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Cartridge for Kuzma Stogi S 12 VTA on a budget

Rosewind

Rosewind

Lost in Translation
First I hope everyone is safe and in good spirits despite the ever tightening lock-down! I work in Viborg which is just outside the Northern Jutland lock-down area so I am teaching on a daily basis wearing a face mask at most times while at school. Everyone I know is safe and sound.
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I just managed to get hold of a 12" unipivot tonearm, the Kuzma Stogi S 12 VTA and my wife has given me a £500 allowance for my 58th birthday to spend on a cartridge.

I have a Denon 103D on the Ortofon Bokrand 10" tonearm that I could transfer to the Stogi S 12 VTA and then get an SPU for the other tonearm where I have the relevant counter-weights.

I have only owned the following cartridges in my 50 years in hifi: Stanton XXX?, Ortofon MC200, Ortofon MC 30 Super II, Denon 103R, Benz Micro Gullwing SLR, AT VM95E, Ortofon 2M Silver, Denon 103D. Of those I have enjoyed the Ortofon MC carts and Denon MC carts the most.

I am looking at the following options:

Ortofon SPU - one of two smallest models
Demo model Acoustical Systems Fideles (MM)
S/H Denon 103M [or a cheaper Denon 103LC]
Ortofon 2M Black / Bronze (MM)
S/H ZYX
S/H Music Maker III

Any other carts worth my attention?
 
Most definitely Lyra, which love unipivots, but whether you'll get a used Delos for £500 id a wee bit dubious. Obv. a Hana must be mentioned and vary around that £ mark new, but I've no idea about the synergy with unipivots. My K. Urushi is much happier in a gimballed arm, e.g.

B.t.w., what is the eff. mass of the Kuzma? Ortofon, being Danish, have so many models but the only one I've had (SL30???) I didn't like, but that may have been a phono stage mismatch in the eighties. I thought SPUs are a little bit on the rich side and therefore I question the synergy. Of course, as you've experienced, a Benz would do nicely. Zyx would be fine as well as AT (33???) with which you have experience.

Hope you're not too close to a mink farm up there in the north !!!!! :)
 
I'd look into these 3 around the £500 mark:

Audio Technica AT33PTG/II (6.9g)
Dynavector 10x5 Mk1 (7.3g) The Mk2 is likely over budget and I've not had one but expect it's sound to be similar
Hana EL or EH (5g)​

Of those I prefer the AT 33
 
PS. Have just read a positive review of the Stogi with a Lyra Etna. Good choices from Amber but even though only from received wisdom, I'd check the Hanas' compliance synergy, as I've just read that your arm is 12g eff. mass; a bit on the light side for some coils. Non coil Grado could be another suggestion (based upon something just read on Google).
 
Mike Reed said:
PS. Have just read a positive review of the Stogi with a Lyra Etna. Good choices from Amber but even though only from received wisdom, I'd check the Hanas' compliance synergy, as I've just read that your arm is 12g eff. mass; a bit on the light side for some coils. Non coil Grado could be another suggestion (based upon something just read on Google).
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Running it on a Techy which lets me swap headshells so agree best check the Hana would suit

Useful calc/tools

https://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_resonance_evaluator.php?eff_mass=29.5&submit=Submit

https://www.vinylengine.com/cartridge_database_tools.php
 
Before Kuzma introduced their own selection of MCs the UK distributor, Audiofreaks used Benz Micro MC's to dem the Kuzma TT's and maybe Transfiguration MCs at a time too.
 
I use an Audio-Technica VM750SH with mine, and I like it a lot... I did use a Goldnote Vasari gold prior to the A-T, which was also good, but a bit warmer.
Not saying that the A-T is bright, but the goldnote was a fair bit warmer than it...
 
Darren L said:
Audiofreaks used Benz Micro MC's to dem the Kuzma TT's and maybe Transfiguration MCs at a time too.
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sq225917 said:
Kuzma carts are rebodied Benz carts .
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Have only had the Ebony LP but was very impressed on both my unipivot and gimballed arms. One very big downside of Benz cart's is that they don't come with guards. A big design oversight, i.m.o. A lesser criticism is that they only use glue for the stylus; no slotting or crimping. However, being European, having a reasonable output and slightly warmer than neutral tonal presentation but with exc. dynamics make Benz a pretty good all-rounder for medium mass arms, I've found.
 
I run an original LP on my 12" Kuzma uni, its a match made in heaven, id expect any of their wood bodied lomc carts to be similarly copacetic .
 
Thanks for all that. I am waiting for the arrival of the Kuzma arm. I would like to try an SPU on the Bokrand Ortofon tonearm and if I do it will be the lowly Ortofon SPU #1 S (or E). The ATR branded SPU 40 is also in the running - but it comes "naked" without the SPU headshell. I worry that the sound will be too "coloured" for my liking but then again, I may like the ability to change sound by switching between a Denon 103D and an SPU.

As for Benz Micro, I did not manage to make my old Benz Micro Gullwing sound as great as the investment in it promised so I am reluctant to try another Benz on my turntable. However, I now have a decent Emerald phono stage and a PTP6 Lenco 75turntable plus two very good tonearms, so the context is different.

AT, I ony have good things to say about the amaible AT VM95e but haven't heard any other cart from the line.

Lyra Delos is over my budget although there is one locally at a fair price, retipped.

Hana and Dynavector are other considerations but I haven't had a listen to any of their offerings.
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No, I'm not too close to any of the mink farms. But one of the municipalities is adjacent to the municipality of Viborg where I work. We have a handful of students who cannot attend school for the coming 4 weeks and one colleague, who - I have no idea why - is considered an essential worker, so he is able to come to work rather than teach on-line lessons. Our government is walking a tight-rope with this lock-down of 7 municipalities: how to stop the #5 Covid virus strain from spreading and how not to close down the economy there completely. I hope they got the balance right.

People do not get a worse sick history from this virus strain but the coming vaccines MAY NOT protect against this virus strain.
 
sq225917 said:
copacetic .
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Well now; a new word to look up. Seems that it's North American in origin and informal use so not surprised I've never come across it.

Rosewind said:
As for Benz Micro, I did not manage to make my old Benz Micro Gullwing sound as great as the investment in it promised
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Don't know the Gullwing, Peter, but there may have been other, synergistic (or wear?) reasons why it didn't shine.

Ironic that as the first viable vaccine is announced by Pfizer, animals have kicked the ball down the road. Not sure about mink (except that they're usually white) but it's not difficult to tell a stoat from a weasel, I'm told. One is weaselly recognised but t'other is stoatally different :)
 
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I had come across "copacetic" somewhere before. Let's hope that the new virus strain is either contained or turns out to be covered by the new vaccine. My brother in Copenhagen has caught the (regular) virus but is not badly affected (yet). I hope he remains in good health. Unlike me, he rides his specially built bike long distance several times a week.

Synergy most likely - with regard to the Gullwing. I think an SPU #1S beckons ... for the Ortofon Bokrand tonearm. I can find one for a little over £400. But I will see what else I can find within the next couple of weeks.
 
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Mike Reed said:
Ironic that as the first viable vaccine is announced by Pfizer, animals have kicked the ball down the road. Not sure about mink (except that they're usually white but it's not difficult to tell a stoat from a weasel, I'm told. One is weaselly recognised but t'other is stoatally different :)
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And an otter is otterly unlike either of them.

I use a Hana (ML) on a fairly light unipivot (VPI 10 inch, with the 3D printed wand) which has a very similar effective mass to the Kuzma, I think, and I am getting great results.
 
I quite enjoyed my lyra Lydian beta when I had it. Lyra used to off a trade up discount, not sure if they still do, but buying a broken one cheap to get the discount on a new cart used to be a good trick.

Another cart I really liked was the nagaoka mp 500. Never had a cart since where the surface noise was as low, music seems to jump out of the record.

Currently using a decca supergold supremely dynamic, and loves unipivot arms. Maybe try a lower decca.
 
I'm in Denmark where you may get a good deal on Benz carts. I would like to hear an LP(S) or an Ebony some day. Hana is on my mind. I also want to try a Decca or am EMT cart. Lots of choices but money is a consideration.
 
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