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:
www.phasemation.com
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.
- 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:
Phasemation
We hope to make use of this high technology in a field of art and culture, and aim to develop and produce the audio equipment steps into the technological practice and reproduction of music that the existing ones have not achieved. We have started up Phasemation as an audio brand.
www.phasemation.com
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.
