Recommended a highly resolving cartridge


Hi all, all tube system that is warm with a good midrange presence inherently. I’m looking for a cartridge that offers high detail / resolution and wide / deep soundstage. This is on a stock SL-1200G TT. On a side note, if anyone has experience “upgrading” the stock tonearm on a G please chime in. I’ve read conflicting reports of the merits of such a move, and while I’m very happy with the tone of my TT and am not looking to move off of it, I am curious about a tonearm swap (must allow for headshell swapping). 

fastricky

Sadly not in time before I need to travel this week but I should have some notes to post by next weekend (4/18). 

Cool. Looking forward to your review. And especially how it compares to art1000. 

In preparation for the arrival of the DS003 I've been listening non-stop to my ART20 as I expect it'll be closer in character than the 1000x. The ART20 is a very clear/clean sounding cart but with a surprising amount of body, superb soundstage, deep bass, adequate highs, punch and excitement. The 1000x in comparison is a touch warmer, bass is better defined, there is more top end sparkle/shimmer, equally amazing soundstage but with even greater dimension to each individual instrument - it just has this added "x factor" you can't quite put your finger on but will have you getting lost in the music - the ART20 has more of an entertainment factor to it in comparison. So my expectation is the DS003 will be closer to the ART20 but who knows! Stay tuned. 

OK the DS003 and matching EQ arrived today so I immediately installed it and gave it a quick whirl... initial impressions are digital fans / SS fans WILL LOVE this cart. Immaculately CLEAN sounding. Me - I'm firmly in the analog/tube camp so I'll need to give this a bit more time to acclimate my ears, I already miss my tube phono preamp but again I need to adjust. Reports of quieter grooves and pops etc being reduced are greatly exaggerated, in my short experience they are perhaps even more noticeable with the DS003. Soundstage is very good, detail certainly among the best I've heard. Depth might be shaved off a bit since I no longer have my tube phono pre in the mix, need to listen further. It's certainly a different experience. It really is the love child of CD + vinyl. Also not sure how many hours are required to get the right experience, this DS003 was a demo and has under 10 hrs on it. More to come. 

I can only wonder how CD and vinyl ever had sex in order to produce a love child.