New toy

[Bigman80]

Hi all,

Thanks to Angus (Phonomac) for the loan of this badboy!

Anyone have any experience with the Kontrapunt B?

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[Primalsea]

A friend of mine had one on a SME V / Gyrodec and it sounded very good indeed.

[sq225917]

Nice carts, low riders...

[Bigman80]

It's an odd shape. Seems to be leaning back!

Sounds very good though! Very good.

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[Wakefield Turntables]

Had the Rohman which I think was the next one in the series. Excellent cart, still beats lots today. A keeper.

[Bigman80]

Had the Rohman which I think was the next one in the series. Excellent cart, still beats lots today. A keeper.It's very good. I've not heard anything other than the Vienna and the AT ART-7 that comes close.



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[Ammonite Audio]

I have two Kontrapunkt Bs - one that has been re-tipped too many times, and a much nicer NOS example bought from Thakker a couple of years ago. Very nice cartridges indeed. Set VTF to the maximum recommended 2.7g, raise the arm height so that it's slightly higher at the pivot (eg 'tail up'), and you won't go wrong.

[Bigman80]

I have two Kontrapunkt Bs - one that has been re-tipped too many times, and a much nicer NOS example bought from Thakker a couple of years ago. Very nice cartridges indeed. Set VTF to the maximum recommended 2.7g, raise the arm height so that it's slightly higher at the pivot (eg 'tail up'), and you won't go wrong.Thanks for the setup pointers, I'll give that a try.

NOS? I didn't think any of those remained!



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[Beobloke]

I have one and loved it. It was my main cartridge for years, right up to the point when the diamond fell off! I have moved on from it, but I still have it and must get round to having it re-tipped.


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[Bigman80]

I have one and loved it. It was my main cartridge for years, right up to the point when the diamond fell off! I have moved on from it, but I still have it and must get round to having it re-tipped.


Sent from my iPad using TapatalkWhat do you use now?

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[montesquieu]

Great cartridges, I had the Jubilee from this series, I think the B equates to the Cadenza Blue which is the nicest I've heard of the Cadenza series that followed it.

Ortofon have a few available in their 'treasure trove' of refurbished trade-ins - slightly too high compliance for my setup but ideal for many https://www.ortofon.com/mc-kontrapunkt-b-refurbished-p-668-n-3450

[Bigman80]

Great cartridges, I had the Jubilee from this series, I think the B equates to the Cadenza Blue which is the nicest I've heard of the Cadenza series that followed it.

Ortofon have a few available in their 'treasure trove' of refurbished trade-ins - slightly too high compliance for my setup but ideal for many https://www.ortofon.com/mc-kontrapunkt-b-refurbished-p-668-n-3450Thanks for the info Tom. I agree, very good cartridge.

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[Ammonite Audio]

Great cartridges, I had the Jubilee from this series, I think the B equates to the Cadenza Blue which is the nicest I've heard of the Cadenza series that followed it.

Ortofon have a few available in their 'treasure trove' of refurbished trade-ins - slightly too high compliance for my setup but ideal for many https://www.ortofon.com/mc-kontrapunkt-b-refurbished-p-668-n-3450

I was somewhat surprised but delighted to find out that the Kontrapunkt B does in fact work very well at the end of my FR-64S, defying the mathematics which indicates a combined resonant frequency that would typically be considered to be too low. But, it works!

[Jimbo]

Looks nice Oli. Quite a classic. How does it sound in your system?

[Bigman80]

Looks nice Oli. Quite a classic. How does it sound in your system?It sounds completely revealing and provides the wide soundstage i like. Big praise but only matched by the Ortofon Vienna. I'm sure the Vienna has a bit more bite but overall it's a great cartridge and could easily live with it forever. It delivers the natural resonance of strings in a way I've not heard since the Vienna. The Kontrapunt and Vienna are the best carts I've ever heard. Vienna 1st, Kontrapunt 2nd by a gnats knacker.

I'd love it to Boogie, just a tad more but that's being hyper critical.


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[Jimbo]

It sounds completely revealing and provides the wide soundstage i like. Big praise but only matched by the Ortofon Vienna. I'm sure the Vienna has a bit more bite but overall it's a great cartridge and could easily live with it forever. It delivers the natural resonance of strings in a way I've not heard since the Vienna. The Kontrapunt and Vienna are the best carts I've ever heard. Vienna 1st, Kontrapunt 2nd by a gnats knacker.

I'd love it to Boogie, just a tad more but that's being hyper critical.


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Sounds like a keeper. What is the stylus profile on the Kontrapunt B?

[Bigman80]

Sounds like a keeper. What is the stylus profile on the Kontrapunt B?FG80 it does a great job.

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[Beobloke]

What do you use now?

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I recently bought a secondhand MC Jubilee because I’ve always fancied one, and it’s superb. However, I’ve actually been using a Clearaudio MC Essence since the summer when I reviewed it, and this has proved a real eye-opener. I’ve always rated Clearaudio’s cartridges but this is a real giant killer.

[Bigman80]

I recently bought a secondhand MC Jubilee because I’ve always fancied one, and it’s superb. However, I’ve actually been using a Clearaudio MC Essence since the summer when I reviewed it, and this has proved a real eye-opener. I’ve always rated Clearaudio’s cartridges but this is a real giant killer.Oooh. I hadn't considered a Clear audio.

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[walpurgis]

I don't know why, but whenever Clearaudio cartridges are mentioned. Brinkmann spring to mind. Daft I guess! :)

[walpurgis]

Oooh. I hadn't considered a Clear audio

The good ones ain't cheap mate. :)

[Bigman80]

The good ones ain't cheap mate. :)Nothing is!!!!! 🤣

TBF £900 new, isn't THAT bad


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[walpurgis]

Nothing is!!!!!

You haven't met a certain 'ladyfriend' of mine! :lol:

[Bigman80]

You haven't met a certain 'ladyfriend' of mine! [emoji38]Hahahaha, fair enough.

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[walpurgis]

TBF £900 new, isn't THAT bad

Comparatively, no. A little more than I paid for the R100 H 02. It's still a lot from the average bloke on the street's point of view. In fact he'd think we're nuts! :D

[Bigman80]

Comparatively, no. A little more than I paid for the R100 H 02. It's still a lot from the avearge bloke on the street's point of view. In fact he'd think we're nuts! :DI totally agree. It's a lot from my point of view!!! In comparison to what's available, it's not THAT bad though.

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[walpurgis]

I totally agree. It's a lot from my point of view!!! In comparison to what's available, it's not THAT bad though

There again. Around that kind of money an SPU would be rather nice and fit your arm.

(ooooh, choices, choices.............the pain! :eek:)




.

[Bigman80]

So here is another loanee (thanks Tom!)

Its a "Bobs device SUT"

First impressions......ooooh shiny. [emoji23]

A quick listen yielded a feeling of Ah! Thats why people use SUTs.

More to follow. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171220/5acda03e769cbd82418729de26ca6354.jpg

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[Ammonite Audio]

So here is another loanee (thanks Tom!)

Its a "Bobs device SUT"

First impressions......ooooh shiny. [emoji23]

A quick listen yielded a feeling of Ah! Thats why people use SUTs.

More to follow. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20171220/5acda03e769cbd82418729de26ca6354.jpg

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I had one of those, and used it with my first Kontrapunkt B to very good effect. I very stupidly sold it in favour of an unheard Ortofon ST-80SE SUT, which was nowhere near the Bob's for sound quality and musicality. A SUT with Hashimoto HM7 transformers is rather better than this one, but there's no doubt that Bob knows what he's doing with these things.

[Bigman80]

I had one of those, and used it with my first Kontrapunkt B to very good effect. I very stupidly sold it in favour of an unheard Ortofon ST-80SE SUT, which was nowhere near the Bob's for sound quality and musicality. A SUT with Hashimoto HM7 transformers is rather better than this one, but there's no doubt that Bob knows what he's doing with these things.Cant even imagine how much a HM7 runs to!

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[montesquieu]

Cant even imagine how much a HM7 runs to!

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http://www.acoustic-dimension.com/hashimoto/hashimoto-mc-stepup-transformers.htm

530 Euros each = 1060 Euros plus shipping, then you have to put them in a case .... actually that's less than I remember.

[Bigman80]

http://www.acoustic-dimension.com/hashimoto/hashimoto-mc-stepup-transformers.htm

530 Euros each = 1060 Euros plus shipping, then you have to put them in a case .... actually that's less than I remember.[emoji32]

How much was the Bob in comparison?

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[montesquieu]

[emoji32]

How much was the Bob in comparison?

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Well I got this from Jake in his recent clear-out ... This is my second or third from Bob's stable. His latest ones have more expensive transformers so not really any cheaper than Hashimotos by the time you bring them over ... the older ones do come up from time to time though. https://www.bobsdevices.com/CineMag-1131-SUT-With-Switchable-Gain.html

[Bigman80]

Well I got this from Jake in his recent clear-out ... This is my second or third from Bob's stable. His latest ones have more expensive transformers so not really any cheaper than Hashimotos by the time you bring them over ... the older ones do come up from time to time though. https://www.bobsdevices.com/CineMag-1131-SUT-With-Switchable-Gain.htmlGood grief!!!!!! Well, its certainly not cheap!

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[Firebottle]

Be interesting to compare with my (cheap) Denon which I am getting back today :scratch:

[montesquieu]

Good grief!!!!!! Well, its certainly not cheap!

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The one you are listening to was probably about £400-£450 new, by the time it arrived from the US - before his prices went up.

[Bigman80]

The one you are listening to was probably about £400-£450 new, by the time it arrived from the US - before his prices went up.Well, I can appreciate its quality for free at the minute and is the final nail in the coffin for direct MC connection in a phonostage. Its nust sounding a lot cleaner. No immediate loss of bandwidth that I can hear either. Very good unit.

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[Firebottle]

.... and is the final nail in the coffin for direct MC connection ...

I beg to differ with latest Vivant circuit implementation :cool:

[Bigman80]

I beg to differ with latest Vivant circuit implementation :cool:Hahaha [emoji4]

I think youd be surprised by this. I am. I was sure I wouldn't like it but its very very likeable. In the Jolida, which sounds as clean as anything, it makes such a difference. Much more clarity.

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