It is a matter of taste, Ked. VDH + modern Cessaro is the antithesis of what I like - it is tipped up and artificial to my ears on the many videos. Granted I haven’t heard this in person so could be different if I was there. The videos align to the measured rising treble frequency response. I didn’t unfortunately hear the Vox Palladian with it.
Miyajima Labs Cartridges
- Thread starter dminches
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It is a matter of taste, Ked. VDH + modern Cessaro is the antithesis of what I like - it is tipped up and artificial to my ears on the many videos. Granted I haven’t heard this in person so could be different if I was there. The videos align to the measured rising treble frequency response. I didn’t unfortunately hear the Vox Palladian with it.
Interesting thread....I am familiar with Ked's approach to evaluation; his search for data points (or should it be datum points) to provide structure and a replicatable process. When i first came across it i was intrigued, then frustrated and finally confused. I would encourage people to read a commentary written by Peter Qvortrup called 'are you on the road to audio Hell'. available on his web site. This says it far better than i could. Ked's comments and conclusions should be filtered through what you know about his preferences and methodology
I am also familiar with Tom's background and comments on this and Uk forums. I have great respect for his experience and knowledge in specific areas. Fortunately we do not allways agree but his observations are usually well founded. His comments on the Madake are fully justified given his system and musical tastes. Isn't that the same for all of us.
The point about this forum is that we can share and understand our differences without having to create a vitual persona eqipped to denigrate another persons views.
I am also familiar with Tom's background and comments on this and Uk forums. I have great respect for his experience and knowledge in specific areas. Fortunately we do not allways agree but his observations are usually well founded. His comments on the Madake are fully justified given his system and musical tastes. Isn't that the same for all of us.
The point about this forum is that we can share and understand our differences without having to create a vitual persona eqipped to denigrate another persons views.
As far as I know of the many things we have tried in Tom's system I have disagree with him on this one thing. Yet, this thread seems to be a lot about defending the Madake which people should be warned off from buying. 95% of the carts are bought blind. And the denigration comes from pointing out that the one who does not like it is "into hifi".
I love their mono carts. Haven't heard the Infinity mono but the previous zero monos.
Interesting thread....I bought a Zero having heard one at Tom's a number of years ago and still rate it as an outstanding cartridge.
I heard his Shilabe at the time with various SUTs (which sounded great) and following this I bought a Kansui for stereo. I couldn't ever get this to sound 'right' in my system, it just seemed too dark, and closed in to me.
(I was using on a Schroder clone, and Schick arm for reference into HM7s).
In hindsight I should have tried on something more massy but I was unwilling to change that part of my set up at the time. Without having done so I chalked it up to a non ideal set up...
I heard his Shilabe at the time with various SUTs (which sounded great) and following this I bought a Kansui for stereo. I couldn't ever get this to sound 'right' in my system, it just seemed too dark, and closed in to me.
(I was using on a Schroder clone, and Schick arm for reference into HM7s).
In hindsight I should have tried on something more massy but I was unwilling to change that part of my set up at the time. Without having done so I chalked it up to a non ideal set up...
pardon my interruption, is there anyone here with experience of after market rebuild/retip/service of miyajima stereo carts?
i'm asking because i haven't seen any experience shared like for other cartridge service providers, and my shilabe may need one soon.
thanks
i'm asking because i haven't seen any experience shared like for other cartridge service providers, and my shilabe may need one soon.
thanks
hi Gordan hope all good with you. I’ve had Miyajima monos worked on by Killian Bakker of Holistic Audio in the Netherlands (superb work too). The stereo ones are more tricky as the main part of the motor is (as I understand it) potted in epoxy resin, so some kinds of work are not possible however he can replace tips and cantilevers with original parts from the same Japanese supplier Miyajima use, and carry out certain suspension adjustments - it’s worth contacting him for the specifics of what can and can’t be done.
I'll second that - he re-tipped and adjusted a Miyajima Shilabe for me, with OE spec Shibata tip, and the results were perfect.
Hello Tom, good to hear from you, hope you are well too in these strange times. Yes now I remember that some time ago you mentioned Killian/Holistic Audio but it slipped my mind. I will contact him tomorrow and start from there. I would need the cantilever for sure and consequently a suspension adjustment. Thanks for reminding me - and thanks Shuggie for adding his experience.
Another guy I had on mind was Analog Technik Dong Bum Kim (if this is his real name, I see people calling him Daniel), but everything I read about him on internet is related to his Neumann clones, not about servicing.
That's a pity - the only other person I would try would be Francois at Ana Mighty Sound who did some cantilever work for me on Miayjima monos years ago. On stereo thought he will be up against the same limitations.
Thanks, but: Francois is not a repairer but a middle man - AFAIK he's receiving parcels with pickups to be repaired and sends them to his workers. I have a good experience with Laszlo from Budapest, only that he seemed to doubled (at least) the prices now working under Ana Mighty Sound scheme. Blah - as we have seen so many times before.
Anyone knows what happened to Thomas Schick and why he's not anymore in cartridge repair business, as it can be concluded from his site?
Anyone knows what happened to Thomas Schick and why he's not anymore in cartridge repair business, as it can be concluded from his site?
I have heard and owned multiple Miyajima cartridges. My current reference is the Miyajima Zero Infinity mono cartridge. Here’s the shocker. To my ears, vinyl is best heard in MONO on a MONO cartridge. Stereo is best heard on digital. OK, are you shocked? You shouldn’t be. Stereo was always a hack on vinyl. You need a cartridge to track both the lateral and vertical modulations. That’s really hard. The Zero Infinity cannot track vertical groove modulations. It can only be played on a mono vinyl record. WARNING: you will quickly destroy your stereo vinyl if you play it on the Zero Infinity. It will also complain loudly. But, if you are like me, and enjoy hearing classical jazz, folk, popular music recorded from the 1930s to the 1960s (read: everything from the beginning of recorded time to the
Beatles to Frank Sinatra to Bob Dylan), you must listen to vinyl in mono. Forget stereo. That’s for folks who don’t know what music is supposed to sound like in vinyl. Stick to mono. On the Miyajima Zero Infinite, I guarantee you that you will hear Coltrane’s breathy saxophone like you never hear on stereo. You will hear the true wonderful stunning dynamics of The Beatles like you never hear on stereo vinyl. You will hear Bob Dylan as he wanted you to hear him. In MONO. In short, for the music lover, the Miyajima Zero infinity gets you closer to true master tape sound closer than anything else I have heard, including the fanciest digital Lampizator DACs. Be warned the Miyajima Zero Infinity is a massive blockbuster of a cartridge, hugely heavy and large. It will not fit on all tonearms. Measure and make sure before you plonk down the cash. But if you do, you might very well throw away all your stereo vinyl.
Beatles to Frank Sinatra to Bob Dylan), you must listen to vinyl in mono. Forget stereo. That’s for folks who don’t know what music is supposed to sound like in vinyl. Stick to mono. On the Miyajima Zero Infinite, I guarantee you that you will hear Coltrane’s breathy saxophone like you never hear on stereo. You will hear the true wonderful stunning dynamics of The Beatles like you never hear on stereo vinyl. You will hear Bob Dylan as he wanted you to hear him. In MONO. In short, for the music lover, the Miyajima Zero infinity gets you closer to true master tape sound closer than anything else I have heard, including the fanciest digital Lampizator DACs. Be warned the Miyajima Zero Infinity is a massive blockbuster of a cartridge, hugely heavy and large. It will not fit on all tonearms. Measure and make sure before you plonk down the cash. But if you do, you might very well throw away all your stereo vinyl.
Just want to agree with this. I have a number of original and reissue mono records and there is definitely a sense of space (more vertical than horizontal), but the tonality is just so right. Using Miyajima zero infinity also. My phono preamp (ARC 3SE) isn't mono, but it doesn't seem to matter that much.
Funny, not funny. Rob of Robyatt (Miyajima U.S. importer) himself told me that the Miyajima Zero would absolutely NOT harm a stereo record if played with it, though the sound is horrific and makes it obvious you are NOT playing a proper mono record.
This also calls into question perhaps modern mono records cut with stereo cutter heads.
This also calls into question perhaps modern mono records cut with stereo cutter heads.
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