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

shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
1,437
2,383
480
Cologne, Germany
During the last weeks I spent hours comparing 2 new tonearms to my set up, the

- Kuzma Safir 9

and the

- Durand Tosca

Both are great performers in their own right, but they are a kind of different in their sonic signature.

I will write about this comparison in a dedicated thread later the year, when I have heard more cartridges fitted to them.

But on the way to get the best out of this arms, a recently new launched reference cartridge came along to give it a try:

Phasemation PP-5000

The PP-5000 is a major step in quality (and price) above the former top Cartridge PP-2000.

Phasemation changed and improved the body and the cantilever (now a diamond cantilever) and some more details, which are described on their URL:



The PP-2000 was my preferred Cartridge on the AS Axiom Tonearm, so I was originally planning to buy this cart again.

But Safir 9 and Tosca are a little different to Axiom, so I was looking for a cart with a little more of details and precision in contour and bass,
without becoming analytical in the overall balance to accompany the Tosca in the best way.

My experience with diamond cantilevers would underline this expectation, so I took the risk to try the PP-5000.

Unpacking such a Japanese piece of Art is always nice, like unpacking a Christmas gift under the tree :)

Fitting to a tonearm is less fun, as the diamond cantilever is difficult to see, as always with diamond carts.

But the Phasemation body is 90degree straight forward and precisely manufactured, so no problem to get it close to 90% right in the first go.

My first listening session was done after 5 full records to get a first impression during initial burn in.

And the PP-5000 performed surprisingly good, even after just a couple of hours of burn in. The level of details was much higher than I am used to, the tonal balance is still fine,
musical flow ist not yet fully there, I assume, this will change during the next hours of burn in. Combining the first impression with the character of the Tosca tonearm, I would say, nice synergy. On the Safir arm the PP-5000 in the current state of burn in might become a little edgy fore some listeners. As always, this is very much depending on personal preference and the total set up.

I will continue my description after some more hours of listening.


IMG_1005.jpg IMG_1006.jpg IMG_1007.jpg IMG_1009.jpg IMG_1014.jpg IMG_1032.jpg
IMG_1017.jpg
 

AMR / iFi audio

Industry Expert
Aug 21, 2019
2,636
1,153
260
43
UK
ifi-audio.com
During the last weeks I spent hours comparing 2 new tonearms to my set up, the

- Kuzma Safir 9

and the

- Durand Tosca

Both are great performers in their own right, but they are a kind of different in their sonic signature.

I will write about this comparison in a dedicated thread later the year, when I have heard more cartridges fitted to them.

But on the way to get the best out of this arms, a recently new launched reference cartridge came along to give it a try:

Phasemation PP-5000

The PP-5000 is a major step in quality (and price) above the former top Cartridge PP-2000.

Phasemation changed and improved the body and the cantilever (now a diamond cantilever) and some more details, which are described on their URL:



The PP-2000 was my preferred Cartridge on the AS Axiom Tonearm, so I was originally planning to buy this cart again.

But Safir 9 and Tosca are a little different to Axiom, so I was looking for a cart with a little more of details and precision in contour and bass,
without becoming analytical in the overall balance to accompany the Tosca in the best way.

My experience with diamond cantilevers would underline this expectation, so I took the risk to try the PP-5000.

Unpacking such a Japanese piece of Art is always nice, like unpacking a Christmas gift under the tree :)

Fitting to a tonearm is less fun, as the diamond cantilever is difficult to see, as always with diamond carts.

But the Phasemation body is 90degree straight forward and precisely manufactured, so no problem to get it close to 90% right in the first go.

My first listening session was done after 5 full records to get a first impression during initial burn in.

And the PP-5000 performed surprisingly good, even after just a couple of hours of burn in. The level of details was much higher than I am used to, the tonal balance is still fine,
musical flow ist not yet fully there, I assume, this will change during the next hours of burn in. Combining the first impression with the character of the Tosca tonearm, I would say, nice synergy. On the Safir arm the PP-5000 in the current state of burn in might become a little edgy fore some listeners. As always, this is very much depending on personal preference and the total set up.

I will continue my description after some more hours of listening.


View attachment 104442 View attachment 104439 View attachment 104441 View attachment 104437 View attachment 104440 View attachment 104438
View attachment 104436
A stunner, that's for sure! I always liked the Phasemation cartridges a lot. PP-200 is one of my favs. Keep us posted!
 

Rensselaer

VIP/Donor
Mar 23, 2021
572
456
275
69
Yes, I too would be most interested in how this new cartridge stacks up to Koetsu's with diamond cantilevers, and if the improvement over the PP-2000 is worth the added cost of the PP-5000.
 

shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
1,437
2,383
480
Cologne, Germany
Yes, I too would be most interested in how this new cartridge stacks up to Koetsu's with diamond cantilevers, and if the improvement over the PP-2000 is worth the added cost of the PP-5000.
Unfortunately I do have no Koetsu cart with diamond Cantilever. The PP-5000 is by far better than PP-2000.
If this sonic benefit is worth the invest?, as always in High End this is a very personal answer.
If your gear is transparent and has the sonic capabilities to translate the technology of the PP-5000 into real sound,
the PP-5000 (or other gear with this quality, like Etsuro Gold) will shift your complete set up to a knew level.

Looking into your list of gear, I would say, you will hear the difference, but possibly you might not like the little brighter accent of the PP-5000 versus the PP-2000.
 

Solypsa

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2017
1,811
1,399
275
Seattle
www.solypsa.com
@shakti I see in your gear list you have the Aidas Mammoth Gold mk2, which is a cart I know well. Of course it is at a lower price point vs this new Phasemation, however any compares between would be interesting to me at least ;)
 

shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
1,437
2,383
480
Cologne, Germany
@shakti I see in your gear list you have the Aidas Mammoth Gold mk2, which is a cart I know well. Of course it is at a lower price point vs this new Phasemation, however any compares between would be interesting to me at least ;)
I have not heard the Mammoth on the same tonearm (used the Glanz MH-1200s), but I would say,
that Mammoth is more full body voiced and PP-5000 is more neutral with more detail voiced. My current plan ist to fit the Mammoth to the Kuzma Safir 9 arm to get the best balance and to stay with PP-5000 on Durand Tosca arm.
 

Solypsa

Well-Known Member
Jun 7, 2017
1,811
1,399
275
Seattle
www.solypsa.com
Makes sense. Will be interesting to learn how this develops.

You certainly have a lot of fun analog goodies :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: shakti

shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
1,437
2,383
480
Cologne, Germany
I just got a call from François at Ana Mighty Sound and I will have the chance to test the PP-5000 in the coming weeks. Looking forward to comparing it against the MSL Signature Platinum and the Transfiguration Proteus Diamond (diamond cantilever) on the EA-2000.
Waiting for your response, even being a little different voiced than PP-2000 I like the PP-5000 a lot on EA-2000
( I am using SAEC Triple C wiring from Tonearm to EA-2000 to Preamp.
Similar to the new 1200 series of triple C cables from Phasemation)
 
  • Like
Reactions: RichardA

shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
1,437
2,383
480
Cologne, Germany
Since we are talking about Phasemation cartridges, are you guys familiar with PP-200 and what affordable arms are good for it?
PP-200 is a nice and harmonic sounding cart, high value for the fair price point. I like it on Sorane ZA-12 or Sorane 1.2 BCS
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solypsa

AMR / iFi audio

Industry Expert
Aug 21, 2019
2,636
1,153
260
43
UK
ifi-audio.com
PP-200 is a nice and harmonic sounding cart, high value for the fair price point. I like it on Sorane ZA-12 or Sorane 1.2 BCS
Thanks for the suggestion. I see that you've mentioned the ZA-12 in your signature. How has your experience been using it? What would you say sounds best on it?

Thanks for the suggestion. I see that you've mentioned the ZA-12 in your signature. How has your experience been using it? What would you say sounds best on it?
 

shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
1,437
2,383
480
Cologne, Germany
Thanks for the suggestion. I see that you've mentioned the ZA-12 in your signature. How has your experience been using it? What would you say sounds best on it?
This is a heavy arm, so all low compliance carts will fit.

But this is the PP-5000 thread, so I would prefer to continue to discuss PP-5000
 

shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
1,437
2,383
480
Cologne, Germany
After having tried the PP-5000 with KUZMA SAFIR 9 and DURAND TOSCA Tonearms,
I received the new Phasemation CS-1200 headshell, which has a diamond hard like coating and a nice triple C Headshell wire.
Their was a strom recommendation to listen to the PP-5000 with this headshell , so I did.

My Glanz MH-1200s is a nice partner for this.

The combination of PP-5000 and CS-1200 is a working very nice, the tonal balance of the diamond cantilever PP-5000 becomes more right. It seems, that the PP-5000 was voiced in this headshell.

In my current set up the KUZMA SAFIR 9 is fitted with a Accuphase AC-5 cartridge.

In Germany the price point of the Kuzma Arm plus the Accuphase cart is similar to the Glanz / Phasemation set.

Listening to both in direct comparison (both connected to a Phasemation T-2000 step up) the Glanz / Phasemation set is the winner, more detail and emotion / feeling.

Shure, fitting the PP-5000 in the Kuzma is the next quality step, but for me it is an important lesson, that the PP-5000 cart will show his high quality in a standard Japanese heavy tonearm in the class of Ikeda 407, FR64s/66s, Glanz and more.

Now I am proceeding in just listening to some music with this great cart :)

IMG_1199.jpg IMG_1198.jpg IMG_1197.jpg IMG_1200.jpg IMG_1201.jpg
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
16,017
13,347
2,665
Beverly Hills, CA
Listening to both in direct comparison (both connected to a Phasemation T-2000 step up) the Glanz / Phasemation set is the winner, more detail and emotion / feeling.

This is interesting to me, because I generally feel that it is difficult for a component to be both more detailed and to exhibit more emotion/feeling. I generally think of those sonic attributes as being inversely related (more apparent detail = less emotion/feeling).
 

shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
1,437
2,383
480
Cologne, Germany
This is interesting to me, because I generally feel that it is difficult for a component to be both more detailed and to exhibit more emotion/feeling. I generally think of those sonic attributes as being inversely related (more apparent detail = less emotion/feeling).
fully agree, mostly the details are killing the emotion (at least mine)
but some good components enhance the emotional connection to the music while offering an extended level of detail.
At least than the details become a function of the emotional connection and underline the perception of "live" music in the listening room.

Currently I listen to my old 1975 version of "Wish you were here" , bought as I was a young boy, one of my first records at all.

Never heard this record on this level, real fun :cool:
 

bonzo75

Member Sponsor
Feb 26, 2014
22,448
13,474
2,710
London
This is interesting to me, because I generally feel that it is difficult for a component to be both more detailed and to exhibit more emotion/feeling. I generally think of those sonic attributes as being inversely related (more apparent detail = less emotion/feeling).

depends. I think you are relating this to your perception of Lyra, and some SS gear. Generally there is more than one way of appearing to show detail…show some additional detail but take out musicality somewhere else like decays, in which case you hear detail in parts but do not feel the musically. Or you can enhance detail in a balanced manner. The reason you liked the vyger red sparrow through Mayer and pnoe was the detail was very high without losing out on musicality. I heard more musical information there than on any one system. Also the vyger red sparrow got all the music from the grooves, hence the detail and the EE. Dava has more detail than other carts but retains musicality. You liked the vdh at David’s, that cart when set up correctly is highly detailed and musical. I do agree I can state a lot of gear which appears to show detail, but is not, and is not therefore emotional
 

tom539

Active Member
Dec 28, 2021
47
140
40
50
Dear @shakti

the PP-5000 looks absolutely stunning - and it certainly sounds it...;)

I'm really looking forward to hearing it at our next session with you.
Until then, have a lot of fun with this exceptional pickup.

atb, Tom
 
  • Like
Reactions: shakti

AMR / iFi audio

Industry Expert
Aug 21, 2019
2,636
1,153
260
43
UK
ifi-audio.com
Dear @shakti

the PP-5000 looks absolutely stunning - and it certainly sounds it...;)

I'm really looking forward to hearing it at our next session with you.
Until then, have a lot of fun with this exceptional pickup.

atb, Tom
I love how great it looks together with the Phasemation headshell. Showstopper.
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing