Dear Tima,
If you could put up a video of your new Monaco on this very same song, it would be very interesting to hear it from different system.
Kind regards,
Tang
The Colibri “Master Signature”
- Thread starter Tango
- Start date
Dear Tima,
If you could put up a video of your new Monaco on this very same song, it would be very interesting to hear it from different system.
Kind regards,
Tang
Wow. Listening to this in my studio I was moved by both the sound and the performance. Bravo, Tang. It doesn't get much better than this!
(when I grow up I want to have Lamm SET and matching black horns!)
I understand you have been refusing to do that..the growing up part I mean.
Kindest regards,
Tang
I understand you have been refusing to do that..the growing up part I mean.
Kindest regards,
Tang
Have you been talking to my wife?
Thanks. I feel better now - to be sincere I was very unsatisfied with the sound quality of this track, particularly with the absence of dynamics. I see now what are the main reasons.
Hi Tango, i have no cellphone. (Yes it is a happiness.) But i will try to listen to HH tonight.
I did want to hear awesmone as i thought that would be a Monaco 1, which I never heard. Though through a soundcard music is but so-so.
Is the brand available in your country yet? I don't believe he has tried to enter Asian markets, yet.
Wow no cellphone. You are a rare breed. Chill Chill Slow Life. Great for you to be able to do that.
There is no Monaco rep in Thailand. I have seen a NVS but not a Monaco here.
Kind regards,
Tang
VdH Colibri Signature versus ZXY UNIverse Premium versus Air Tight Opus 1!
Inquiring minds want to know! The competition continues!
This is totally baseless speculation but when the dust settles and the comparisons are concluded and the sonic points are tallied and the descriptions are written I bet the ZYX is going to be rated slightly midrange-focused and less energetic than the VdH, the VdH will be found to be slightly more neutral and dynamic and transparent than the ZYX, and the Opus 1 will be judged to be somewhere in the middle.
Inquiring minds want to know! The competition continues!
This is totally baseless speculation but when the dust settles and the comparisons are concluded and the sonic points are tallied and the descriptions are written I bet the ZYX is going to be rated slightly midrange-focused and less energetic than the VdH, the VdH will be found to be slightly more neutral and dynamic and transparent than the ZYX, and the Opus 1 will be judged to be somewhere in the middle.
I have both the ZYX and the Colibri and had enough time with the Opus at Tang's to know what it's about, all 3 are truly completely different from one another and each will present the music in their own unique way, the art of each designer. But if I had to pick one it would be the Colibri, when setup right in the SME and the AS2000 it will take you closer to the music than any other cartridge I've heard, on the same level as the Neumann. I just got an Ortofon Century in, would be interesting to see how that one holds up to these cartridges.
david
Very, very, very, very, very interesting, David!
I know that, coming from you, saying the Colibri is on the same level as your beloved Neumann says a lot!
I know that, coming from you, saying the Colibri is on the same level as your beloved Neumann says a lot!
I know you don’t like AtlasSL, but I will give you that anyway. All carts will be on 3012R and AS2000. All of them has no compatibility issue with the arm except for the GFS which has to use other headshell than SME’s own. Listen and decide yourself what is your soup of the day. Video is not close to the real thing but at least you hear some differences for sure.
Tang
I know you don’t like AtlasSL, but I will give you that anyway. All carts will be on 3012R and AS2000. All of them has no compatibility issue with the arm except for the GFS which has to use other headshell than SME’s own. Listen and decide yourself what is your soup of the day. Video is not close to the real thing but at least you hear some differences for sure.
Tang
The Atlas is another wonderful cartridge belonging to the same class of cartridges as the ZYX and the Opus, very musical full bodied character.
david
I was listening to the Vdh on 927 for a week. Words I used to describe my first impression were, effortless, explosive and full body. Today I moved this cart to AS2000. I didnt put the vdh on AS2000 at first because the magnet of this cart is so strong it attracted to the top platter, pull itself down the belly almost touch the surface of vinyl. David sent me a new concave top platter made of different material. With this new top platter I can now play the Master Signature. This cart is mounted to another 3012R of mine. It is very sensitive to vibration as I can hear the sound of contact comes out from my speakers when the tonearm is lifted in/out of arm rest locking more than other carts of mine. The Master Sig also picks up small artifacts, tiny clicks pops from the groove a bit more than other carts I own.
My immediate impression today right after mounting on the 3012R on the AS2000 rig (I have to keep saying rig because the variables are different. 927 rig involves Ayon phono and CMS rack where as AS2000 rig involves EMT phono and Stacore Advance platform and rack.) is this cart sounds so energetically refreshing. Ddk introduced me to this cart. Thing that popped to my mind when listening was "This guy is very young at heart and has a listening taste that contradict his look and his age." I guess we all grow old but musical excitement to our ears never ceased. MikeL must be like this too. This was a funny thought that came to my mind.
The sound of vdh from AS2000 rig is like the cart has passed the 100-150 hrs burnin period but actually has only 25 hrs on it. I can hear better resolution, articulation and more tiny micro details. The high frequency is fully extended now comparing to when it was on 927 rig. Strengths of this Mast Sig imo are 1) Full body tone. Normally I find carts that are characterized as full body to be midband heavy with loss in high and plumb low. But this vdh has exceptional high and excellent low with much more body than the GFS and Opus and little more than AtlasSL too. The deep bass of this cart definitely help my system's lower register since I took my subs out. The tone color is more vivid than AtlasSL which leans toward pastel but many would say neutral. The Master Sig is more colorful like Opus. In term of tone I find this cart more complete than the rest. 2) The musical involvement. The energy and dynamic of this cart is super. My musical connection comes when the sound is not homogenous and showoff or throw all the strengths at me constantly. The effortlessness of sound that comes with explosive dynamic when the musical performance call for is what excite me and draw me into music. This cart does that. 3) Instrument separations. The Master Sig gives as much but different kind of instrument separations as Opus which I think is king on this regard. The Opus great sense of instrument separation comes from its ability to give dimension or holography to sound..its woody sound nature. And the resolution of Opus is so high this combination of features make very clear of where instruments stand and their size and shape. But somehow the Master Sig which doesnt has that last bit of resolution and dimensionality like Opus exhibits a rounder kind of instrument separations yet a very very distinct one. So distinct me and my tone arm guy gave the same comment after first heard this cart. David told me once he thinks the sounds of instruments in live music are overlapping yet distinct. This is the kind of separation I hear from the Master Sig.
Another sound signature of this cart is its big wide and deep sound stage. The presentation is more upfront than my normally preferred view. The ranking of upfrontness is Master Sig => Opus => AtlasSL => GFS. Master Sig being most upfront. Is it upfront or bigger soundstage, bigger sound images is up to one's perspective.
Added: The Master Signature is more sensitive to vta adjustment than other carts I have. I am now deciding on one card to final my vta. Other carts dont make as noticable a sound difference in one card than this vdh.
I will post a video clip of Master Sig on AS2000 rig in the Hear It Yourself thread. I havent done the video recording though.
Tang
My immediate impression today right after mounting on the 3012R on the AS2000 rig (I have to keep saying rig because the variables are different. 927 rig involves Ayon phono and CMS rack where as AS2000 rig involves EMT phono and Stacore Advance platform and rack.) is this cart sounds so energetically refreshing. Ddk introduced me to this cart. Thing that popped to my mind when listening was "This guy is very young at heart and has a listening taste that contradict his look and his age." I guess we all grow old but musical excitement to our ears never ceased. MikeL must be like this too. This was a funny thought that came to my mind.
The sound of vdh from AS2000 rig is like the cart has passed the 100-150 hrs burnin period but actually has only 25 hrs on it. I can hear better resolution, articulation and more tiny micro details. The high frequency is fully extended now comparing to when it was on 927 rig. Strengths of this Mast Sig imo are 1) Full body tone. Normally I find carts that are characterized as full body to be midband heavy with loss in high and plumb low. But this vdh has exceptional high and excellent low with much more body than the GFS and Opus and little more than AtlasSL too. The deep bass of this cart definitely help my system's lower register since I took my subs out. The tone color is more vivid than AtlasSL which leans toward pastel but many would say neutral. The Master Sig is more colorful like Opus. In term of tone I find this cart more complete than the rest. 2) The musical involvement. The energy and dynamic of this cart is super. My musical connection comes when the sound is not homogenous and showoff or throw all the strengths at me constantly. The effortlessness of sound that comes with explosive dynamic when the musical performance call for is what excite me and draw me into music. This cart does that. 3) Instrument separations. The Master Sig gives as much but different kind of instrument separations as Opus which I think is king on this regard. The Opus great sense of instrument separation comes from its ability to give dimension or holography to sound..its woody sound nature. And the resolution of Opus is so high this combination of features make very clear of where instruments stand and their size and shape. But somehow the Master Sig which doesnt has that last bit of resolution and dimensionality like Opus exhibits a rounder kind of instrument separations yet a very very distinct one. So distinct me and my tone arm guy gave the same comment after first heard this cart. David told me once he thinks the sounds of instruments in live music are overlapping yet distinct. This is the kind of separation I hear from the Master Sig.
Another sound signature of this cart is its big wide and deep sound stage. The presentation is more upfront than my normally preferred view. The ranking of upfrontness is Master Sig => Opus => AtlasSL => GFS. Master Sig being most upfront. Is it upfront or bigger soundstage, bigger sound images is up to one's perspective.
Added: The Master Signature is more sensitive to vta adjustment than other carts I have. I am now deciding on one card to final my vta. Other carts dont make as noticable a sound difference in one card than this vdh.
I will post a video clip of Master Sig on AS2000 rig in the Hear It Yourself thread. I havent done the video recording though.
Tang
Last edited:
Hey, who you calling old
david
cuz.....we are old.
Dear David,
whatever Tang intended to call us, I took it in the most positive sense, and must give a sincere thanks for his thoughtful mention.
best regards,
Mike
Dear Tang,
With the concave shape the record couples tightly with the turntable losing the slightest resonance that normally exists in a typical coupling with a flat platter plus the added benefit of a denser steel formulation you now have an extremely quiet background so the one card will make a bigger difference with your other carts too. There is a slight difference between the height of the new platter and the original one so you should reset them all with one or two cards either higher or lower.
david
Similar threads
