Reflex C early and confused observations

After many years as a committed MC addict, a year or so ago I finally gave it up, not least because of what I learned/heard/read through this website.  However, my resolve is now being tested.  A few days ago John C (the pusher) mentioned that there was now a MC version of the Reflex.  Although I had kicked the habit, I still had a little something in my stash – namely an old but hardly used Ortofon MC30 Supreme (reasonably good gear in its day).  So I had the gear and the chance of trying what was likely to be a very good pipe: surely one last smoke wouldn’t hurt?  WOW! It’s all coming back: altered perception, familiar things sounding different, warmth, delicacy and secrets revealed, oh joy.  DAMN!  So is the confusion,  the anxiety and paranoia.

So what is going on here?  For a start the Reflex C has only been powered up for just over a week and its already starting to blossom, painting surprisingly large scale audio pictures around the place (unlike my Solo headphone amp which took about 6 weeks to reach its best - I’ll write that up elsewhere).  Also, the MC30/Reflex C combo is, against my expectation, at least as quiet as my usual Reflex M/Music Maker 3 combo.  Speaking of quieter, where as all the surface noise gone?  A whole biscuit tin of grit and several pistol shots have been removed from my records.  I hadn’t expected any of those things.

And as I sit here listening to The Shins (ah melodic rock – the curse of middle age!), I can’t help but be impressed as to just how melodic it is.  Not as spectacular or dynamic as the Reflex M/MM3 but sooooo melodic.  Before the Shins I played some Madness.  Compared to my Reflex M/MM3 setup, it was as if a different band, specifically a Jazz band, had been told to play the songs as near as they could to the original.  And they did a great job too but being Jazzers, they couldn’t help giving emphasis to small motifs, brushed cymbals and some previously unnoticed nuances of rhythm and tempo.  Also, their idea of piano was less strident and more tinkely plinkely (I believe that is the correct technical term) than the original.

So drums don’t have as much wallop and percussion and strings don’t have as much texture but they are coming from a quieter a place and with a little more syncopation and I am surprised at just how familiar and beguiling that is.

At present, there isn’t much point to this post (and in fairness that isn't likely to change in the future).  It can’t be a review of the Reflex C as despite it giving me some glimpses of depth and scale that I hadn’t expected it isn’t, by GSP standards, even warmed up yet.  And the comparison between the two cartridges is probably as relevant as comparing a colander to a wildebeest.  The trade off’s are so diverse that I am already doubting my own judgement and objectiveness.  To pick up my original analogy though, I think I may be having a flash back and although it isn’t all good, part of me is already wondering if I should ever have kicked the habit.

(edit: 03Feb2010 - to remove apparent whole text link to your "D drive")


Edited by Graham Slee - 03 Feb 2010 at 2:54am

Second best is best. Further observations, comparisons and questions.

On good recordings that are perfectly pressed onto decent vinyl and that I haven't scratched, the MM3 sets the sonic bar very, very high – it can (almost) literally blow you away.   The trouble is that description probably fits for about 15% of my record collection, actually that is being optimistic. And the MM3 will punish my bad records with as much vigour as it will bless my good ones. The MC30 doesn’t achieve the sonic fireworks that the MM3 does on any of the records you feed it: what it does do though, is play pretty much every record somewhere around 80-90% as well detail and presence wise and about 60-70% as impressively, dynamics wise (the MM3/isolator blathers anything else I’ve ever had for dynamics). That may sound like a big shortfall and a recipe for constant disappointment but the levelling out effect and the less intrusive nature of surface noise actually means that I am enjoying more of my records. Rather than hunting out records that sound great, I am just playing what I fancy and enjoying the music.

I am still surprised as to just how different the nature of these two setups is. I would have expected the MM3/Isolator to be the most enjoyable but it isn’t: with the right record it is undoubtedly the most impressive and thrilling but it seems to me that the ability to do dynamics to 120% may be a double edged sword. Or perhaps the heavier body and higher tracking weight of MC30 just works better with the Orb/Encounter – it is certainly a lot less fussy setting up and tuning in.

Alternatively (and please forgive me for talking about the carts rather than the Reflex thus far), it could be that the Reflex C deals with noise in a way that makes it easier on the ear. It certainly seems to work very well and is doing some lovely stuff with the MC30. Sounds may not leap out and hit you but they have a shimmer that is very appealing and seem to just hang in the air for a long time. In fact, I think the Reflex C may be punching above its weight but while I remain fazed by the differences between the two setups, I can’t really say what’s what, with much confidence.

So I have a few questions which people may wish to pass an opinion on:

Is the MC Reflex better than the MM Reflex?
Is the extra dynamic range of the MM3/Isolator also the cause of the extra noise?
If I removed the Isolator would the dynamics drop off as much as the noise?
If I stick the Isolator to the MC30 would I get extra dynamics or extra dynamics + extra noise?
Does anyone have a view on the MC30Supreme?
Has anyone else encountered high levels of surface noise with the MM3/Isolator? (I also find it slightly more essy on some records than the MC30).

In the mean time I will compare Reflex with the MC input on my Kairn preamp and hopefully make some valid observations.


Edited by IvanM - 10 Feb 2010 at 12:51am

Hello Cyreg

Hello Adrian

I'm good ta, enjoying the music again after a bit of a break.

Hope you are in good order too.

Haven't been playing Nirvana but now you mention it I'll give Nevermind a spin. Not out of reach - just in the cupboard next to No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom :-)