So that's the one you consider as being superior? Just to completely clarify things.Originally Posted by i_should_coco
Marco.
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Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
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I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
So that's the one you consider as being superior? Just to completely clarify things.
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
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Posts: 112
Yep.
It's a 25Ah battery, so about 2 days.
What did you think?
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,474
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
Therefore this strongly suggests that the type of magnet used in the design of a cartridge has a significantly influential effect on its performance, which is basically what I've been saying about Alnicos
I do love Ios, and yours sounds rather special - they're one of the few 'modern' cartridges I could happily live with!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Senior Member
Posts: 112
I agree, the question is 'why'? On one hand I agree with Adam's statement above, that just making it from AlNiCo is not the whole story and the design would need to be optimised, but then the Ios, as far as I'm aware, are identical except for he magnet, yet sound very different.Therefore this strongly suggests that the type of magnet used in the design of a cartridge has a significantly influential effect on its performance, which is basically what I've been saying about Alnicos
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,474
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
I agree, Pete. It's much like what's been mentioned already - it's all about correct implementation and context.
You're no more likely to guarantee a great sound by sticking an Alnico magnet on an MC cartridge than you are (classic) TDA1541 chips inside a CDP or DAC...
*But* when done well, the results are superb, as you and I are quite obviously hearing with our respective equipment
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Senior Member
Location: Down South
Posts: 2,411
I'm Neal.
Just to point out the IO body is different to the Ltd and the LTD is double the weight...
Edit: the stylus is different as well according to the AN web site...
Last edited by NRG; 10-07-2009 at 15:11.
Listening in a Foo free Zone...
Only a Sith deals in absolutes.
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I'm Tony.
Pete,
To me it produced a very definitive drop in noise floor, which just gave everything a much more 'real' focus, much improved naturalness, greater insight into the music (from the Io's standpoint). Trying to quantize the traits like bigger/better this and that, do not come into the equation. It just became more real in an Io style verbaitum.
In short, I would liken it to placing an ultra clean and stable psu on a critical clock circuit within a high end cd player, a very marked improved right across the audio spectrum.
One comment that Mike P made earlier I would agree with whole heartedly 100%
"I guess if you "get' what these IO's are doing then nothing is going to come close. .
On the other hand, if you respond to what a Dynavector or Lyra does, then the AN and Kondo offerings are likely to disappoint. In short, there are no absolutes IME."
A very astute observation and one that rings true throughout the wonderful world of hifi
Coherent Systems
Real high end sound with musicality not hifi
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,474
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
Yep, spot on Tony. I'm definitely most firmly in the former camp, in terms of sonic presentation/tonality (although I haven't heard much Kondo to form a proper opinion)!"I guess if you "get' what these IO's are doing then nothing is going to come close. .
On the other hand, if you respond to what a Dynavector or Lyra does, then the AN and Kondo offerings are likely to disappoint. In short, there are no absolutes IME."
There is no 'right' or 'wrong' here; merely personal preference. It's about choosing trade-offs and what compromises you can live with best. There is no such thing as the 'perfect' cartridge, or the 'perfect' anything, for that matter.
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Trade: Pure Sound
Location: South West England
Posts: 958
I'm Guy.
The Gold has the same body as the Ltd and is the same weight. The diamond, stylus, coils & suspension are the same on both cartridges. The Gold has Alnico magnets & permendur yoke & pole pieces. The Ltd has a 2 part electromagnet with silver coils wound on Permendur formers. But essentially every part besides those in the magnetic circuit is the same. The Ltd has marginally lower output but sounds 10x better.
The cheaper Io1 has a lighter aluminium body, the same diamond, stylus, coils & suspension and Alnico magnets but soft iron (rather than Permendur) yoke & pole pieces.
I suppose these could be thought of as 'classic' cartridges having been originally conceived in the late 70's (the Ltd in 1983)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permendur
Last edited by pure sound; 10-07-2009 at 15:35.
Senior Member
Location: Down South
Posts: 2,411
I'm Neal.
Ah! the Gold and LTD gotcha!
Listening in a Foo free Zone...
Only a Sith deals in absolutes.
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