Unipivots

[_D_S_J_R_]

For my sins, I set up loads of Formula IV's back in the day. The late 70's model sounded great with high compliance cartridges (Sonus Blue, ADC and AKG P8es and so on) but was too flimsy we thought with MC types. The (You've been [H])Adcock was excellent with Entres and Deccas but at the time, fell to bits all too easily. I loathed the ARO in the 80's, but in fairness I've heard it sound great on Cirkus spec LP12's although the undamped wobble takes some getting used to.

[Andrew]

I've got next to no knowledge of unipivots, Dave, so I'd welcome any advice you can offer. I'm a real lover of the better incarnations of the DL-103. I've read opposing views of their viability with the Mayware. One guy loved the combo with the slider all the way forward. Others reckon the 103S and 103D would be better due to higher compliance. Others say it's a non-starter. Would I just be wasting my time? If so, is there anything with a similar kind of sound that might work?

Cartridges I've liked over the years are few and far between, so it doesn't make it easy. Basically it's Supex MCs, Linn MCs, Koetsu, Denon 103 variants and the only MM I've got on with is A&Rs P77.

Ones I've actively really disliked are: Absolutely everything from Ortofon, Goldring 1000 series and Eroica, cheaper Audio Technicas. Everything else has been OK, but not worth shouting about and definitely not worth keeping.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

No experience but the DL103 is one of the energetic (mechanical vibration) carts I have come across, gut feel tells me a unipivot would rattle with that much energy going back into the bearing. Similar to SME knife edges, they don't like it either.

[Andrew]

Shame. I thought as much. Thanks, Doc.

I'm getting such great results with MM I can't complain. For me, most cartridges just don't do "emotion". I know that's a hard thing to define, but you know it when you hear it.

Vinyl has never sounded better, so maybe I should just turn off that little voice that keeps saying you have to use a decent MC to get a good sound. In all other arms, MMs have been clearly inferior, but I guess this is a different "rule book".

[_D_S_J_R_]

The only Denon MC I had at home was the 103S in a Mission 774. Linn inserted their chip where the sun don't shine a few months later when the Ittok came along and it was downhill from there for a while, I'm sorry to say I remember the 103S as slightly 'dry' sounding without the sexiness of a good Supex 900E nor the energetic nature (I'm being polite I hope) of the Asak. probably rather good these days with modern thinking behind setup etc

[_D_S_J_R_]

If you don't mind taking a punt on one and your MM stage has good overload margins at very HF, I think a new Sonus Gold Blue can still be got for under a ton. The Sonus Blue sounded amazing in the Mayware (just a little damping - enough to cover the conical part of the bearing well) and around 1.2g tracking I think it was.

[Andrew]

Cheers, Dave. It's something I know literally nothing about, but at that price, it's well worth a punt. I won't find many people around who can give a real-world recommendation on a Mayware match-up based on actual experience. I still don't know how I ended up buying one, but I'm so glad I did.

[_D_S_J_R_]

I must stop this posting frenzy..... The Sonus Blue suffered from a massive hf peak at around 28kHz. if the phono stage can deal safely with it before ringing or overload, you'll be fine. if not, it'll be as bad as the Colloms HFC review painted it back around 1980 or so.. I believe the stockist is in Sweden -

http://www.hifikit.se/varumarken/sonus/pickuper

495 krona is around fifty notes or less I believe...

[Andrew]

It's definitely worth taking a chance, thanks. I've not got a "Scooby" about the phono stage. In fact, I know nothing about the amp: period.

I bought it off a mate after hearing it at mine and thinking it would really suit my 2nd (vinyl based) system. It's an MVL A2+. Turned out to be better than I'd expected and just makes music. Never draws attention to itself, except that the MM stage seems to be better than any I've used.

I'll have a pop at the cartridge though, so many thanks for the link. I'm using a P77 and the floor is yet again strewn with dozens of albums. It's been many years since I've made such a mess!

[_D_S_J_R_]

If you want to dispose of either of these, please let me know