The Mpingo Waltz

[Floyddroid]

Following the last Nebo meeting i was keen to get my hands on a ebony Mpingo spacer which Marco installed into the headshell of Lurcher's techie. I was really intrigued as to the effects it had on the overall sound. Reading in the Nebo 7 thread that me old mate Alan Towell was intent on trying one i posted that i would follow suit. I couldn't believe my luck when a fellow AOS member pm'd me with said item for sale. Result! It was a no brainer at half the retail price so i took a punt.
Installing it into my Sumiko headshell and getting it properly aligned by Alan Towell using his Hi-Fi News test record with overhang guage et al i sat back to hear if it had been worth the effort. After all my scepticism must be forgiven as it is merely a piece of hardwood. Did i notice any difference? f.....g right i did! First up was James Newton Howard & Friends for some eighties fusion and i was shocked to the core at just how different things were.
Gone was some of the glare i had been experiencing and a smoother more rounded presentation could be heard. I have to admit that bass notes weren't as taught though i could not hear any blurring of individual notes. The smoother tonality of the whole spectrum was so tuneful that hours went by before i realised. Yello's Yello Touch album bounced along with much better timbre and richness of tones in the mid range especially brass instruments. Returning briefly to some of my more expensive cartridges Installed into the same type of Sumiko headshell's revealed just what a bargain the Mpingo spacer was. It really did have my humble Denon 103 dancing, blowing away my recently rebuilt Lyra Delos and ortofon Rondo Bronze. Playing Steve Hackett's live at Reading 1981 from his recently released Charisma Years box set was a delight. John Hackett's Moog Taurus bass pedals didn't have the pin point accuracy of the Delos though it did have the considerable heft that i remember so well at these gigs and a more true representation of what actually took place rather than the Hi-Fi interpretation we become to accept as !accurate".
When you consider just how much money can be spent on fancy cables and foo products the Mpingo spacer for beer money really has you scratching your head. Goldfrapp's Story Of I album highlighted the subtle difference it made in my arm/turntable's ability to put a more natural rendition of Alison Goldfrapp's mesmerising voice. Album after album revealed just how well the Mpingo spacer enhanced the musical nature of an already good basic cartridge.
I have to thank Marco for the heads up here. Top tip for anyone with a Jelco/Ortofon tonearm and 103 duo. The Mpingo spacer gets the thumbs up fro me and it will be staying put in my turntable system.

[Marco]

Nice one, Steve! Glad it worked out well for you. I think Alan obtained good results with his, too? I know that Ali also has.

I'm not sure what's going on with these Mpingo spacers, perhaps both a dampening effect on the rather resonant plastic body shell of the standard 103, which will be significant, and/or altering the resonant properties of the partnering headshell?

I also believe that the Mpingo wood itself has unique sonic characteristics, which will influence proceedings. Anyway, enjoy! I've got spacers fitted now to all of my heashells, as for me they offer a no-brainer and very worthwhile upgrade, allowing all partnering cartridges to reveal their full musical potential.

Grab one now, folks, for your DL-103: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Denon-Cart...4AAOSwd4tT1PmD

Standard or SME fit here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ebony-Head...TmFw2flp4CmgWQ

Honestly, you will be shocked at the effectiveness of this little device!

Marco.

[mikeyb]

That seller sounds like a really decent chap 😁

[Marco]

He is, Mike. Dealt with him a few times

Marco.

[Floyddroid]

He is Mike tee hee.

That seller sounds like a really decent chap ��

[mikeyb]

He is Mike tee hee.

[petrat]

I found that this worked well with the 103 ... a wood/metal combo, perhaps having similar damping effect?

http://snvinyl.co.uk/epages/eshop943...Products/JEL33

[KC Jones]

Mpingo or African Blackwood. Lifted from a wiki search so not based on any researched facts but may shed some light on sound quaklity within a headshell setup.

****

Dalbergia melanoxylon (African blackwood, grenadilla, or mpingo) is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to seasonally dry regions of Africa from Senegal east to Eritrea and south to the Transvaal in South Africa. The tree is an important timber species in its native areas; it is used in the manufacture of musical instruments[2] and fine furniture. Populations and genomic resources for genetic biodiversity maintenance in parts of its native range are threatened by over harvesting due to poor or absent conservation planning and by the species' low germination rates.[2]


The tonal qualities of African blackwood are particularly valued when used in woodwind instruments, principally clarinets, oboes, transverse flutes, piccolos, Highland pipes, and Northumbrian pipes.[3][unreliable source?] The timber is used mainly because of its machinability and dimensional stability. Deering Banjo Company uses blackwood ("grenadilla") to construct the tone ring in its John Hartford model banjo. Deering indicates that this reduces weight versus brass/bronze tone rings, and that the wood "plays in" (improves in tone) with use.

[danilo]

I found that this worked well with the 103 ... a wood/metal combo, perhaps having similar damping effect?

http://snvinyl.co.uk/epages/eshop943...Products/JEL33

Interesting ..I've a curiosity re all wood ones. Although that clamp mounting of the Connector tube is a nice feature.
Wondering if a wee bit of self adhesive damping on the cart itself might have effect?
Personally found that a bit of Foam tape as Cart mount (no screws) makes audible improvement.. for me.

[Floyddroid]

Interesting ..I've a curiosity re all wood ones. Although that clamp mounting of the Connector tube is a nice feature.
Wondering if a wee bit of self adhesive damping on the cart itself might have effect?
Personally found that a bit of Foam tape as Cart mount (no screws) makes audible improvement.. for me.

Mmmm, a little radical depending on the strength of the adhesive.