From: exulox@exu.ericsson.se (Lasse Ohlsson , xtrT , x1129)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end
Subject: Sumiko Blue Point comments
Keywords: overrated
Date: 13 Apr 92 12:55:47 GMT
Reply-To: exulox@exu.ericsson.se
Organization: Ericsson Network Systems, Inc.
Originator: tjk@csd4.csd.uwm.edu

Hi everyone
  A while back I was asking for opinions about turntables for around
  1500 dollars, and I got some good advice from some of you "netters"
  involving VPI, Linn and used tables.
  I have now managed to get a hold of a Linn LP12, Ittok, K9, Valhalla
  to an awesome price (some parts used) but before I found this I contemplated
  buying a Roksan Radius with the Sumiko Blue Point cartridge (high output MC).
  I was told (by 2 different sales people) that it would whip the Linn Axis to
  smitherines. (They are in approximately the same price range)

  Now, -I've found that sales people should be taken with a grain of salt.
  I wanted to compare for myself.
  The dealer who wanted to sell me the Roksan lent it to me seemingly sure 
  I would buy it if I got to compare it to the Linn. Well, I brought it in
  to the Linn dealer and we hooked it up. 

  The rest of the equipment was nothing spectacular. A Nad preamp,
  Adcom 565(?) power amp and some Canadian speakers I don't remember 
  the name of. (Pretty bright and fatiguing sound) 

  We started with listening to the Roksan (The interconnects that I got
  with it probably cost more than the cartridge). We turned on some blues
  containing a cruel electric guitarr and a course male voice.
  What came out had a nice stable sound with good tonal balance. My 
  immediate reaction was; "Hey, I like this". (But then again, my previous
  table was an old raggedy Thorens) We listened to a couple of songs and
  then we switched over to the Axis.  It was equipped with Linn's budget
  cartridge K5 (Regular MM, about 150 dollars). All of a sudden, the music
  got more LIFE. My feet started stomping and I forgot to listen to how it
  sounded for a while. We switched back and forth a couple of times and it
  was quite clear that the Axis sounded better. (Darn.. I wanted the Roksan)

  I couldn't figure out why. I thought, maybe the cartridge needs an MC input
  after all? So we reconfigured the amp for MC. Well, NOW we had life in the
  sound. But the tonal balance was all gone. The bass was blurry and 
  overwhelming and even if it at first impression sounded more alive, it was
  not "real" in a sense.  Unfortunately I had no time to swap cartridges
  to listen to the turntable itself, but my imression is that the table
  probably is comparable to a Linn Axis if equipped with a better cartridge.

  Anyone have any comments on this experiment? Is the Sumiko really this
  overrated?  Could the fact that it is designed for P-mount (as some cheap
  turntables have) have any effect? Is this a common problem with high
  output Moving Coil cartidges?

  Listening to the LP12 on the same setup just blew my mind. 
  It sounded as much better than the Axis as did the Axis the Roksan. I was
  depressed as even though it was also equipped with the K5 it was still way
  above my budget. But... It was so MUSICAL! I loved it... I wanted it!!
  I got the "Linn's" decease...
Lasse

Ps. If my English seems poor, I've got an excuse. I'm a Swede. ;)
---

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Lasse Ohlsson         Ericsson Network Systems Inc.         (EXU Dallas) |
| E-mail: exulox@exu.ericsson.se       Memo: exu.exulox@memo.ericsson.se   |
| I don't want to have anything to do with what my company does or says... | 
| Or was it the opposite? Oh well.. regard this as a sort of a disclaimer. |
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end