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  1. ShawnZH

    EMT JPA66

    Hi Dave, Sorry for the delayed reply. I don’t login often. Congrats to the AF3, which is an amazing table. AF3 also gives you enough versatility in trying 4 arms and carts combos with the 4 mounting positions. The carts you listed are quite different in style, output level, Imp. I own most of...
  2. ShawnZH

    Aries Cerat Ianus Essentia Owners thread

    Thank you Levitator. Upgrading from Aperio to Pre/Apm with Essentia, would you share how much “improvement” it takes from an Aperio to an Essentia combo? BTW, would you mind share with me the speaker you use and which model of Essentia you finally get? Thanks.
  3. ShawnZH

    Aries Cerat Ianus Essentia Owners thread

    Congrats Willgolf. I assume my next stop might be Ageto+Ianus monoblocks.
  4. ShawnZH

    Aries Cerat Ianus Essentia Owners thread

    Finally I took a bet on the Aperio and it arrived yesterday. I love the beauty of simplicity. I love more the humble specs (35w) AC gives and the real-world power the 35w could provide. I guess it’ll take some time to burn-in and settle in. Out of box, the Aperio already exceeds my expectation...
  5. ShawnZH

    Aries Cerat Ianus Essentia Owners thread

    Thanks Morricab for providing the help. I’m not in Switzerland though. I’m in Shanghai, China. A bit far, but thanks. There’s a local dealer who has Concero 65 and 25 which can be sent to my home for audition however owning Dartzeel, I don’t have enough room for the big blocks or I have to...
  6. ShawnZH

    Aries Cerat Ianus Essentia Owners thread

    I recently borrowed home from a local dealer the smallest sibling in the AC family: Genus with only 25W output. The borrow was intended for a pair of Graham 5/9 speaker however I ended up listening to Genus driving my 2 bigger speakers: Kharma Exquisite Grand 3.0 and Kaiser Kawero Classic. With...
  7. ShawnZH

    CS Port LFT1 turntable added to the system

    I have 2 tables and multiple arms and carts. They’re Kuzma XL Air (enhanced with a heavier platter and an air floating), and TechDas AF 1.
  8. ShawnZH

    CS Port LFT1 turntable added to the system

    Inspired by this thread and other posts about the CS Port tables, I just placed an order to a set of CS Port LFT1 M2. It shall take a month or so to arrive.
  9. ShawnZH

    Kuzma SAFIR 9

    The comparison between the 2 TTs should justify a full review. I try to put it as simple as possible. My Kuzma XLDC is enhanced with the air float kit therefore it is about 40kg heavier than the normal XLDC. I also bought the anti-vibration board (platis 65), which I believe is a must for all...
  10. ShawnZH

    Kuzma SAFIR 9

    I didn’t have the chance to use the Outer Ring Clamp, which seems to be a good way to press down the curved records. Nowadays, even new issued records can be sometimes curved while the 180g vinyls are not easy to handle once curved.
  11. ShawnZH

    Kuzma SAFIR 9

    It is a Harmonix TU-812MX clamp and it is not a screw-down. It is a better clamp than the screw-down bronze clamp comes along with the turntable. I’ve also tried the black-wood clamp from Kuzma. A friend brought to my home for a try. That was an interesting clamp. Putting on that black-wood...
  12. ShawnZH

    Kuzma SAFIR 9

    It is an Etsuro Gold.
  13. ShawnZH

    Kuzma SAFIR 9

    Finally my Safir 9 arrived yesterday. I replaced my 4P11 with Safir 9. I’m giving it a few days to break in, especially the 1.5m arm cable attached. I mounted the Lyra Etna SL onto the Safir in order to have a “side by side” comparison with Lyra Atlas SL on an Kuzma 4P9, though different...
  14. ShawnZH

    New Arrival.... Phasemation PP-5000 MC Reference Cartridge

    My SFz is the latest version with only 2 inputs: 1.5ohm and 30 ohm, which gives 34db (50x) and 20db (10x) step-up ratio respectively. Even with 30x (30db), the MSL Gold will be stepped-up to about 15mv, which looks pretty high. Though in real listening, it might be very different than what the...
  15. ShawnZH

    New Arrival.... Phasemation PP-5000 MC Reference Cartridge

    MSL Gold is with an output of more than 0.5mv. SFz at 3ohm is with a boost ratio of 50 times. Wouldn’t this ratio produce a too high amplification? I’d try the MSL platinum with SFz+Allnic H-8000 anyway.
  16. ShawnZH

    New Arrival.... Phasemation PP-5000 MC Reference Cartridge

    Thanks Shakti. I’ll find a way to at least try out the T-2000. Meanwhile, frankly, I don’t find a good match to the SFZ on my system. I use Kondo GE-10i and Allnic HDT-8000 as the MM stage. In most of the case, the 50x ratio of SFZ sounds too much amplification to me. My 2 Lyra carts at...
  17. ShawnZH

    New Arrival.... Phasemation PP-5000 MC Reference Cartridge

    Congratulations for the new cartridge. I’m also looking at this new flagship from Phasemation. I quite like PP-2000. To me, it gives a healthy and ”correct” sound, a reference kind of sound. Now with PP-5000, the price increases significantly. Do you hear a significant improvement on the sound...
  18. ShawnZH

    Kuzma SAFIR 9

    Thanks Mik. I fully agree with your comments on the 2 arms. The differences are said very well. I pair my 4P11 with Ortofon Anna D. This combo sounds pretty good. I could have the details and scale from the acclaimed Anna D easily and you’re right about the “darker and calm” sound. Very...
  19. ShawnZH

    Kuzma SAFIR 9

    While expecting the arrival of Safir 9, I borrowed a 4P 9“ from a friend and mounted it on my AF1, to pair with Lyra Atlas SL. I’ve tried this combo at my friend’s house and it sounds great. At home, I have also the 4P 11”. To my surprise, the 4P 9” seems to be a better companion than the 11”...
  20. ShawnZH

    Ikeda 407 alignment

    Thanks Johan. I have a Wally protractor. However, there’s no 307mm alignment curve. Would you share how you align the cart with Wally? Do you increase/decrease the mounting distance and use 308.8/305.6 to achieve the 12mm overhang? Thanks.
  21. ShawnZH

    Ikeda 407 alignment

    Ikeda-407 is a very fine high mass arm. The manual specifies the eff. length at 307mm and mounting distance at 295mm, thus 12mm overhang. However it is not easy to find a protractor with a 307mm eff. Length tracking scheme, be it Lofgren or Baerwald. Either you can ask someone to customize a...
  22. ShawnZH

    Kuzma SAFIR 9

    Thanks a lot for your reply and insights. I guess there’re not many mounting SAT and SAFIR side by side. From what you described, SAT LM09 and SAFIR 9 seem to be in the same league in terms of their performance, while SAFIR suits better the lower compliance cartridges and SAT suits better the...
  23. ShawnZH

    Kuzma SAFIR 9

    I held an SAT LM 9 on my hand and tried to gauge the mass of the arm tube and i felt it pretty heavy, compared to my other arms, such as SME V12, Graham Elite 12, and even Kuzma 4P 11. It is not precise but it gives me an idea of the range of the mass.
  24. ShawnZH

    Kuzma SAFIR 9

    I’m very interested in the Safir 9. The picture on the Kuzma website looks quite unattractive while the real tonearm seems to be better looking with the tube not entirely white but ivory. A friend of mine recently bought one and he’s very happy with it. I’m currently looking at 2 arms: Safir 9...
  25. ShawnZH

    Which BNC 50-ohm cable for NHB-108 and NHB-18NS interconnection

    I finally got the cable 2 weeks ago. I’ve been playing with the cable since then. It needs pretty much burn-in. When I connected the pre/amp with the new 10mm BNC, it was not ideal, while thin-sounded and bass was poor. But it improves along the using. After almost 2-3 weeks, the sound opens up...
  26. ShawnZH

    Which BNC 50-ohm cable for NHB-108 and NHB-18NS interconnection

    Hi Mike, I haven’t received my new DTZ BNC yet, a lot of delays happened for various reasons. Do you have a chance to compare the new DTZ BNC cable with the old one, very slim/light brown BNC cables which I found not that good. I’m now using a Nordost Odin XLR, expecting the new DTZ BNC. I...
  27. ShawnZH

    Aesthetix IO 47k setting

    I have Etna SL at .25mv and Koetsu Blue Onyx at .3mv, both work fine with IO, straight in. Actually the .2mv Anna D works well at 80db setting too but the noise ground is a bit loud, yet still a very bearable level of noise. If at 74db, it is still fine And quieter. I just want to see how an SUT...
  28. ShawnZH

    Aesthetix IO 47k setting

    Thanks both for the reply. Then I’ll try without the load jumpers and an SUT. @Lagonda, I don’t have a volume control model. Yes, if pairing an SUT, i have to set the IO to 50db, the lowest and according to the manual, the No. 5 and No, 6 need to be removed. I’ll give it a try. I’m using an...
  29. ShawnZH

    Aesthetix IO 47k setting

    I have a 3-piece Aesthetix IO phono stage. I plan to use it as an MM stage loaded at 47k ohms. On the manual, it says, the 47k load setting is the factory configure. Is there anyone that can give me an idea of what it means by “factory configure”? At the back the IO, there’re 2 separate...
  30. ShawnZH

    Taiko Audio SGM Extreme : the Crème de la Crème

    Is the XDMS already available?

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