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Thread: FS: Ikeda 9C III cartridge w headshell, cantileverless, like a Decca made in Japan!

  1. #1
    montesquieu Guest

    Default FS: Ikeda 9C III cartridge w headshell, cantileverless, like a Decca made in Japan!



    Something interesting has come up and I need to raise cash … so it's with much reluctance that I'm offering this true classic of a cartridge.

    The original 'Ikeda 9' series of cartridges, prior to 2011 when Isamu Ikeda (founder of Fidelity Research) retired, were each hand made personally by the master, and were built around a cantilever-less stylus assembly - the stylus fixes to a small bridge which attaches directly to the cartridge coils. Essentially this is the Decca principle, only in moving coil, done by one of the leading Japanese audio masters.

    Post 2011 Ikeda cartridges, after Ikeda sold the business, reverted to a more standard cantilever arrangement - so no more of these classics are being made.

    This cartridge was bought from Uesugi Ken (soundget.net) in Japan a few months back, for $1350 + postage, plus VAT and brokerage when it arrived in the UK - just over £1250 all up. It’s played maybe 50 sides since I got it so is in essentially the same wonderful condition it was in when I bought it http://soundgate.net/product/MTM..highend - there is a scratch on the headshell but the cartridge itself is in top order.

    It’s quite a different presentation to my Miyajima Madake and Takumi, which are quite warm, perhaps sightly old fashioned, not without detail but definitely on the laid back side. The Ikeda is a more modern, detailed sound - it has a vividness and presence like nothing I’ve heard, yet at the same time it manages to avoid the flatness that you can get with Deccas - it’s wonderfully 3D. It’s also the most dynamic cartridge I’ve ever heard - Deccas included.

    In the end though, my listening (heavily classically biased) does seem to favour the more laid back Miyajimas, and the arrival of a Takumi as my No.2 stereo cartridge has meant that its not getting used, except when visitors come to ooh and aah over. It really is very special.

    I did start a thread about it when it arrived so some additional info here: http://theartofsound.net/forum/showt...d-Ikeda-9C-III Also some broader discussion on Ikeda 9 cartridges over on the Lenco forum: https://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/in...p?topic=5905.0

    I suspect that the Decca fans around here would love this cartridge. Of course I’m down as a long-time Decca skeptic so perhaps the outcome of this experiment was not entirely unexpected.

    Output is modestly healthy 0.18mV, 3 ohms coil impedance so a step-up or head amp suitable for an Ortofon SPU will work happily with it. Compliance is 6 x 10–6, which is low, so it would be at its best in a higher mass arm and the over 30g total weight of the cartridge plus headshell assembly requires an arm capable of balancing out a similar mass to an SPU.

    I’m offering it for £975 collected or +£10 for RMSD in the UK which is very cheap for one of these, headshells alone generally go for around £250. Package comprises outer box, inner box, headshell, headshell wires, cartridge, stylus brush and stylus guard.






  2. #2
    Join Date: Jul 2010

    Location: Cheltenham

    Posts: 982
    I'm Charlie.

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    Hi Tim,

    Is the cartridge integral or is the headshell detachable?

    Thanks

    Charlie
    R2R: Studer A820 1/2 inch 2 track; Otari MTR-12 1/4 inch 2 track; Sony APR 5003; Sony APR 5002; Studer A807/II. Vinyl: Platine Verdier Allaerts MC1B/Schroeder Reference & Model 2 Decca C4E/Hadcock 228 TRON Seven Reference phono. Keith Monks MkII RCM Other analogue source: Nakamichi Dragon with ANT4066 mods. Amplification: TRON Meteor preamp TRON Voyager 20B SET power. Speakers: Avantgarde Duo. Digital: computing at last with Prism Sound Lyra 2 A2D converter

  3. #3
    montesquieu Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by topoxforddoc View Post
    Hi Tim,

    Is the cartridge integral or is the headshell detachable?

    Thanks

    Charlie
    Hi Charlie

    The cartridge is detachable on the 9C. It doesn't need to be used in the dedicated headshell - though with matching paint it does look smart!

  4. #4
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: East Sussex

    Posts: 419
    I'm Nat.

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    Made by the same man as my lovely new Fidelity Research Tonearm I believe. A lovely thing that I would love to hear on the end of my FR12 a little out of my league though

  5. #5
    Join Date: Aug 2013

    Location: Isle of Wight, UK

    Posts: 73
    I'm David.

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    Hi Tom,

    I'm sorely tempted by this cartridge and I suspect it would be a good partner to the FR64fx and MC702 I already have. Need to think about it though as I'm overspent on Hi-Fi for this month and a stereo cartridge isn't really on my shopping list at the moment. Still ...

    David Whistance

  6. #6
    montesquieu Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by dwhistance View Post
    Hi Tom,

    I'm sorely tempted by this cartridge and I suspect it would be a good partner to the FR64fx and MC702 I already have. Need to think about it though as I'm overspent on Hi-Fi for this month and a stereo cartridge isn't really on my shopping list at the moment. Still ...

    David Whistance
    Should be a good sonic match, David ... the combined cartridge-headshell assembly is heavier than MC702 but the effective mass of the FR64fx is broadly similar to the later Ikeda arms this would have been designed for - these are lighter than the earlier FR64S and have more in common with the later 64fx.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Barnet, london UK

    Posts: 2,146
    I'm Adam.

    Default

    I have personally had the privilege of hearing this cartridge on duty at Tom's.
    It's a remarkably special cartridge. Someone is in for a real treat.
    Poor timing for me ATM with money, I certainly would not have thought twice.
    GLWTS
    "lack of passion is fatal"


    Vinyl: Thorens TD-124mk2 / SME-312 Aluminium 'special' / SME M2-9R / STEREO: Etsuro Urushi Cobalt / Shure M3D / Ortofon SPU A95 / Cartridge Man Music Master / Shure - SC35C (US) / SAEC C3 MC MONO: Miyajima Zero B 0.7mil mono / Miyajima Premium 1.0 / Amps & SUTs: Radford STA25 mk3 / AD Audio 'Satchmo2' pre & LCR phono / Hashimoto HM-7 SUT / ETR-MONO SUT Digital: Audio Note 4.1 (with DAC5 upgrades) DAC / Roon / Tidal Speakers: Tannoy 12" MGs' in RFC custom 'Rutland' Cabinets with RFC crossovers / Tannoy ST-100 Super Tweeters Cables: LFD Grainless phono / RFC Mercury / Duelund DCA16GA tinned copper / Kimber 12TC / SW1X Audio Design USB-SPdif / Duelund DCA20GA interconnects / SW1X Audio SPDIF Aero 6 / Mains Power Conditioner / Box Furniture rack / Audiodesk Systeme Vinyl Cleaner / a very beautiful & understanding Wife!

  8. #8
    Join Date: Mar 2014

    Location: KY - Scotland

    Posts: 5,465
    I'm Mike.

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    Typical, just bought a Kontrapunkt B lol.

    How would the Ikeda do for Rock and Electronic?

    I'm thinking it might be rather good going by the comments above.

  9. #9
    montesquieu Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by mikeyb View Post
    Typical, just bought a Kontrapunkt B lol.

    How would the Ikeda do for Rock and Electronic?

    I'm thinking it might be rather good going by the comments above.
    It's very good with jazz .. can't say I tried it with rock or electronic (I'd have to dig hard here to find any ...).

  10. #10
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,853
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    PM sent
    Barry

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