Phasemation PP-2000

So this Saturday morning I’ve been having a blast, playing the PP-2000 on the Ascona Neo turntable.

As I was setting up the cartridge yesterday, my system was cold and just started after being shut down for the working week. I did test a few vax to see everything was running smoothly, but it didn’t sound right, even though very good for being cold. I really felt it was promising for today.

So this morning I slowly started to spinn some albums and felt pretty soon, that the Phasemation PP-2000 on the Ascona Neo was a whole different ball game compared to the Technics SL-1200G. Not really surprised as the Ascona cost a few cents more than the 1200.

Anyway,
As I sat it up I had the gain set to the same as my Koetsu Blue Lace (72dB), but come to realize that I had to lower it to 70dB to match the output of my two other cartridges. Also as the system now is up to temperature, I had to change the load from 50 to 100 Ohms. Not a huge difference in SQ, but still enough to wanna stick with 100 Ohms.

Also another peculiar thing that accured yesterday as the system was cold, was RF interference in to the phonostage. Funny enough, while playing the Koetsu, the two small ground wires on the tonearm cable on the phonostage side has never needed to attached. Now with the PP-2000, huge interference. After connecting the two wires from the tonearm cable the RF interference was gone, and this morning I was quiet as in a tomb.

Continue playing and investigating the qualities of this cartridge it was soon quite evident that I was in for a roller coaster ride.
So last week on the SL-1200G I felt the PP-2000 wasn’t for heavy metal, but I was soon enough ready to take that back.
Once I had Metallica’s Hardwired album on, the cart played it back to me with authority and meat to the bone so to speak.

Excited I threw Rammstein on to see what would happen. Well It was a bit thin in the bass, so it needed a push to my six-pack subwoofer towers. In two channel this was it. The sound was right on spot and it felt like a Rammstein concert in my room. So I thought, can I do more - Yes I Can - so I switched to 7.4 simulated surround sound, and right away I felt like the FOH (Front Of House) mixing my own Rammstein audioroom concert.

This cartridge is really something. Having it played side by side with the AirTight Opus-1, and the Ortofon MC Diamond, the sound from the PP-2000 is really similar to both of them. Not very much do them all apart in my sence. They all sound beautifully and I could live with either of them at any given day. If there is something that sticks out in my system, it is the midrange of the PP-2000. It is really something to die for. This cartridge really melts my knees when it comes to midrange.

Not as powerful as my Koetsu Blue Lace when it come to sheer force, but the elegance of this cart puts it high on my cartridge list.
The intention of my test, was to implement a nice sounding cartridge to my SL-1200G, so it would complement my Ascona Neo turntable. Now when the PP-2000 sits tight on the Kuzma 4P 11” tonearm on the Ascona Neo, I don’t feel for ever taking it down, it’s that good.

However… as I now know it’s performance on the Ascona and the remarkable performance of this cartridge, it is going down today, and I AM going to set it up on the 1200G once more to see if I can squeeze out some extra juice from the Technics turntable.

(Little) bit more will follow before my test is over… Here is a few pics from this mornings blast - Enjoy ;) !

/ Jk
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I saw ZZ Top in Frankfurt in 1986- cool show for sure!
 
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Now the PP-2000 is back on the SL-1200G again, trying to max it out to see if I really can make it sing.

By making the overall weight of the headshell heavier, and balance it all up with another additional counterweight. The overall total mass of the tonearm has helped me in the past to get the sound I want from this turntable.

Also I have raised the VTA slightly over perpendicular to the platter/vinyl surface. I noticed when I played on the Ascona, that things opened up a little bit more, so I might as well try it on the SL-1200G too.

Load is set to 31K Ohm and the capacitance is down to 19, the lowest setting on the D’Agostino Momentum phonostage. Gain is set to 44dB on the Momentum and 23dB on the AirTight SUT, so 67dB gain in total.

As for right now, I have Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms going on the SL-1200G, the song ”So Far Away” is spinning and I can already hear a lot more calm after boosting up and maxing out the tonearm mass. More calm, quieter background, more of everything, so I guess it was all worth this effort.

Here is some swap pics - Enjoy ;) !

/ Jk

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Now the PP-2000 is back on the SL-1200G again, trying to max it out to see if I really can make it to sing.

By making the overall weight of the headshell heavier, and balance it all up with another additional counterweight. The overall total mass of the tonearm has helped me in the past to get the sound I want from this turntable.

Also I have raised the VTA slightly over perpendicular to the platter/vinyl surface. I noticed that on the Ascona, so I might as well trying it on the 1200 too.

Load is set to 31K Ohm and the capacitance is down to 19, the lowest setting on the D’Agostino Momentum phonostage. Gain is set to 44dB on the Momentum and 23dB on the AirTight SUT, so 67dB gain in total.

As for right now, I have Dire Straits album Brothers In Arms going on the 1200, the song is ”So Far Away” and I can already hear a lot more calm after boosting up and maxing out the tonearm mass. More calm, quieter background, more of everything, so I guess it was all worth this effort.

Here is some swap pics - Enjoy ;) !

/ Jk

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:cool:
 
about the same cartridge/headshell combo weight as the Koetsu Blue Lace which the PP-2000 is replacing, I have decided to stay with the same bias force / or antiskate force as the Koetsu setup.
I’m sure you already knew this, but cartridge/headshell weight is irrelevant to anti-skating. VTF is the determining factor. If both cartridges have the same VTF, then it’s fine.
 
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Phasemation PP-2000 conclusion:

So yesterday I boosted up the SL-1200G tonearm, made it overall a bit heavier and re-fitted the PP-2000 cartridge, to see if I really could get some more out of the SL-1200G turntable. It seems I really nailed the alignment cus last evening it sounded so good I couldn’t stop playing.

To be honest, it is now rather close in prestanda to my much more sophisticated Ascona Neo turntable, which has been my goal all along. All it took was some trix and fix and go a bit out side the box.

So right now I’m just enjoying the remarkable sound of this beautiful PP-2000 cartridge. In my opinion it is now delivering the whole spectrum of what I think is possible in my system. It delivers everything I want AND MORE.

This cartridge has brought some new fresh air in to my system and more than just once or twice, it has made me dropped my jaw to the floor due to the amazing sound reproduction. In my opinion this cartridge has it all while not being over analytical. The balance between the bass, midrange and the treble is just perfect. If there is something that really sets this cart apart from my three other top cartridges it is the midrange. The midrange of this cartridge is nothing short of phenomenal. As I have stated earlier, this midrange really melted my knees… made me smile and scream out loud - well not very often that happens, but it is that good!

Well - my test is pretty much done. I have now a very strong candidate for my SL-1200G, as it now performs as a very strong compliment to my Ascona Neo. I could without a doubt live with this cartridge for a long time if I decide to invest and I can for sure recommend it for anyone interested in investing in a new all around sounding high end mid-priced phono cartridge.

/ Jk

IMG_2859.jpegIMG_2848.jpegIMG_2844.jpegIMG_2846.jpegIMG_2860.jpeg
 
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Phasemation PP-2000 conclusion:

So yesterday I boosted up the SL-1200G tonearm, made it overall a bit heavier and re-fitted the PP-2000 cartridge, to see if I really could get some more out of the SL-1200G turntable. It seems I really nailed the alignment cus last evening it sounded so good I couldn’t stop playing.

To be honest, it is now rather close in prestanda to my much more sophisticated Ascona Neo turntable, which has been my goal all along. All it took was some trix and fix and go a bit out side the box.

So right now I’m just enjoying the remarkable sound of this beautiful PP-2000 cartridge. In my opinion it is now delivering the whole spectrum of what I think is possible in my system. It delivers everything I want it to do AND MORE.

This cartridge has brought some new fresh air in to my system and more than just once or twice, it has made me dropped my jaw to the floor due to the amazing sound reproduction. In my opinion this cartridge has it all while not being over analytical. The balance between the bass, midrange and the treble is just perfect. If there is something that really sets this cart apart from my three other top cartridges it is the midrange. The midrange of this cartridge is nothing short of phenomenal. As I have stated earlier, this midrange really melted my knees… made me smile and scream out loud - well not very often that happens, but it is that good!

Well - my test is pretty much done. I have now a very strong candidate for my SL-1200G, as it now performs as a very strong compliment to my Ascona Neo. I could without a doubt live with this cartridge for a long time if I decide to invest and I can for sure recommend it for anyone interested in investing in a new all around sounding high end mid-priced phono cartridge.

/ Jk

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Sounds like you found another flavor of excellence in sound Johan.
Nice photos & review too! :)
 
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Johan, thanks so much for the postings in the next days, it is beautiful to read it.

And on your Christmas wishlist could be a SL-1000R with PP-5000 ;-)
 
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