phono cartridges – 10 Audio

My Sonic Lab Signature Platinum Moving Coil Phono Cartridge – MINI REVIEW

This is a Mini Review: short term audition, impressions below, no rating. A broken-in My Sonic Labs Signature Platinum moving coil phono cartridge recently visited my listening room for a couple of weeks. In that time, there were opportunities to

Hana Umami Red Phono Cartridge and Musical Surroundings Phonomena III Phono Preamplifier

A proper Japanese translation of the word umami is the “essence of deliciousness”. Still another suggests the literal translation to be a "pleasant, savory taste". These definitions apply to the Hana Umami Red moving coil phono cartridge, which is not

Tzar DST Moving-Coil Phono Cartridge

The Tzar DST moving coil phono cartridge is manufactured in Russia in limited quantities and distributed in the US by Robyatt Audio. The $10,000 cartridge has some special features that make it unique in the marketplace of moving coil phono

Miyajima Destiny Moving-Coil Phono Cartridge

Welcome to the fourth review here on 10 Audio of a Miyajima moving-coil phono cartridge. Previous reviews include the Miyajima Shilabe, Kansui, and Madake phono cartridges. In those reviews, all of these products received the best “10 LP” rating due

ZYX UNIverse Optimum Phono Cartridge

Another ceiling has been shattered, another mountain conquered, and another superlative surpassed. The new ZYX UNIverse Optimum moving coil phonograph cartridge has risen above the very high pinnacle of performance set by the ZYX UNIverse Premium, reviewed here on 10 Audio.

ZYX UNIverse Premium Phono Cartridge

The ZYX UNIverse Premium moving coil phono cartridge is the latest evolution in the long history of ZYX of Japan. High performance is always expensive, and in this case, sonic perfection carries a “premium” price tag. Based on other upper

AMG Teatro Phono Cartridge & Musical Surroundings Nova II Phono Preamplifier

AMG has received a mountain of positive press over the past couple of years with their high performance Viella 12, AKA ‘V12’, turntable. This turntable has been included in display systems by a significant number of exhibitors at various audio

Miyajima Madake Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

Let's start this review by taking a step back in time and having a look at my 2011 review of the Miyajima Kansui phono cartridge. The Kansui has been my main phono cartridge since before that review was posted. Using that

Ortofon Per Windfeld Moving-Coil Phono Cartridge

The Ortofon Per Windfeld phono cartridge was developed in 2008 as a tribute to retired engineer Per Windfeld who worked for Ortofon for more than 30 years. He was instrumental in the development of the MC 20 Super and Rohmann

Benz-Micro LP-S and Gullwing SLR Moving-coil Phono Cartridges

Time marches slowly in the world of high-end audio. We rarely see new products that can be called “revolutionary”. While there are certainly new ideas, new materials, and new circuits developed by creative audio engineers, the vast majority of products

Miyajima Kansui Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

In my November, 2008 review of the Miyajima Shilabe phono cartridge, I concluded with “The Miyajima Shilabe phono cartridge is closer to perfection than any cartridge I have previously experienced. It may be possible to surpass its outstanding performance, perhaps with

Miyajima Shilabe Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

Let me jump right to the conclusion of this review and save you the wear and tear on your mouse wheel. I have adopted the Miyajima Shilabe stereo moving coil phono cartridge as my long term reference. This decision was

Benz-Micro LP Moving Coil Phono Cartridge and Tri-Planar VII Tonearm

Good old Benz-Micro cartridges. They have been around for so long that we take them for granted. As Rodney Dangerfield might have said, they get no respect. After living with the Benz “Ebony” LP moving coil phono cartridge for more

Koetsu Jade Platinum Moving Coil Phono Cartridge – MINI REVIEW*

The Koetsu Jade Platinum moving coil phono cartridge has always been a dream component for me. For many years, I would look at ads that offered the cartridge and pay particular attention to newsgroup threads that mentioned it. I have

Benz Micro MC20 E2 Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

Paul Basinski Need a little shot of Vitamin E for a turntable that's become somewhat stale and dull? Then let me recommend an inexpensive MC cartridge from the Swiss company Benz Micro. It's the Benz MC20 E2. At a retail

Zyx UNIverse MC Phono Cartridge

Reviews of phonograph cartridges can be pretty darn worthless. Irrelevant. Reviews can put a cartridge into some kind of comparative framework where you understand that Cartridge A does this or that, more or less, better or worse, than Cartridge B.

Denon DL 103R Moving Coil Phono Cartridge

By Paul Basinski The subject of this review, the Denon DL 103R is about as elusive as the rare spotted owl. No sooner do you discover one of these low output moving coil cartridges new or used on the Web

Grado Sonata and Benz-Micro Glider Phono Cartridges

First, understand that these are two very good, but very different sounding cartridges. They are perhaps a peerless pair of the best performers in the crowded sub-$1,000 realm. Secondly, let me say that most people will not like both of

Van den Hul Condor XCM and XGM MC Phono Cartridges

I can’t tell you what to buy. Even if I found the perfect component…well, what is “perfect”, anyway? Take an amplifier, for example. Let’s say that I thought that the Cary 300SEI amplifier was the absolute best amplifier on the planet. In

Ortofon Jubilee, Kontrapunkt A & B Phono Cartridges

When I reviewed the Koetsu line from the Black up to the Rosewood Signature Platinum, I started at the bottom and worked up, sharing the improvements with each higher model. So just to be different, let’s start with the top-of-the-line Jubilee ($1900)

Zyx Airy 3x-SB Moving Coil Cartridge

The timing of this review could not be more appropriate. It is spring, and the warm sunshine on my face makes me feel alive and renewed. It is a pleasure to be outside. The subtle oppression of being closed in

Shelter 90x Moving Coil Cartridge

What is the difference between an ordinary hamburger and a great hamburger? The meat? The bun? The seasonings? Maybe it’s the cook. It is all of these and more. I say that because if you give the same ingredients to

Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum Moving Coil Cartridge

From the Urushi review: "...with the Urushi, the feeling of arriving at a plateau of satisfaction is clear." Imagine walking up an incline, like a highway ramp. Near the bottom of the ramp, you pass the Koetsu Black. Walk a little

Koetsu Moving Coil Cartridges

POSTED 09/30/2002 The name Koetsu has long been held in high regard by audiophiles. Almost mystical attributes have been associated with the name. The buzz surrounding the release of the original Red signaled a new paradigm was available to the audio world. The

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