Kuzma SAFIR 9

[phoni]

Look here:

Palmer Turntables (2.5) more info?- Vinyl Engine

www.vinylengine.com

 

[jazzdude99]

This guy is good, reasonable priced with good turnaround on my arm boards - based in UK, I’m in Massachusetts

https://fosworld.wixsite.com/magna-audio/armboards-pods-plinths

By looking at the photos in the review, looks like the arrangement is similar to that of the JC Verdier, with the armboard attached to the pillar using a bolt. If so, an easy way maybe to machine a new armboard to fit the Saf

 

[SOS]

Thanks jazzdude99 . I'm located in Southern NH but my customer who has the palmer lives in MA. Small world

 

[jazzdude99]

Su

Thanks jazzdude99 . I'm located in Southern NH but my customer who has the palmer lives in MA. Small world

Super - would be good to meet up, I’m in Harvard Ma

 

[phoni]

Friends, is there anyone out there who has seriously auditioned his Safir with and without the VTA height rings? These parts are made of PVC and lie loosely on the arm base.

 

[SOS]

Pretty difficult to remove the VTA height ring(s) b/c they are used to adjust VTA in very small increments. Without them it would almost be impossible IMO.

 

[thekong]

I believe the ring(s) are needed only if you have a tall platter. I just put in the thinner one without testing, but I think with my current setup, I could do without using any ring.

Certainly something to try

 

[shakti]

No ring needed for the most TechDAS / Micro Seiki applications.

Picture shows TechDAS AF3P with Micro Seiki Gun Metal Base

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

No ring needed for the most TechDAS / Micro Seiki applications.

Picture shows TechDAS AF3P with Micro Seiki Gun Metal Base

View attachment 104167

No rings needed either for the Safir9 mounted on the Kuzma XL DC

 

[Marcus]

Rings are needed only with really tall turntables. XL Air is one of them.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Rings are needed only with really tall turntables. XL Air is one of them.

View attachment 104224

Hey Marcus, Would be great to compare the Safir9 vs the Airline I can see in the background of this great photo ?

 

[phoni]

My Safir has arrived and is assembled! Sorry, I'm not a photographer ...

 

[Marcus]

Hey Marcus, Would be great to compare the Safir9 vs the Airline I can see in the background of this great photo ?

Yes, but unfortunately this is my friend’s turntable. He did compare and although Airline has it’s strengths like beautiful openness and airiness, he is listening to the Safir 9 most of the time.

 

[phoni]

Has anyone tried setups with van den Hul carts?

 

[ShawnZH]

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 and SAT LM 9. Though very different, the 2 arms are both high mass 9 inch design. They both claim the special material of the arm tube can largely optimize the resonance frequency, etc., even both arm tubes look sturdy.

SAT LM looks more exotic for sure. But apart from the look, does anyone have an experience to compare the 2 arms?

Thanks.

 

[mtemur]

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 and SAT LM 9. Though very different, the 2 arms are both high mass 9 inch design. They both claim the special material of the arm tube can largely optimize the resonance frequency, etc., even both arm tubes look sturdy.

SAT LM looks more exotic for sure. But apart from the look, does anyone have an experience to compare the 2 arms?

Thanks.

I would go with Kuzma Safir. At least it’s designer understands the importance of inner cabling.

 

[thekong]

Did SAT ever publish the effective mass of their tonearm’s? With carbon fibre arm tubes (+ titanium tubes in their flagship models) , I would guess the SATs are considerable lighter than the Safir.

 

[ShawnZH]

Did SAT ever publish the effective mass of their tonearm’s? With carbon fibre arm tubes (+ titanium tubes in their flagship models) , I would guess the SATs are considerable lighter than the Safir.

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.

 

[worldtime]

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 and SAT LM 9. Though very different, the 2 arms are both high mass 9 inch design. They both claim the special material of the arm tube can largely optimize the resonance frequency, etc., even both arm tubes look sturdy.

SAT LM looks more exotic for sure. But apart from the look, does anyone have an experience to compare the 2 arms?

Thanks.

my Etsuro Bordeaux was previously mounted in SAFIR and it sounded great, until the LM09 is here, yes Bordeaux sounds much much better with lm09, I would use word magical to describe this combo, it’s thundering powerful and lighting fast with loads of detail. SAFIR now is mated with Miyajima Destiny, and it sounds much better again than when Bordeaux on it.
so my guess is SAFIR is more suited for low compliance cart, while lm09 suits more mid-high compliance cart.
the both combos for me is not better or worse, they are for me in the same leage, just different. I like to use sat/etsuro to play rock, symphonies etc, more energetic music, and SAFIR / destiny to play female, traditional Asian music, softer and more emotional music. Both play jazz and electronic music wonderfully.

 

[ShawnZH]

my Etsuro Bordeaux was previously mounted in SAFIR and it sounded great, until the LM09 is here, yes Bordeaux sounds much much better with lm09, I would use word magical to describe this combo, it’s thundering powerful and lighting fast with loads of detail. SAFIR now is mated with Miyajima Destiny, and it sounds much better again than when Bordeaux on it.
so my guess is SAFIR is more suited for low compliance cart, while lm09 suits more mid-high compliance cart.
the both combos for me is not better or worse, they are for me in the same leage, just different. I like to use sat/etsuro to play rock, symphonies etc, more energetic music, and SAFIR / destiny to play female, traditional Asian music, softer and more emotional music. Both play jazz and electronic music wonderfully.
View attachment 104976

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 higher compliance cartridges?

I have both Bordeaux and Gold from Etsuro and found them go well with high mass arms. I have also Lyra Atlas SL which prefers mid-high mass arms as well.

Thanks again.