Magic Diamond vs Airtight PC1?

Dear Krc: I think that these ( MD/Allaerts ) cartridges are more a music lover ones that an audiophile kind ones.

Both have the best midrange reproduction that I ever heard, like Rushton posted the female vocals reproduction are second to none: right on spot. Frequency extremes not only have extensión but great definition and a " see through " quality that is almost unique, I like a bit more the low bass resolution on the Allaerts.
None of these cartridges are analytical in any way: far from that: they are neutral, natural and with great tonal balance, they don't take your attention to a special frequency range.

When you are hearing through these cartridges you are listening music and are enjoying what you are hearing with out take in count for that " inner detail/deep soundstage/high frequency detail/ etc /" , audiophile parameters.

I prefer the Allaerts overall performance but like Rushton posted I heard it in different systems, the only constant was the Phonolinepreamp.
The MD was mounted in the Walker rig, the Allaerts in my system along Acoustic Signature TT and GST 801 and Ikeda tonearms.

Now, the MD is more user friendly ( about output level ) than the Allaerts that it is a very low output cartridge where you need a very good Phonolinepreamp with a clean very high gain design.
IMHO, I think that with both cartridges you need the very best about Phonolinepreamp to really achieve what these cartridges can do.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I am waiting on the FedEx man to deliver a PC-1 this afternoon, currently using a Dynavector XV1-S and Goldfinger, though I much prefer the XV1-S. I should have it setup in a couple of hours and will report back.

Hemisferick,

I'd also be curious about a comparison between the Dynavector and the Goldfinger.

Hemisferik, I am anxious to hear you view on the PC1 vs the other cartridges you have. Thanks.

PC-1 is now setup in the Rockport, tracking @ 1.9g (Roclport always tracks lighter by .2/3g) loaded at 240 ohms, tried 475 too bright & 100 too dark. Phono is Aesthetix IO & Callisto.

PC-1 has only 8 hours on it so please bear in mind my comments are all initial impressions!

Goldfinger - very dynamic, can be aggressive, needs at least 2 hours to warm up and then softens a touch. I spent 6 months with it, finally became fed up with its aggression/hardness as it tended to make everything sound the same. Tracked @ 3.15g loaded @ 800 ohms, likes 1/2 degress of VTA up at the back.

XV-1S - softer, less resolute than the Goldfinger or PC-1. Easy to live with, quite musical but missing the dynamic drive of the other two. Tracked @ 1.81g loaded @ 100 ohms, level VTA.

PC-1 - High output .6mv, certainly has some drive, very dynamic and resolute without the hardness of the Goldfinger. Out of the box very impressed overall with its ability to combine excellent resolution/dynamics and musicality. THrows a huge soundstage. Can only improve with time so I will report back in a couple of weeks. Combines the strenghts of the Goldfinger with the XV-1S.

Hopes this helps.