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REVIEW: Ortofon Kontrapunkt b Phono Cartridge

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Model: Kontrapunkt b
Category: Phono Cartridge
Suggested Retail Price: UKP 750.00
Description: Moving Cartridge
Manufacturer URL: Ortofon
Manufacturer URL: Ortofon

Review by loony ( M ) on February 02, 2003 at 13:25:08
IP Address: 216.234.113.74
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for the Kontrapunkt b


The Kontra B

With a scant 10 hours on it:

Air, Air, Air, and did I mention Air.
Very detailed with good extension and a huge leap forward in all area's except mid bass, which seems to be MIA from the previous cartridges Talisman Saphire III, Ortofon X5MC, (excludes the Koetsu Black-see text). Just gone, the midbass I mean, way back in the mix.

The extreme bass is all there, and tight as a screw joint. No slop here, maybe a small helping would be welcome, who can say.

At this point I am satisfied with the cartridge and will report back, but hold off on a full recommendation until the cartridge breaks in and the mid bass comes to life. I have my doubts. It's got so far to come, we aren't talk a little bit here. I will measure the out put and include in my follow up. I think it's down about 3-6 db.

Putting on my old X5MC clearly delineates this missing mid-bass. However in all other aspects the Kontra B just kills the X5.

Very curious,

Stay tuned in a month or so for a final report.

Associated equipment:

Speakers:

Quad 15" Subs x/o's via Rane AC22 at 70 hz
Mains: My design via LEAP/LMS Liberty Audio Suite
D'Apple-Joe SEAS Excel's with W17EX002's with the T2502 Millenium tweet
and a very exotic 48db/oct X/O.
Other speakers at disposal (more home brews) and Spica TC60, JSE 1.8A's

Phono sections:
Camelot Lancelot
NAD
B&K
Threshold SL 10

Amps: B&K 442, Threshold S 300II, Muse 160, and Cary SLA 70 modded with caps tubes, resistors, the whole treatment. (I should have bought a better amp to start with by the time the equipment was changed and Mullards were installed Wholly Bat-guano it got expensive.)


Product Weakness: Midbass, MIA (qualified---It only has 10 hours on it--will repost in a couple of months)
Product Strengths: Air, Detail, smoothness, extended highs, no hash, no grain, dang near perfect from the midbass up.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Threshold S300II, Cary SLA 70, Muse 160 II
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Threshold 3SI, Camelot Lancelot phono
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Sota, Sumiko Priemeir FFT 3 arm
Speakers: See text, similiar to the Odin's but much better.
Cables/Interconnects: My combo's hand mades, teflon/silver, copper/teflon, gold/teflon
Music Used (Genre/Selections): vocals, females, rock, jazz, classical
Room Size (LxWxH): 17 x 36 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: Baffles, absorbers, diffractors,
Time Period/Length of Audition: 10 hours
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Solo in another room, dedicated power runs to it.
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition): See system in text.




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Topic - REVIEW: Ortofon Kontrapunkt b Phono Cartridge - loony 13:25:08 02/2/03 ( 7)