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Best Step-Up Transformer(s) for Koetsu Cartridges

Something has to give, Dimitry, after 30 years, even if it's only the stylus (or suspension if not used much).
No, I have many vintage carts of 30+ years and they are fine. I only encountered one where the suspension failed - the well known Technics line with a special TRRD (or something like that) elastomer.

All of this is well known in vintage collector circles.
 
I can rest assured that my 2006 Vermillion, reposing in a drawer for 4 or 5 years, will outlast me, then. Pretty good odds at my age, but comforting nevertheless. :)
As long as it's kept in a normal human habitation environment it will be just fine for a very long time!
 
As long as it's kept in a normal human habitation environment it will be just fine for a very long time!

I bow to your knowledge and experience, but styli do wear, albeit after a longer time for Koetsu. One thing which has puzzled me with Ks, Dimitry, is bias. Ks need much less than other cart's (don't ask me why, but it's well-known) and if on a 12" arm (like mine), virtually none at all. However, many K owners have found their cantilevers slewed a bit after, say, 500 or more hours. Mine is slightly so (to the left looking from the front, or toward the inner grooves).

Many have reported no adverse sonics, but I'm sceptical, as the stylus MUST be tracking the groove at a slightly offset angle. Can I assume, then, that if one can ascertain whether it's been too much or too little bias which has caused this, reversing this for a hundred or more hours would bring the canti. back to the straight and narrow ?

I shall be re-mounting my K sometime this coming winter and although I could possibly compensate in set-up, would prefer not to for obv. reasons. This subject has been bothering me since I first noticed a very slight skew a few years ago.
 
I bow to your knowledge and experience, but styli do wear, albeit after a longer time for Koetsu. One thing which has puzzled me with Ks, Dimitry, is bias. Ks need much less than other cart's (don't ask me why, but it's well-known) and if on a 12" arm (like mine), virtually none at all. However, many K owners have found their cantilevers slewed a bit after, say, 500 or more hours. Mine is slightly so (to the left looking from the front, or toward the inner grooves).

Many have reported no adverse sonics, but I'm sceptical, as the stylus MUST be tracking the groove at a slightly offset angle. Can I assume, then, that if one can ascertain whether it's been too much or too little bias which has caused this, reversing this for a hundred or more hours would bring the canti. back to the straight and narrow ?

I shall be re-mounting my K sometime this coming winter and although I could possibly compensate in set-up, would prefer not to for obv. reasons. This subject has been bothering me since I first noticed a very slight skew a few years ago.
Thank you for alerting me to this phenomena. I will be on a lookout for it.
 
Thank you for alerting me to this phenomena. I will be on a lookout for it.

It's only one phenomenon, Dimitry, although among countless others to do with vinyl playback. We obv. have different experience/knowledge areas but I feel you may hold the cards technically (which is not difficult ! :)) Logically, a canti. slewing to the left (towards inner grooves) would suggest to me that not enough bias has been applied (and not just Koetsus). Might test that theory with a thread.
 
Something has to give, Dimitry, after 30 years, even if it's only the stylus (or suspension if not used much).
Well the suspension went on my original Koetsu Rosewood that I bought new in 1981, about 10 years ago now. Second re-tip was still good, but that was by Van Den Hull not Koetsu, he did not say he touched the suspension only retipped so not sure if his retip on it has any bearing. I still have and keep thinking I'll send it to Goldring to see if it's worth rebuilding, but have never got around to it.
 
It's only one phenomenon, Dimitry, although among countless others to do with vinyl playback. We obv. have different experience/knowledge areas but I feel you may hold the cards technically (which is not difficult ! :)) Logically, a canti. slewing to the left (towards inner grooves) would suggest to me that not enough bias has been applied (and not just Koetsus). Might test that theory with a thread.
I will have to draw a free body diagram and think about that...but I think inward bend means too much antiskate?
 
If the cantilever skews towards the spindle, you have too much anti-skate. If it skews away from the spindle, you don't have enough anti-skate.
 
If the cantilever skews towards the spindle, you have too much anti-skate. If it skews away from the spindle, you don't have enough anti-skate.

I had a feeling this might be the case, and also backs up my own experience. Trying to get my head around why, though, and have come up with this:

If too much bias is applied, the extra force is pulling the cart./stylus toward the outside of the groove/record. This pressure will, over time, drag the canti. toward the centre, thereby, looking from the front, the canti. is slewed to the left (and toward the label)

Bloody obvious now you've stated it with certainty (thanks). In my case, I had the Vermillion on a 9" SME Five for more that half its playing time before changing to my 12" arms (which require much less anti-skate anyway). Given that the Five's bias was adjusted by a numbered rotating knob and that it's a 9" arm, tells me that even the 0.5 to 0.7 g bias I used (< 1/3 of VTF) was indeed too much. I also used minimal bias on my long arms, but their accuracy was hit and miss.

As I can't apply negative bias (and if so, how?), running the K on none at all, even on my 12" arm, might slowly reverse the slew.
 
Black Goldline into Quicksilver step up.Was lovely into the matching valve stage (mm only) that needs repair and now in service with a cheap stage that does mc/mm. Step up was actually more expensive than the Quicksilver phonostage it came with but no complaints here as it just seems to work. Phono stage in a Supratek Syrah was really nice but not sure how it worked
 
Koetsu Urushi Gold here into EAR Phonobox.
My Phonobox is on order with ECC83 tubes specified. I have also ordered the MC4 SUT.

Having demoed the MC4/Phonobox (standard tubes) I found a significant improvement with the SUT.
 
It
nice - I wonder how much it is though :) I have a few McKinnie ROs which were basically same design as Vendetta built by one of John’s techs when he moved to Swissieland. Fantastic devices.
Its listed at abt USD2,000.

There’s also a Koetsu Burma Jade and Wajima for Koetsu fans like OP.
 
Here’s a left field suggestion.
How about an active pre-stage rather than transformers.

...or simply a great MM/MC phonostage like the Cyrus Signature. I prefer my Koetsu Urushi Plat Sig through the Cyrus MC stage vs the transformers I had prior....Eastern Electric, Cinemag and Auditorium 23.
 
...or simply a great MM/MC phonostage like the Cyrus Signature. I prefer my Koetsu Urushi Plat Sig through the Cyrus MC stage vs the transformers I had prior....Eastern Electric, Cinemag and Auditorium 23.

I’ve heard good things about the Cyrus phono but have not got a chance to listen to one.
Not many reviews maybe the brand lacks high-end cred while the casework and display especially, look awfully dated. The various setting permutations tweakable via remote is a big plus though.

Spotted a used one on ebay yesterday and was contemplating on taking a punt at abt £900 when it sold right under my nose!

Please do tell us more how the Cyrus sound.
 


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