Erik, from @Solypsa Audio, noticed from some of my earlier postings on WBF that I was using an SME 3012-1 as one of the main tonearms in my system. He contacted me and wondered if I would be interested in demoing one of the Sensitive Sound cartridges he imports into North America. Evidently, the fellow who makes these wonderful cartridges has a fondness for their pairing with the 3012-1. There aren’t many of these tonearms left in the world and Erik wondered if I’d like to give it a try. The Sensitive Sound is a low-compliance cartridge that likes to track at a light-ish 1.7-1.8 g. Evidently, all of this adds up to making the high-mass SME a good partner – contrast that to the low compliance, 3.0 grams VTF, of the Ortofon SPU 95th Anniversary that I primarily use in that tonearm.
It’s my understanding that the Sensitive Sound Verona Erik sent me falls somewhere towards the middle of their line-up. It’s a heavy-ish cartridge at 22g, and I had to employ an extra auxiliary weight to get the proper VTF. I found the Acoustical Systems Arche headshell to work best in my system – yes, it did add a fair amount to the overall weight on the end of my tonearm, but it sure sounded better than the SME and Ortofon headshells I had on hand.
I found things to sound their best when I ran the Sensitive Sound into my Auditorium 23 Homage T1 SUT and then into my EMT JPA66 with overall loading ending up at about 180 Ohms. Even though stated output of the Sensitive Sound is similar to my SPU 95th, I had to adjust the gain a little higher to match the SPU’s total output.
I did comparisons across both of my Garrard 301’s, with the SME 3012-1 and 3012R tonearms and also listened to my Technics SP10 Mk.3 and it’s Reed 3P, ZYX Universe Premium.
The SPU puts the sound in your lap. It delivers the music to your front door and also walks into your kitchen, puts it on a plate, and brings it to your dinner table. It’s saucy, and maybe a little dangerous. It’s your kid sisters hot looking, punk rock, girlfriend….
The Sensitive Sound makes you come and get it. It’s demure and come hither. It’s plush and comfortable. If the Sensitive Sound Verona is a presentation that soothingly laps at your toes, the SPU 95 is a wave that comes crashing into shore while you’re body surfing along the top. In one of our email exchanges, Erik used the word “natural” to describe the midrange of the Verona. I’d agree, but use a different adjective; it’s midrange (in my system) was beautiful – natural seems like something they call the chicken at Whole Foods… sorry. I can’t use a color to describe the midrange, because it just sounded like it should. It was however less direct than the SPU 95. It reached farther back into the room, while the SPU pushed the issue. In this sense the SPU was more jump and excitement and the Verona was more relaxed and laid back. Yes, a lot of talk about the midrange because that’s the money, but the bass was deep and taught and the top end was very sweet without sibilance or etch.
Thoughts on my tonearms: The SME 3012-1 puts the attributes I’ve tried to describe into stark relief and offers a slightly more exaggerated contrast between the Verona and SPU 95. The SMW 3012R smooths over some of these differences and sweetens; it’s a bit less dynamic and visceral with the SPU and a little less soothing and come hither with the Verona.
My Garrard idler drive turntable(s) present music in a very propulsive, almost falling forward kind of way. Paired with the dynamics of my horn speakers, these turntables keep things moving in my listening room. The SPU fits this mold too. I think this is why you can find this combination in many music systems around the world – people like it!
It was really nice to have another flavor to choose from with the Sensitive Sound Verona. I have these cartridges squarely on my radar and can’t help wonder what one of their top models might sound like.
PS - As I type this I am listening to the first record by Justin Townes Earl…. So damn good. So damn sad…
It’s my understanding that the Sensitive Sound Verona Erik sent me falls somewhere towards the middle of their line-up. It’s a heavy-ish cartridge at 22g, and I had to employ an extra auxiliary weight to get the proper VTF. I found the Acoustical Systems Arche headshell to work best in my system – yes, it did add a fair amount to the overall weight on the end of my tonearm, but it sure sounded better than the SME and Ortofon headshells I had on hand.
I found things to sound their best when I ran the Sensitive Sound into my Auditorium 23 Homage T1 SUT and then into my EMT JPA66 with overall loading ending up at about 180 Ohms. Even though stated output of the Sensitive Sound is similar to my SPU 95th, I had to adjust the gain a little higher to match the SPU’s total output.
I did comparisons across both of my Garrard 301’s, with the SME 3012-1 and 3012R tonearms and also listened to my Technics SP10 Mk.3 and it’s Reed 3P, ZYX Universe Premium.
The SPU puts the sound in your lap. It delivers the music to your front door and also walks into your kitchen, puts it on a plate, and brings it to your dinner table. It’s saucy, and maybe a little dangerous. It’s your kid sisters hot looking, punk rock, girlfriend….
The Sensitive Sound makes you come and get it. It’s demure and come hither. It’s plush and comfortable. If the Sensitive Sound Verona is a presentation that soothingly laps at your toes, the SPU 95 is a wave that comes crashing into shore while you’re body surfing along the top. In one of our email exchanges, Erik used the word “natural” to describe the midrange of the Verona. I’d agree, but use a different adjective; it’s midrange (in my system) was beautiful – natural seems like something they call the chicken at Whole Foods… sorry. I can’t use a color to describe the midrange, because it just sounded like it should. It was however less direct than the SPU 95. It reached farther back into the room, while the SPU pushed the issue. In this sense the SPU was more jump and excitement and the Verona was more relaxed and laid back. Yes, a lot of talk about the midrange because that’s the money, but the bass was deep and taught and the top end was very sweet without sibilance or etch.
Thoughts on my tonearms: The SME 3012-1 puts the attributes I’ve tried to describe into stark relief and offers a slightly more exaggerated contrast between the Verona and SPU 95. The SMW 3012R smooths over some of these differences and sweetens; it’s a bit less dynamic and visceral with the SPU and a little less soothing and come hither with the Verona.
My Garrard idler drive turntable(s) present music in a very propulsive, almost falling forward kind of way. Paired with the dynamics of my horn speakers, these turntables keep things moving in my listening room. The SPU fits this mold too. I think this is why you can find this combination in many music systems around the world – people like it!
It was really nice to have another flavor to choose from with the Sensitive Sound Verona. I have these cartridges squarely on my radar and can’t help wonder what one of their top models might sound like.
PS - As I type this I am listening to the first record by Justin Townes Earl…. So damn good. So damn sad…
