Tonearm Recommendations for Benz-Micro LP S
- Thread starter Ron Resnick
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Ron, I listened to the LPS / SME 3012R combo on my NVS tonight. I had a couple friends over to join in the fun. Prior to listening to the LPS we listened to the Etna/Telos combo. People seemed more engaged by the LPS/SME and I have to agree. The LPS is more musical and seems to make the music more 3D, if that makes sense. I think you should strongly consider that for your AS 2000.
Did your, or were you compelled to at some point, try the flip flop (Etna on 3012r...)? I know it takes a lot of time to dial in, just curious how much was arm, how much cart, and of course how much was synergy of pair...
Great news, just picked up a NOS 3012R from German eBay, hoping it plays nice with my LPS !
Dminches, Thank you very much for this report!
You don’t have to convince me on the LP S! I am presently planning to put an LP S on a second tonearm on the AS-2000.
It is very interesting that the LP S sounds great on the 3012R. I have a purely theoretical feeling that the LP S might do even slightly better on a higher effective mass tonearm. But the fact that your group already found it more musical on the 3012R than the other combination is great!
You don’t have to convince me on the LP S! I am presently planning to put an LP S on a second tonearm on the AS-2000.
It is very interesting that the LP S sounds great on the 3012R. I have a purely theoretical feeling that the LP S might do even slightly better on a higher effective mass tonearm. But the fact that your group already found it more musical on the 3012R than the other combination is great!
Can you please switch the carts and say what the findings are? Etna on SME, LPS on Durand?
At some point I will do this but it took me some time to get both combos dialed in so I want to enjoy them for a while before make more changes.
Interesting thread. I use my LPS with a Moerch DP8 on a red dot precision wand.
This is the combo recommended by Doctor Moerch.
Will try the LPS on my 3012R after reading the recent posts.
This is the combo recommended by Doctor Moerch.
Will try the LPS on my 3012R after reading the recent posts.
hey Guys just joined to make a post about my LPS Benz. . I have it on the famed Pink Triangle Anniversary with a arm not even mentioned . A Alphason MCS 100 . I think that it sounds better on it than on my SME iv.vi and makes it sound more transparent and tracks even setting on my old Barcelona altecs cabinet. They are a sealed cabinet with a 411 woofer that has altec' s biggest voice coil woofer. I have 3 alphason 100s and think they are the best s shaped arm i have ever heard, I know that may raise some eyebrows. I have 3 different weights and for the heaviness of the benz actually did not use the heaviest one although i thought it would need it. I will take a short clip of it performing on the Barcelona and it will astound you. Can't do it tonight but i will follow up
The Alphason is a much under rated arm. It works brilliantly with Benz cartridges in my experience. I had great results with Shelters too but the the Benz piped the Shelters (which are happier on L-07d or FR 64x).
I think one of the issues is they are true 9" and a pain to mount on some TTs...SP10 and the like. I have an arm board on the back of my L-07d and a Sonata in the attic ( must get it out).
Mike Knowles was a brilliant designer.
Another data point
A client of mine recently replaced his LP-S ( with an Aidas Gala Gold ) on his Clearaudio Tracer. I didn't hear this combo. He was using a heavy counterweight and reported good results with the LP-S / Tracer combo despite the low effective mass of the Tracer.
He does like the Aidas better but I digress
A client of mine recently replaced his LP-S ( with an Aidas Gala Gold ) on his Clearaudio Tracer. I didn't hear this combo. He was using a heavy counterweight and reported good results with the LP-S / Tracer combo despite the low effective mass of the Tracer.
He does like the Aidas better but I digress
I run my LP-S in a SME 3012R arm with excellent results, previously it was installed in the high pressure air-bearing LT arm made for the Maplenoll TT i use. On the LT arm it digs a little deeper in the bass ( it has a front trough with silicone oil ), on the 3012R the presentation is more mid bass focused but fast and nimble, very " natural (TM)". The high weigh of the LP-S was probably not ideal for the LT arm, and needed a extra homemade counterweigh, but it sounded really good with the right VTA setting. The combination of front paddle in silicon trough and short arm length makes it very VTA sensitive. I now use this arm with the lighter Benz Ebony TR for thin records only, this cartridge paints with somewhat broader brush strokes, a little on the voluptuous side. The 3012R/LP-S combination is more forgiving of record thickness and detailed without being obtrusive.
. The high weigh of the LP-S was probably not ideal for the LT arm, and needed a extra homemade counterweigh, but it sounded really good with the right VTA setting. The combination of front paddle in silicon trough and short arm length makes it very VTA sensitive. I now use this arm with the lighter Benz Ebony TR for thin records only, this cartridge paints with somewhat broader brush strokes, a little on the voluptuous side. The 3012R/LP-S combination is more forgiving of record thickness and detailed without being obtrusive. 
I have used several Benz cartridges on an SMEV. The LPS mated with an SMEV seems to me like a match made in Heaven. The sound was always great and with stellar dynamics the combinatio Created beautiful listening sessions. The LPS is one of my stranded on an island cartridges.
Benz Micro was distributed in the US by Musical Surroundings, but it appears they no longer carry the brand.
Best bet is to contact them and ask:
Contact Us – Benz Micro North America
benzmicro-northamerica.com
Works great on a Kuzma 4-Point.
Mike who worked at Musical Surroundings and now the owner of https://www.sierrasound.net/ sells Benz Micro cartridges.
I just purchased a ViV Ridged Float 9" from him, it's still in transit so I haven't received it yet. Mike has been great to work with.
I just purchased a ViV Ridged Float 9" from him, it's still in transit so I haven't received it yet. Mike has been great to work with.
Another case here with SME3012R + LPS bringing a great sound. In my system has a very pleasing, accurate and on the same time forgiving sound on records with little wear or mediocre mastering. This combination outperforms by a big margin Kuzma 4-Point with a large group of mid-level cartridges (Zyx 4D, 4d/Ultimate, Dynavector XV1S, EMT JSD Black). it seems that this combination will stay with me for a long time.
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