HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

There's only one answer to all this - DOC, you'll just have to start making cartridges too !!

No, the owner doesn't read forums. However, knowing him as I do he would very likely take no offence at all. Choice is a personal thing and I have owned expensive cartridges myself in the past making me as guilty or gullible as many others. I don't see what being a bake off organiser has to do with any of my views to be honest. Just out of interest my good friend and colleague has spent a few foot tapping nights with the AT and informed me on my most recent visit that he could hear what I like about it. Certainly not my intention to offend but having heard some of these cartridges and knowing their price tags wondered why as many people buy them???? I wonder if there is anyone else like me here who used to use expensive cartridges now use much cheaper alternatives like the Denon cartridges? As the doc said, it's just an opinion. So you obviously think Koetsu cartridges are worth it? I simply think there are some excellent and much inexpensive alternatives.

Caps Lock wrote:

Progmeister wrote:Are Koetsu cartridges worth the money? I do realise that they are manufactured i relatively small numbers and hand made etc etc but is their sound quality really worth stupid price tags or is it down to kudos and status? The old oneupmanship bullshit. I say this because i recently had the opportunity to hear a Koetsu Rosewood which sounded pretty good though in a blind test on the same turntable i preferred an Audio Technica OC9 MLIII. I can't help thinking there's a lot of elitist shite being written about Koetsu cartridges. I'll get me coat.............

Am I understanding this, you prefer the lower priced AT which you have every right to, but were these two cartridges borrowed from a dealer to try before you buy (rare I know) or has someone brought the Koetsu to maybe have a mini bake off type thing?
If the latter then the Koetsu owner must have been there, (someone owns it), did he/she agree with the findings? Rather than just saying you prefer the AT you talk about 'status, kudos and oneupmanship' which kind of makes me think the owner (hopefully) wasn't there or reads this forum cos they will be a bit miffed with you. Again, you think what is written about Koetsu is 'elitist shite' when many hifi entheusiasts who partake in this and other forums own them. Odd words for bake off organiser. Murder on the dance floor!

I dare say the AT's use some automation in their construction, where Koetsu's and so on are more hand made and fettled. Fancy carved gemstone bodies ain't cheap either, but I'm sure there's more than a little profit to be made from the status these confections have garnered over many years.

can I have some status please without having to put rip off prices on.