Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
Blimey!

I've just put my ADC 26 into my Mission 774 arm after not having heard one for quite a while.



I'd forgotten how astonishingly good these cartridges are. They're virtually impossible to use in most arms because of the extremely high 60cu compliance. The 774 copes OK though. The sound is big, refined, uncoloured, truly transparent and enormously detailed. Very superior to what most MM cartridge users ever experience (OK technically it's an induced magnet cart). We're in the same territory as some pretty good MCs here. This really is pretty special, a superb sound.

The 26 definitely seems somewhat ahead of the excellent ADC 10E Mk.IV which is similar in design (and I like very much), but has lower compliance.

I just tried my spare ADC 27 stylus in the 26 (they are interchangeable). The 27's compliance is marginally lower. It sounded identical to me.
Glad to hear you are enjoying the ADC 26. I may resurrect my ADC 25 (same generator and stylus as the 26) and pop it into my Breuer Dynamic Type 5A arm (effective mass 4g). The 26 also works well in the SME 3009 Mk.II (Improved ) fixed headshell arm (I bought the two together, but have since sold the arm).

Another arm which could be ideal for the 25/26 is the Infinity 'Black Widow' (effective mass 3g). I have one of these and since it has the SME style bed plate, it wouldn't be too much trouble swapping the arms.

Perhaps that could be a little project: comparing the performance of a 25/26 in two different, but suitable, arms.