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Phono-Pre Amps & Cartridges Welcome to the Dark Side! |
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#1
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Soundsmith's Sussurro Paua Cartridge
My little system is nowhere near the level of systems many AA members own. My new Soundsmith Sussurro Paua cartridge is easily the most expensive component. When I bought the Paua, I thought I would not hear many benefits right away. I thought it would be something to continue building the system around. Instead, it has completely transformed my system. The advice I had received was correct – focus on sources first then build out.
I don’t have the experience most AA members have so my attempt to describe the cartridge will surely come up short. Hopefully someone else has heard this cartridge and can add to (or detract from) my post. When I installed the cartridge I could immediately hear more detail and a wider soundstage. Instruments were not only clearer; their sound had more of an “airy” aspect. There was not as much bass or richness as I hoped for. Still, I felt it was a significant step up from the Benz Micro Wood SM. Peter at Soundsmith gave me a great trade-in deal for my Benz. It has been two months since I installed the Paua – it is fully broken in. My system’s sound has more richness, depth, clarity and feeling than ever before. With a well-made LP I can kick back, close my eyes and “see” each performer’s location in the soundstage. The soundstage is now much wider than my speakers. I don’t really hear where the speakers are – I just hear the music. I guess all of that is normal for high end systems but I have never had such a great sound coming from an inexpensive system I owned. If you have a VPI table the Paua is like a Zephyr on steroids. It is a moving iron design with the low compliance and heavy weight like the Zephyr. It has a lightweight aluminum cantilever but its stylus is a nude Contact Line stylus instead of elliptical. It works with a moving coil phono preamp. Mine requires preamp settings of 470 ohms (or 1000 if you prefer – I don’t) with 66dB gain. VPI said when they had a Paua mounted on a Classic 3 at a show most attendees who heard it thought it was the best at the show. VPI has a few Facebook pics of a future “VPI Legend” cartridge that looks very similar to the Paua. Finally, I really like the fact the Paua's long term costs are much lower than most other cartridges in its range. A total cartridge rebuild, if needed, is less than $700. I plan to keep this one for a long time. |
#2
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Wrong forum
Darn - I meant to put this in the phono preamps and cartridges forum. I would appreciate it if this could be moved. Thanks, Joe
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#3
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Ivan FLORIDA MX136, MC1.2KW(10) MC2KW(2), MCD1100, MS750(2) MVP881, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, HT-2 SUBS(2) HT3F(2) WS350(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) XCS350(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" MOTORIZED SCREEN, CINEMA-TECH SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: ACCUPHASE A300 AMPS, C3900 PRE-AMP, DP1000 CD/SACD TRANSPORT, DC1000 DIGITAL PROCESSOR, DG-68 DIGITAL EQUALIZER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, PS1230 POWER SUPPLY, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, WW PLATINUM CABLES CAPE COD MX150, MC501(2) MC1.2KW(10) MC2301(2) MR88, MVP881, MCD1100, MDA1000, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, ESOTERIC K-01X 30th ANNIVERSARY (BLACK) SACD/CD PLAYER, G02-X CLOCK, HT3F(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(4) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) KALEIDESCAPE STRATO & TERRA SERVERS 80-TB, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" SCREEN, SONUS FABER STRADIVARI, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, FORTRESS SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Analog Rig: CLEARAUDIO INNOVATION WOOD, UNIVERSAL ARM w/ Da VINCI' CART, 2nd UNIVERSAL ARM w/ GOLDFINGER STATEMENT CART, HRS-MXR REFERENCE RACK-GLOSS BLACK w/ M3X SHELVES, AESTHETIX RHEA SIG PHONO-PRE, BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: BURMESTER 911MK3 AMP(3), 088 PRE-AMP, 089 CD PLAYER, 100 PHONO PRE-AMP, 948 POWER CONDITIONER, ACCUPHASE DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, AVID ACUTUS REFERENCE SP TT, GRAHAM PHANTOM II SUPREME ARM, BENZ MICRO LP-S CART, GRANDIOSO P1X/D1X STACK, G1X RUBIDIUM MASTER CLOCK, N05 NETWORK PLAYER, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, SONUS FABER AIDA SPEAKERS, JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(2) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) WW PLATINUM CABLES Library System: GRANDIOSO M1 MONOBLOCK AMPS, C1 LINESTAGE PRE-AMP, K1X CD/SACD PLAYER, G1 MASTER RUBIDIUM CLOCK, E02 PHONO-PRE, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, AERIAL ACOUSTICS 20T V2, AERIAL SW12 SUBS(2), CANTON REF K1’s, VPI HRX TT w/ SDS POWER SUPPLY, ORTOFON CADENZA BLACK CART, KLAUDIO RCM, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2, SHUNYATA OMEGA QR’s, WW PLATINUM CABLES Esoteric/Bryston System: ESOTERIC C02-X PRE-AMP, P-02X TRANSPORT, D02-X DAC, G02-X CLOCK, BRYSTON 28B3 CUBED MONOBLOCK AMPS(4), BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2(2) EVEREST 8000 POWER CONDITIONER(2) ALTAIRA CG & SG HUBS, AMR-DP777-SE DAC, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, QUADRASPIRE RACK, WW PLATINUM CABLES Accuphase/Canton System: ACCUPHASE E800 INTEGRATED, DP570 CD/SACD PLAYER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, PS530 POWER SUPPLY, CANTON REF K3’s, CANTON REF K5’s, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS MXR REFERENCE MAHOGHANY RACK w/ M3X2 SHELVES, WW GOLD CABLES |
#4
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