he Boron wins for me.

Two observations that would tip the scale for me in favor of the Boron regardless of system context:

Listen to the kettle drum roll that one hears at the opening of the Prokofiev (thank you, Halcro) and its percussive accent on the arrival of the roll which is accompanied by the entrance of the low brass. With the Sapphire, I hear a hint of strain in the sound of demanding (loud/densely orchestrated) passages in the music. The Boron sounds a bit more composed (sorry) in those spots. While I suspect that it does, this may or may not be related to the second observation:

Listen to that great violin section beginning at :59. Wonderful musical passage with very exciting syncopated and accented notes intended to "jump out" of the overall texture of running sixteenth notes. With the Boron those accented notes leave that texture of running sixteenth notes more obviously and decisively....more music.

Interesting comparison as always, Halcro. Thank you.

Now, and please forgive me for this, but the subject of the Weavers’ song is a little too close to home (literally) for me to ignore. As we all know, that is a wonderful and wonderful sounding record. As wonderful sounding as is that "Guantanamera" , a beautiful song that is practically a second national anthem for Cubans, it leaves some to be desired on stylistic grounds. Here is a more stylistically authentic version; hope you enjoy it (or, at least appreciate it):

https://youtu.be/gdYIpvnzoW8

Dear @sdrsdrsdr  : Many years ago but with no doubt the boron version performed better.

Now, the 180 is very good cartridge but not the best MM out there. His ceramic body material used is way resonant but in those times manufacturers of analog items were in love with ceramic: SAEC headshells, JVC/VICTOR headshell, AT turntable mats, Audiocraft turntable mats and many more. 
From there Ortofon started to use ceramic in its MC 3000 to the MC5000. Now ceramic is not only resonant but to fragile too.

R.

Dear @frogman  : You are rigth, technically are not the " same " but on cartridge cantilever job performs the same.

Btw, I had the ruby/sapphire and boron JICO with the Garrot and my first hand experiences with was like you: boron hands down the jewels.

Everything the same is almost imposible to beat boron cantilever material. Boron get together all desired characteristics to fulfill top cartridge designs, it's as this material exist becauase the needs for cantilever cartridges.


R.