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Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: Koetsu Black Phono Cartridge by TimB5881

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REVIEW: Koetsu Black Phono Cartridge

63.167.246.2


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Model: Black
Category: Phono Cartridge
Suggested Retail Price: $1500
Description: Moving Coil phono cartridge
Manufacturer URL: Koetsu
Manufacturer URL: Koetsu

Review by TimB5881 ( A ) on February 02, 2003 at 20:14:59
IP Address: 63.167.246.2
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for the Black


Ok so I have had this cartridge for about 7 years or so. The Black is a medium to low out put, .6 mv is what is stated. I am not sure of tje compliance, but tracking force is listed around 1.8 g. This is the heaviest cartridge I have ever owned, well over 10g, but I have not wighed it myself. I purchased as part of a Linn/Valhalla/Ittok used package back in around 1996, so I can not say for sure how many hors were on it when I purchased it, but I have put on many.
I just ran it through the HFARRN test disc, and with the Ittok arm it deos the first 2 toture tracks well, not so good on the 3rd, and can not do the 4th. On the Bluenote U3 arm, it could manage all 4 torture bias track tests. For every ones edification, the Koetsu Black is once again back in production, list price is $1500, retip $1400 in the USA, if you send it to some of the far east dealers, they can do it for $650 plus carriage.
This is the entry model of the famous Koetsu line. While it does not have the desibality of a Rosewood or Urushi, it still caries the family blood line in its sound. The highs and lows are not as good as some of the very best out there, but they both are better than one might think. The highs do have a great clarity to them, I do not find it bright at all, about right, with very good detail. The bass is capable of rendering deep sounds with authority, not bloated or lean, again just about right in tonality. What they miss over more refined cartridges is the last word in that traniet depth and edge. Again they will beat the pants of your old Audio Technica for example. The midrange is really were Koetsu has the magic, it is to die for. It has detail, slame and all the other hi fi adjatives down in spaded, but it has one thing no other line really matches. The midrange bloom, very euphomoc and rich sounding. It is a sound you will love or hate, but most likely will not be in the middle if you will. If you belong to the tube/SET crowd you will absolutly love it. And if you like clinical detailed low coloration, you will not. I have heard rumours that the Black is out sourced from Denon for Koetsu and that they just put it in thier body. Maybe so, but other sources also tell me that the Black, Rosewood standard and Urushi are all the same motors and stylus, just in different bodies and as price goes up, the tolerences are closer, again just rumour, not a fact from me. So any way, I put on my Denon DL-110 to see if they are close. To some extent yes, but the black is richer and better detailed. The DL-110 is a great buy, but definetly is no Koetsu by a long shot. The Black is the best cartridge that I currently own as far as over all enjoyment.
The down side to the Koetsu is of course price, mounting (it is a pain to get on your tone arm), and the sonic extremes are not up to the best, it is euphonic and has colorations that will not appeal to every one, and cost to retip is high.
Strengths would be presented as very good detail, very musical and enjoyable, very good dynamics, and one of the best mid ranges in its price catagory.


Product Weakness: Price, mounting, extreme bass and treble not the best in its price, retip, and of course coloations.
Product Strengths: Midrange, dynamics, musical


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Musical Fidelity A3cr,Adcom GFA 555II, Golden Tube SE40
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Musical FIdelity X-Pre, Adcom GFT450
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Linn Sondex LP12?Valhalla/Ittok VII and Bluenote U3,Sony SCD 775,MSB Link DAC III w Upsample
Speakers: Infinity Intermezzo 2.6, Infinity Interlude 50, Gold sound .6 and .8
Cables/Interconnects: Monster, Sonic Horizon, AudioQuest
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Rock,Pop,Blues
Room Size (LxWxH): 13 x 15 x 9
Time Period/Length of Audition: 7 years
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Koetsu Black Phono Cartridge - TimB5881 20:14:59 02/2/03 ( 6)