Ortofon Xpression High End Cartridge

[Alex_UK]

Just got the Ortofon newsletter emailed to me - interesting new cartridge that doesn't need a headshell and shares the SPU geometry - can't seem to find out how much it costs, and its a funny looking beggar: discuss ;)

http://www.ortofon.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=314&Itemid=349

http://www.ortofon.com/images/stories/cartridges/Xpression/xpression310x230px.png

[hifi_dave]

Interesting and rather cool but it's not on the latest price list e-mailed to dealers today...:scratch:

[Spectral Morn]

I like the look of that :)

Regards D S D L

[DSJR]

Fancy casting/moulding and gold plated bits with Ortofon profit margins for a small scale product. I'm sure the price will be well over a grand, but I'd love it to be far less :)

[Marco]

The only 'problem' is, you need a detachable headshell arm to use with it! Being a Jelco 750 (A.K.A Ortofon TA-100) fan, that's not a problem for me, but I suspect it would be for others who rather misguidedly don't rate these types of tonearms..... ;)

Marco.

[DSJR]

It depends if Ortofon have dealt with the 300Hz resonance in the headshell "joint," which can be an issue in this type of connection - and was one reason why fixed-head tonearms became all the rage in the early eighties ;)

[Marco]

Hi Dave,

Yes, but that's the danger of focussing too much attention on any ONE aspect of the design of a tonearm...... ;)

The fact is, it's the cumulative sonic effect of a tonearm's design features that matters most!

In that respect, I can hear no deficiencies, sonically, in the presentation of the Jelco 750 (or of any other high-quality detachable headshell tonearms) compared to similarly priced (or in some cases even more expensive) fixed headshell tonearms, providing the former are matched with the right cartridges.

Quite simply, if what you're referring to was of fundamental importance, the likes of Ortofon (I'm not necessarily referring here to the 'affordable' TA-100), Oyaide and Audio Technica would not continue to manufacture very expensive detachable headshell tonearms aimed at the most discerning music lovers.

Marco.

[Gerry]

I can't say very convinced either re: the detachable headshell against the non.

It all came out at the time the Linn was king and you had to use steel hex-head hardware to attach the cartridge to the arm and torque it up!
It was even better if you did it so tight, the body shell was so distorted out of shape (or cracked) so the cartridge's azimuth, VTA etc were all completely screwed.....I promise.... Ivor said so.:doh:

We seem to have moved on a little, I think?

[Marco]

Slowly but surely, Gerry, yes.

But unfortunately there still remains a stubborn resistance amongst audiophiles in the UK to using detachable headshell tonearms (for entirely misinformed reasons), which like you say, are the remnants of the insidious and detestable Linn brainwashing we experienced here in the 70s and 80s!! :rolleyes:

On AoS, however, we will continue to do everything we can to prick the inaccuracy of that particular bubble!

Marco.

[DSJR]

I use a detachable shell tonearm myself remember ;)

The real reason such tonearms remain in production is that there is a market for them - mainly in the far east I suspect. I believe many far eastern "audiophiles" have a collection of cartridges and match each to various records, such is their devotion. If I had the spare dosh, I'd love a Jelco and I'm sure the TD125 would work with one, but for now, the R200 does just fine.

[Marco]

Indeed, Dave - and as you know, in my opinion, the Acos-derived R200 was far superior to the 'fixed headshell' RB250/300 bollocks made by Rega that replaced it, which rather goes to prove my point.......


The real reason such tonearms remain in production is that there is a market for them - mainly in the far east I suspect. I believe many far eastern "audiophiles" have a collection of cartridges and match each to various records, such is their devotion.


Yes, and also they cottoned onto the fact years ago that the massive convenience of detachable headshell tonearms totally outweighed any miniscule sonic negatives of the "300Hz resonance in the headshell joint"!! ;)

Marco.