No answer here!

Well Ivan, you have certainly taken a plunge there
I took a similar if different one, in that I was already using MC's and took the word of the fellow who makes it, that the Exp was better than a SUT (step-up transformer).
There were, of course, corroborating opinions from several noted reviewers, the judgement of one of whom has yet to lead me astray when I have followed.
I have been in receipt of this for around a month now and have yet to hear what it will do with my current favourite cartridge.
That will probably sound odd, I have, as I am wont, several trials in progress, between turntables, mats, cables and amplifiers (not to mention modding my DAC as well).
Combined with gainful employment to pay for all this, the burn-in period for the Exp has passed with it connected to my #2 TT, the amp I have been modding and the Denon DL-103.
It was only the other day, when I decided that most of the mods had burned in and most of the characteristics were stable.
I then, having been listening to the DL-103 on my #2 rig for some weeks, decided I had it's measure and wished to revisit it on my main TT and amp combination, partly as I was a little concerned that despite the huge performance lift from the Exp it was a little less than I had remembered.
Connecting it initially via the SUT to recreate the original setup - I was immediately reassured by its performance there - it was not subtly better than on the #2 rig - reasons why are my conjectures for further testing and mods as time permits.
Whatever, it sounded pretty darn fine as I recalled, so I proceeded to connect the Exp - now I have heard that the Denon is a cartridge that is better suited by an active step-up even though Denon make the SUT I was using specifically for it and the Auditorium 23 is reputed to be a marvellous match with it.
The nearest impression I can give is visual, if you imagine the sound printed on the surface of a balloon and then the balloon being blown up to be much bigger with the printing gaining 3D effects and changing from 8bit colour to 32bit colour that about sums it up.
I have not previously heard this cartridge sound anything like this - I put on Moussorgskys Pictures at an Exhibition which I have listened to many times - this time I heard it!
So, ATM I am enjoying the DL-103 all over again - and I have yet to purchase the I/C I would prefer to use between the Exp and the Reflex - so more goodness to come.
That Encounter is one serious lust provoking item and definitely deserves something very nice hanging off it - will be interesting to hear what you think of the MM vis a vis the others you have tried, intrigued by your remarks on the G1042 WRT conveying the emotion - but even that cartridge is more expensive (here at least) than either of my Denon MCs.
The aspect you mention of jumping if not paying attention is one I have noted on a number of tracks on different albums with both of these cartridges, one in particular almost makes me wince at the whack the drummer gives the skin and on another orchestral piece the sound at the beginning of the track almost explodes out of the speakers - I very like this.
No answer here either, but that Exp sure is putting a silly grin on my dial with a cheapskate MC and most of the previously perceived shortcomings of that cartridge have been sent packing.  For those who say it does not work on Rega arms, you are not sitting where I am sitting and hearing what I am hearing (or quite possibly your hearing and powers of discrimination are much greater than mine - no matter, I have money left over for records :p)
PS I still want one of those AS TTs to play with but maybe a DL-304 or a ZYX R100 first.

Hi Ivan and TG, interesting thread sofar. 

 

 

Hello Han

My main setup is a Michell Orbe SE, O/L Encounter, Reflex and now a Cartridge Man MM3.  I have also recently tidied up a SL1200 which I use at the office, it's now fitted with the G1042.

The hierarchy that you say MB supports is similar to the old Teifenburn/Linn one, except for the phono stage.  I agree with you though that it isn’t always clear cut.  For sure you can get a £30 cartridge to punch way above its weight in a good deck/arm combo but put a top flight cartridge in a poor arm deck/arm and you won’t get the value from it.

I think there are two distinctly different parts to the equation.  The mechanical part – turntable, arm, stylus, cantilever, suspension etc., and the electronic part – cartridge windings, wire, arm wire, phono-stage, more wire, pre-amp etc. etc. 

My own, much oversimplified view (for what it’s worth), is that the mechanical part is about how much information can be retrieved and the electrical part is about how much information can be preserved (rather than lost or distorted). 

Once, the signal hits the cartridge tags they and everything from there on, will to some degree, loose or distort some of the signal information; despite what other good work the component may do e.g. getting the signal from one place to another, amplifying it and E.Q.ing it.  The knack must be doing the things to the signal that need to be done whilst minimising losses and unplanned changes to the signal.  So in the electrical part of the equation, I think that the chain is predictably as strong as its weakest link and wherever the weak link is it will limit the overall performance to its level. 

With the mechanical stuff though observing the hierarchy will usually lead to better information retrieval e.g. a great cart on a modest arm won’t give as good a performance as a modest cart on a great arm.  So where in the chain the weak link is can have a big effect on the overall sound. 

 

Edited by IvanM - 29 Jul 2008 at 11:48pm