Synergy

@pindac 

Very interesting!

Pindac, the number and breadth of the experiments you find time and assistance to perform in search of your personal vinyl Nirvana do astonish me.

I’m discovering an interesting phenomenon with my new setup.   
Years ago when I heard the same records as I’m listening to now I was very involved with the music.  As my set got  better and better, I enjoyed them less and less. Is it possible that with improved analog technology more and more flaws were revealed along with improved sound.  Now that I have a really good cartridge the sound is great but with those flaws removed, so I can again appreciate the music.
 

Just postulating a possibility.

It seems I have developed the same illness. I am cartridge bouncing again trying to find that perfect cartridge. Problem is it may not exist and this gets expensive.

@mijostyn Thanks, and yes I’ve followed your cartridge impressions with great interest! SoundSmith was previously not of interest to me, but now it very much is thanks to your feedback.

I’ve been happy with Koetsu Blue Lace as my reference for 5 years. It’s decisively the best of my Koetsus (6), but like all Koetsus it leans very heavily to warm and full-bodied side of the spectrum (though it is more balanced than its siblings). So I’ve been searching for something on the detail / dynamic / sparkly side to complement it, and/or for that mythical cart with the "just right" balance of everything. And of course I ended up with a collection, even after selling several.

I like Benzes, they’re very well balanced, but not quite up to the level I’m seeking these days. I really like some Shelters, but they’ve gotten hard to source. Ortofons end up being too sterile (midrange) for me, though Windfeld Ti was a lot closer to what I want than the older version. And the A90 was good. It makes me want to try a Verismo.

I do very much like Van den Huls lately. Somehow the midrange doesn’t leave me wanting like Ortofons. My new-ish Colibri XGW Strad is turning into a great compliment to Koetsu. But they’re a NIGHTMARE at first. First cartridges I’ve owned where suspension break-in is an absolute necessity. The Colibri wouldn’t even stay in the groove at first. The slightest perturbation on a record would excite the suspension and it would start literally SHAKING. I tried everything - different tonearms, setup etc. Had to leave it resting on a record for a several nights before it started to behave.

I’m discovering an interesting phenomenon with my new setup.
Years ago when I heard the same records as I’m listening to now I was very involved with the music. As my set got better and better, I enjoyed them less and less. Is it possible that with improved analog technology more and more flaws were revealed along with improved sound. Now that I have a really good cartridge the sound is great but with those flaws removed, so I can again appreciate the music.

Just postulating a possibility.

If any piece of gear (not just cartridges) makes it harder to enjoy music (not just audiophile recordings), it’s GONE. That’s an absolute non-starter for me. And I don’t think it’s a trait of more revealing gear at all, actually. I think it’s a side effect of suboptimal setup or system balance. We don’t deserve to torture ourselves just because a new component "should" be better!

Dear @mulveling :  "  I think it’s a side effect of suboptimal setup or system balance. We don’t deserve to torture ourselves just because a new component "should" be better! "

Other than cartridge/tonearm rigth set up the system balance it coverts in something as synergy that as mijos said is only that one link is covering/hiden other system link " errors ".

My take by first hand experiences tells me that if I introduce a true better new system link in the system we have we should be perfectly aware on it. This " perfectly aware " could be have its precense in different ways: could be that the system quality level performance was improved through what we listen in our sessions but could happens too that some or several of our LPs suddenly started to sound not very good because the new system link can shows us that those LPs that we though were very good recordings are not really good recordings for different reasons ( recording mistakes, not good recording mastering and the like ) but at the same time the LPs that sounded very good now sound excellent.

Yes, the new link altered the system balance and now " unfortunatelly " we are aware aof those LPs not very good ( as in the past ) kind of sound. In the other side a true better system link can shows hiden system " errors " and this new link function as a tool to make a system check-up..

Like it or not ( your " torture " ) a new true better system link that we just changed  is for us a system " discovery "/recordings in many ways.

Each one of us try to have a system balance that goes with our MUSIC/sound priorities. Try to look for a live MUSIC performance could be a really good target even by you that are " oriented "/accustom to what you like. Today after all those 5 years with Koetsu you are looking to change that " but like all Koetsus it leans very heavily to warm and full-bodied side of the spectrum  "..

I owned several Koetsu cartridges and the first one that really made " honor " to MUSIC reproduction was when appeared the Platinum one and my KRSP performs way different to the other pre-Platinum cartridges where that " heavely to warm " goes way lower but as my system gone and goes improving that " warm " just almost disappeared and I have a long listening session at my place with the Blue Lace.

Comparing your experiences with my experiences tells me that not necessary that that " warm " came mainly by the Koetsu but inside and around your system.

Now, I love the Colibri and when runs good  runs in an exceptional way and yes a little better than Koetsu and with excellent midrange. Remember that the midrange mainly depends of how good the system handled the bass range, it's here where we can or not have an excellent mid-range. Now, Koetsu and the Colibri are different performers and no till today does not exist the perfect cartridge in an universal sense because the objectivity need it for always losted against each one of us taste/subjectivity. That's why I said that could be a good target that our room/system have an approach of the live MUSIC balance and cartridges by it self just can't do it. Maybe some of us have to change ( we normally just don't want it . Nothing wrong with that. ) our MUSIC " approach " and if we don't do it will be really dificult to live in totally satisfaction with our room/system enjoying it as never before.

Yes, it is really hard to make a " radical " changes about but we have to try if we feel we need it to improve our MUSIC reproduction enjoyment.

R.