Hi Nandric,
I don't care to sell anything.
My concern is about a set-up that can be a long time keeper.
I bought my first Pluto (7A special) twenty years back and my 9A Prestige Titanium since it's first day of commercial availability. I like it very much - especialy the synergy with the Colibri (an out of this world pair ).
I have 2 custom Riia (one is a differential octal 6sl7/6sn7/XXB & the other is a half active - half passive using Ecc803S/6J5 as a buffer with 1MOhm pot as a volume).
I also have a monoblock DHT OOA line preamp that I don't use for 2 years in favor for less gain stages, but it works miracles for digital sources.
You are right about the Pluto 9A (12000 euro) plus a last year's refreshing service (2500 euro) but in this hobby I realise & accept the fact of buying high prices & sell at 1/3rd. In my point of view, as this tonearm is titanium milled, hand build from it's inventor, it is not sponsored by magazines always keeping low profile (remember that the 9A is 15 years in the market so, it's price does not reflect the recent apetite for better tonearms), but sadly is the apparent amount of precise work to make it happen.
As of the real value of the Pluto 9A, well, you have to operate once with your hand to feel it's robust & surgical grade construction. Something way different of the skiny-light as feather, or cheap & easy to curve & mill Wood/Al (but anyway poor implemented & finished) competition. It's sound is engaging : explosive & highly detailed with excellent definition & perfect tonality. I would never put my self searching for a better match for my beloved XPP (the Colibri was a personal advice from Eddy) but it happens that my new found love for TD 124 mkII drives me for the 12" Reed 3Q as the armboard is the limiting factor & not the sound of the Pluto 9A. (The Symphonic Line RG6 has a very inventive cylindrical armboard that rotates around it's vertical axis & provides alignment for VTA also).
Sometimes I need to persuade my self not to be collective but rest upon the most simple & user friendly combo that has the most plain, least tempting appearence & the minimum of demands, just to remind myself that I'm not a wealthy yiappy but just a music lover (with 3 kids and a father with Altzheimer living in the same house) that once in my youth, had the bad idea to connect my favourite music with the good sound. In this present situation I prefer to get rid of my "drop-dead-gorgeous" Symphonic Line RG6 turntable, or my active Line monos, or even my second (octal-differential) Riia, but not the Pluto 9A/Colibri XXP . At least not before the rest mentioned components. I'm affraid I'm addicted to this pair ! (and I have a deep respect for Eddie Driessen). The sale price as always would be at 1/3rd the price of new. In the case of the RG6 ... at 1/4th (of 24000 euro). Because in my short life on Earth I choose to proceed straight ahead to my target & away from megalomania complex.
BTW once you mention Vdh, I recently change all of my cables for : MC Silver IT mkIII (prepre-Riia), Orchid (Riaa-PowerAmp), Inspiration (Speakers)
George
