Accession for Moving Coil

When Graham asked if I'd like to hear his AccessionMC prototype, I ummed and erred for about 5 microseconds before saying "yes please" . . . 

I let Graham know some of the music I had and we settled on a few tracks to do the comparisons, plus I sent a few of my own choices. Before the AccMC turned up I ripped the tracks with the AccMM+EXP with most of my selection of MCs - which, for the record were:

Zyx R100H, Yamaha MC-1x, Hana EL, Ortofon Rondo Blue, Ortofon Vivo Red.

The rips were replicated with the AccMC in place. My Lexicon I-O 22 ADC was connected to the variable output on the Accessions by CuSat50 cables, and to my computer by a Lautus USB. The AccMM and Elevator were connected by a short CuSat50. BTW the turntable was my Kenwood KD7010 direct drive.

I made sure I matched recording levels, and the files were saved as FLACs for Graham to download.

So much for the procedure - what were my conclusions? 

Well - the AccMM+EXP is a hard act to follow. (I'll just refer to MM and MC from now on . . ) Both MM and MC showed the different cartridges in the same way - one didn't make a cartridge any worse or better. You get out what you put in, in that respect. It's the presentation that's different - and I was pleased to see that Graham, John & Leo agreed with me that the MC is even more natural and unforced than the MM. A quick A-B comparison could have you favour the MM, because it seemed to me slightly more "hi-fi" than the MC. But the musical communication with the MC was a delight to listen to. Soundstaging, detail, dynamics, depth - they were all first class but in a manner that never drew attention to the way the sound was being reproduced. Rather, all the aspects combined to draw you deeper into the music and banish any thoughts you had about just "listening to the sound".

If you have an AccMM+EXP should you go for the AccMC? It raises the bar even higher, so I'd definitely say "audition one" - and pre-warn your bank manger (do we have these nowadays?).

Me - I'm going to hang out for the Acc "Duo", able to take both MM and MC inputs. The Reflex can then take the place of the Era Gold V in the living room, and that plus the EXP can be retired (more likely stored for a future system elsewhere in the house . . .).

I hope this helps . . . .