Hana ML Moving Coil Cartridge - First Impressions.
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- Опубліковано 1 лип 2024
- The Hana ML Moving Coil Cartridge has finally landed and I had it installed thanks to Oswaldo at Let There Be Sound. This video deals with my first impressions only, and should not be taken as a formal full review. Two videos mentioned are listed below and can provide more background to this video.
NOTE: With several more hours in since this video was created, EVERYTHING has improved to the point that I can say, this is an extremely beautiful sounding cartridge at 15 hours. Any minor rough edges are gone and virtually all aspects have improved to the point that I can definitely say this is a "brilliant and gorgeous" cartridge, and the best I have heard in my system to date.
00:00 Introduction
00:38 Tone Poet Giveaway And Support
01:26 Background Information
03:51 The Audio Technica AT33EV
04:41 Break In
05:50 The Hana ML First Impression
08:01 Conclusion
My Date With Hana Video - • The HANA SL MC Phono C...
Audio Technica AT33EV Video - • Audio Technica AT33EV ...
Blue Note Tone Poet Giveaway And Other Pressing Matters
• Blue Note Tone Poet Gi...
Reference System
-Basis 1400 Turntable
-Rega RB300 Tone Arm
-Audio Technica AT33EV MC Cartridge
-Hana ML Cartridge
-ModWright PH 9.0 Tube Phono Preamplifier
-Cayin A-50T Integrated Tube Amplifier
_Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 Loudspeaker
-Tributaries Series 8 Interconnect
-Herron Audio Interconnect Cable
-Definitive Technology ProSound Subwoofer
-Panamax M5300PM Power Filter
_VPI 16.5 Vacuum Record Cleaner
_Ursa Major Record Cleaning Brush
_Milty Zerostat
_DS Audio ST-50 Stylus Cleaner
_Disc Doctor Record Brushes
NEW Link to my Amazon Storefront for all my recommended items:
www.amazon.com/shop/thepressi...
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)
Best of the Pressing Matters Playlist
Best of The Pressing Matters
Excellent review! I'm glad you found a cartridge you're really enjoying. I'll be sure to add the ML to my shortlist for a cartridge upgrade
Thank you for watching this one Cameron! I suggest trying to hear as much as you can in the meantime. Also research what other users that have your turntable and arm are having luck with. I'll have a much more detailed assessment coming soon. That reminds me I've got to check out your Sonny Rollins Go West video now!
@@ThePressingMatters I'll try my best. Thanks for the advice and the watch 👍
I’ve selected Hana ML after viewing many reviews and sound rips on YT. There was no a minute I was disappointed. The cartridge is great! So balanced, precise, has a nice price comparing to VdH ;) the only thing I had to make is to purchase a lighter shell, and turn a rumble filter on, because the cartridge is very heavy, and to get a sub frequency resonance was not a big deal.
PS Mine didn’t require any break in. Had a complete sound from a beginning
Great choice! Yes a year later and I have no regrets at all. Superb performer on all kinds of music.
Always wanted to get insight on that cartridge. Thank you.
You bet! I will have a more detailed review in a few weeks. Its now fully broken in and sounding great!
Congrats Scott on the new cartridge! My last upgrade was to the Ortofon 2M black LVB 250, which I think is the end game (at least for me) of MM cartridges. When I’ve considered a jump to MC, the Hana ML has been at the top of my list to consider and I’ll look forward to your full review down the road
Thanks Brad,
Things are settling in now at 15-20 hours. I'll have a lot more to say soon!
Fireworks blasts are currently interrupting my listening session! Happy Fourth of July!
Excellent review. I bought a ML a couple of months ago and I’m very pleased with it. Upgraded from a Soundsmith Aida and I clearly prefer the ML. You mention the s sound (which I cannot stand), but I hear none of it, whereas I had issues with the Aida. The first I did actually, after installing it, was playing some records I had challenges with using the Aida. All playing fine now.
Thank you for your comment Andy! Those issues occurred in the first few hours and have since smoothed out. This is starting to really flesh out and sound great. Thanks for sharing your experience with the ML!
Great choice Scott and great deal as well. I have the ML on my VPI prime 21 table hooked to a Classe CP50 preamp. The Hana replaced a benz micro gold cartridge. The difference was pretty immediate mostly in the upper midrange. Pretty dang good cartridge for sure. Thanks for the video, i completely agree with your findings.
Thank you for your comment! Your combination must sound so good. Things are really opening up here at 25 hours, and im going to put another 25 on before the weekend. Im veery happy with this model. Great to hear about your experiences too! Stay tuned for updates and a full review!
Hi Scott:
As a long time viewer and subscriber, I have been following your woes with the previous Hana SL cartridge. I am glad the ML seems to be doing the trick for you so far. It is a good sign that you like the sound of the cartridge right out of the box. It is good that you are not hearing groove noise. I know that was very important to you for Classical and Jazz recordings in particular. I can't think of instances where I've heard of people breaking in a cartridge and the groove noise getting worse over time. When I got my last two MC cartridges, the quietness and lack of groove noise is one thing I noticed right out of the box. In particular some of my old favorite LPs played far more quietly and with less hash and noise than I remembered. I attributed it to the stylus playing in a part of the groove where prior styli had never ventured. This was a year before I got my Sugar Cube Click and Pop remover or my first UCM. Things only got better after that.
Break in can be a crazy, but necessary period. As you mentioned, both you and the cartridge are breaking in together. In the case of the cartridge, some cartridges can sound different later in the same day after a few more hours of playing time. Both for the better or worse. I suggest you make a list when you hear excessive sibilance or something else you may attribute to break in. It could also be a "torture track" for many cartridges. You note the the LP, the track, the specific section or elapsed time where the issue occurs. This way you aren't just relying on your memory and then having doubts later. Did it really go away? Is this really the right spot. Also once I started doing this, I hung onto the list of "torture tracks". Over time I added new items and removed items that were no longer problems with better equipment. This list gives you a quick way to evaluate a new turntable or cartridge you are considering or have just brought home. In theory any reputable and good dealer has set up their demo cartridge / turntable correctly and it is broken in. So if you go to a brick and mortar dealer, you can bring along this list and YOUR copies of some of these LPs.
Once you have a little more time in on the cartridge and it has settled in a bit more, you can double check your tracking and anti-skate settings. You can also tweak them to see if changing the tracking force or anti-skate helps. Also not a bad idea to CAREFULLY double check the secureness of the mounting screws and that the tone arm mounting height is correct. Just be careful not to screw up something that is correct.
I hope you have some ideas for other types of content stored up for the time it takes for the cartridge to break in. Listening tests of different pressings of the same LP would not necessarily hold true after the cartridge is broken in. There is so much involved with the hobby, and particularly the record related aspects of it, I am sure you will continue coming up with creative ideas. Perhaps your favorite LPs by a favorite artist or lesser known records by an artist that you really enjoy. Or the ways you shop for records etc. I have confidence you will come up with creative ideas, just as you have in the past. I always feel time I invest watching your videos is time well spent.
Hi Jim, some great suggestions here and yes, I have a list of topics that will not be sound evaluations for the period of break in. It would be wrong to make any opinions on SQ at this point, other than this video which I made sure to stress and make clear it was a first impression. We also did some audio files of two tracks for future reference, first with the AT, then with the fresh ML and I'll return and do a third set once broken in of the same tracks. Should be an interesting experiment for viewers to access. Thank you for all the great information and support!
Scott, Great review‼️I've been contemplating getting the ML🤔 You've got a new subscriber 💯
Thank you! Definitely go for the ML. It's much better, just wonderful. Any reservations I had disappeared after break in. I'd love to hear from you if you get to hear it or decide to take the plunge. It was a little above my budget but no regrets. That's a nice feeling!
Earlier this year I returned to playing vinyl after 5 years. My dealer recommended that I get the Hana ML . It has provided me with probably the best vinyl experience that I’ve had. My previous cartridge was a Benz H2O.
I also have the SP-9 as my preamp. Like you I upgraded my phono stage. I now have the Channel D Lino C 3.3 . I really enjoy your videos. Your approach and record recommendations are great ! My only problem with the ML is that it has me wondering about the Umami series 😂
Hi Harry,
Thanks for your comment. This is the most I've ever spent on a cartridge, and next down was the Benz Glyder that I initially had when I bought the Basis turntable. I can already sense this is going to be a game changer for my system. Good to hear your positive experience with the ML. Tell me, what did you experience during the break in if anything?
Great insight. Thank you,
You're welcome! Thanks for checking it out!
Nice, thoughtful explanation of your experience.
I have an expensive (for MM) cartridge, and will upgrade to an MC next time and this is useful information.
Great! I'm glad you found it useful. There will be much more on this in a future video once the cartridge is settled in. Thanks for watching and stay tuned!
I had a similar experience with the SL, but I adjusted the impedance well below the manufacturer requirement and reduced my gain. Now the cart is detailed yet smoother with a bit more bass. My phono amp is tube amp, so that also helped round of the edges. Before settling on my settings, it was generating distortion on some albums, but not so anymore.
Thanks for your comment. I did reduce gain and loading, switched to an all tube phono and amplification, lowered VTA, tried other cables etc. I think my example just had an issue. All those things helped but in the end I knew it had to be a defective cartridge. Every account I read had good results with the cartridge. And my own good experience with the ML virtually out of the box tells me something was up with my SL. I'm glad you are enjoying yours!
I’ve had the ML for about seven months, and I share your impressions on it. I have found that playing slightly with the tracking force sometimes helps smooth the sibilants. I have set 1.98g at present. Of course, it’s all down to the recording/mastering and pressing. Thanks for the video, I enjoyed it very much.
Thank you for your comment. I've been enjoying the ML since this video, and I think I have about 150 hours. Any small reservations I had are gone. That bit of high frequency emphasis disappeared at about 20 hours. It is a truthful transducer, and lets the recordings, mastering and pressings speak for themselves. The best are extraordinary, and a poor one is revealed for what it is. I'm enjoying it on a deeper level and will have a "final thoughts" video up very soon. Thanks for watching and stay tuned!
Readjusting all the parameters after 50 hours was very beneficial as you say. I had made minute adjustments to the tracking force and VTA which brought it to a new level.
@@ThePressingMatters Looking forward to it.
Congrats! 🎉
The ML is a really excellent cartridge. I own both the 33EV and the MH, and in my opinion, the latter is superior in every way. The Hana does everything a little bit better, even though the EV is a very good cartridge for the money 😊
Thanks!!
I agree completely! You're the first person I've heard from who has both of these great cartridges. I can already tell the Hana is going to be superior, and looking forward to the sound when fully broken in. The AT is a really listenable gem for $450. I'm already rediscovering records in a new light with the Hana! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I don’t have experience of Hana cartridges but have two Audio Technica ML cartridges, to me there is something special about micro line stylus’s especially in the high frequencies.
Hi Tony,
I have not heard an AT with a micro line stylus, but I'd be willing to bet they are really stunning. Even the EV is a beautiful cartridge, yet lacking the extension of a micro line. Delicate and extended high frequencies are what I'm hearing with a low noise floor. Hope to have more to say soon. Thank you for your comment!
Scott good luck with the ML. It looks awesome on the Rega arm. What Rega arm is that?
Thank you! That is the RB300 arm. It's sounding better by the hour! I'll let you know more soon!
I have Casta B Horn speakers, Audio Space AS-i3 tube amp , York phono stage Thoren TD modified TD160 turntable, Grace F9 Ruby cantiliver, Hyper nude Eliptical stylus. Dead quiet table tons of detail WOW
Glad you are enjoying your set up. I've not heard any of those components so I have no idea but...
I’d been shopping the ML versus the Dynavector 10X5 mkII hoping to find a dynamic all-rounder with good balance between detail and warmth. So, will be following this journey with keen interest. cheers.
Cool, thanks for watching this. Things are already changing and getting even better at 15 hours. I'll be doing a more detailed update very soon, with specific examples of what I heard on each record. I've heard great things about the Dynavector too, but this is looking to be one of the best I've owned.
@@ThePressingMatters the Dynavector 10X5 mkII Low Output is far behind the ML, but of course it is a different price range. The XX-2 is in the same league. Don't get me wrong, the 10x5 is excellent.
This was fantastic Scott. At some point I’ll upgrade to an MC… appears Hanna’s a very well respected company in the VC. Will definitely be considering them when I convince myself that debt isn’t real 🤦♂️😜
Hi Jason,
Yeah, $1200 is a bit bite and the reason I went for the SL in the first place and even that seemed a lot at $750. In a way it worked out because I learned a lot by trying all three of these and the step to the ML was only for the difference which was a bit less painful. I gotta start selling off some records to recoup some expenses!
Scott, thanks for your initial impressions of the ML. I am a happy owner of the SL with nearly 500 hours of break-in, and my impression is quite different from yours. I found the shibata stylus to ride very quietly in the groove with little surface noise. Also, my high frequencies are nicely extended without edginess. I'm wondering if your experience with the SL may have been due to set up differences. In any event, I would love to hear more comparisons between the ML and the SL once the ML is broken in. Thanks, and keep up the good work!
@@charlielopresto1700 Hi Charlie,
Honestly I'm not sure what was going on with my example of the SL. When I auditioned a broken in example at the dealer I loved it. They set mine up professionally, and when I noticed issues with it being edgy and forward, I had it professionally set up a second time, changed to high quality phono preamp and it just didn't sound right. I'm thinking the cartridge may have been faulty even though the distributor said it was fine. All accounts I read of this cartridge were extremely positive and that's why I bought it. I'm glad you are enjoying yours so much. But all ended well. I look at the purchase of the SL as a sort of down payment for my eventual purchase of the ML. Because of my difficulties I only had to pay the difference, so I am ok with that. Now I'm hearing what the Hana sound is like!
Hi Scott, great video thank you. I am interested in the Hana ML cartridge. I have an Ortofon Quintet black and wondered if you have a comparisons between these two cartridges. Thanks Adam
Hi Adam,
You're welcome. I've not heard h the he Ortophon, so I could not advise you either way. Have you anywhere that you can audition it? I can say that I've been very satisfied with the Hana. Even more than when I first did this video.,
I must say that at 10 hours on my own Hana MH I am experiencing some of the same qualities you describe. The high frequencies are a tad sharp on some symbols and percussion instruments. It is also a tad thin lacking timber and tonal depth. It has gotten better since the first play, but still not blowing me away. Time will tell. I hope it gets better. I have the VTA set a bit lower than level. My last cartridge was a Grado Reference 3. A beautiful sounding cartridge with stunning tone and timber.
Thanks so much for your comment. I think this is normal at the stage you are at. If I recall, at 10 hours I was still having some reservations, though out of the box it was significantly better than the SL with 100 hours. I think you will start to see this feeling dissipate as you get to the 50 hour mark. Mine has settled in beautifully and sounds great. That slight edge and thinness should go away soon. I too had my VTA set lower and was playing with loading at the beginning. Now everything is set as it should be and loading is at 100. I would reevaluate your settings (VTA, VTF and alignment) around 50 and then again at 100 hours and by then everything should be in place.
I hope to do a follow up video soon.
@@ThePressingMatters hey. Thanks. Great info. I’ll hang in there and hopefully things will improve as you describe.
I have the Hana ML. About 2 years in, I love it, though I don't have a lot to compare it to. It's my first MC cart. For break in, I just played a lot of records. I do think it changed a little, but it was very subtle. Perhaps 1 part improvement to 1 part confirmation bias. 🙂
Thank you for your comment! The ML really changed very little. It was pretty much there by 10-15 hours and subtle improvements over the next 100. When I think back upon my experience with the SL, I was HOPING for it to change with break in, which it never really did. I was never content with it and tried everything to change the sound. Obviously it was the wrong approach, and changing the cartridge was the answer. The ML was beautiful right out of the gate. I'll be doing a follow up soon with my latest impressions and will make it a full review.
Thanks for your experience. Hope it helps me to replace my AT33 to Hana cartridge. Coz I tired of AT high's
Are you finding the highs a bit rolled off pn the AT33EV?
Hi Scott. As you say, first thing you notice with the ML is the "huge" soundstage and also it can be little bit too direct in the highs. Luckily these highs are silky and acceptable, they are not sterile. I can tell you, the highs will get perfect after a couple of albums. The tonal balance is perfect when broken in. I have it mounted on a Thales arm and the Feickert Firebird, I do not need more than the ML 🙂 Tonality and musicality is much better than with some of the really expensive cartridges focusing (too much) on resolution. An alternative is the Dynavector XX-2.
Hi,
You're right, the highs are not sterile at all. For a few hours I had a few issues in the top end but that has smoothed out already. Incredible!
Really interesting video. I wish all equipment reviewers were as humble and transparent as you. I think the thing I enjoyed most about this review is how you appear to not draw any prior conclusions going into this purchase and let it roll out as it happened.
Your experience highlights to me some of the issues rarely talked about in the audiophile world but an issue that plagues most audiophile buyers. It is what is not said in this video that I find a true point of interest. Question, how would you have solved this issue if you did not have other more experience people willing to lend you things, give you there professional opinion, or worse if you weren't 100% sure that the rest of your equipment wasn't the problem. What if you had to draw your own conclusions based on nothing but what is in front of you? What you experienced could easily set someone back years of not listening to there equipment until they went through spending god knows how many hours of ones life, the financial expense of buying testing (what might be perfectly good equipment) and the frustration you would experience only to draw no meaningful conclusions?
Anyways, glad that things are turning around for you and thanks again for sharing your impressions. I will be in the market for a new cartridge very soon myself. Very valuable video Scott ✌
Honestly, that WAS me for a while. Just shooting in the dark, hoping something would work well. Having a good dealer has changed all that. I read and researched but going and hearing things at a dealer, going to audio shows and developing friendships with more experienced people has been invaluable. I made some expensive mistakes before this but even here, those mistakes taught me a lot about different cartridges Design philosophy, stylus shapes, loading and gain. I had to go through it and learn with my own ears. What sounds good to others might not be right for me and my system. If someone is just getting into vinyl, they need expert guidance or they will get frustrated.
Hi Scott and Happy 4th of July to all. As you know I currently own the ML and your description in what you found to be true when you upgraded from the SL to the ML was the same for myself. I noticed after 25 hrs, things started to settle down. Between 50-75 hrs your cart should be broken in. Currently I have 250hrs on this particular cart and it still performs well. One thing I do is warm up my cart by playing one side of any album. Kinda a 15-25 min warmup. It’s like warming up your car before you really drive. Just get things moving better. Can’t wait to see your full review. As always cheers. Getting closer to the 7.5k mark.
Hi Brian,
I hoped I would hear from you because I know you own the ML. One thing I can say is the ML gave a much more favorable impression right away compared to the SL. I really feel i have made the right choice. It's improving by the hour and I will revisit it with an update at 50 hours. Even at 15 hours, I'm noticing a smoother presentation that is very attractive.
Thanks for the great video! Do you find ML to be lacking delicacy on midrange - especially on vocals? It's the only kind of common negative feedback I've seen across the internet but not sure if it's easily noticeable.
Thank you! That is something that I noticed in the first 10 hours. I am now well over 100 and everything has gotten better, particularly the midrange and vocal. I'll have more to say very soon in a full review so stay tuned
I bought a Hana ML on Cancuck audio Mart. The cantilever was push into the body. Andy Kim retipped it for $450 with A Boron Cantilever and a Micro Ridge nude stylus.
How is it sounding? Is it your first Hana?
Hi Scott, jupp, i have an ML and I am very happy with it. I have 3 other cartridges for my system, Allnic Rose at about double the price, an Kiseki Purplheart, and an Ortofon Cadenza red. I have been perferring my ML lately, the Allnic has perhaps the better performance and tonal characters, but is very revealing especially with less than perfect recordings, so I get a bit too much sibilants with that one sometimes. Will switch to my Ortofon now for a while and see how I get along with that one long term. My ML was purchased lightly used and was thus already broken in ..
Hi,
Thanks for watching and commenting! Some beautiful cartridges there, so that's really saying something! The ML is smoothing out now at about 20 hours and it's been a joy. I'm holding off of the torture tests till I get about 50 hours on it! Will have an update soon!
Hello
What do you think about Kiseki Purplheart ?
@@fanclub670 Well I like the timbre/sound of it , but my ex has a production issue. The motor unit / coils are not produced and or mounted right. I can see in microscope that the azimut of the stylus is pretty off. Unfortunately I bought it second hand and listened to it but did not detect this issue while listening on an unfamiliar system and unfamiliar room. But when trying to align it with a test record and oscilloscope I see the channel balance is off by about 2.5 db and channel separation is not better than 15 db whatever azimut I set. So way out of speck. This impacts imaging mostly but also tracking is not super on it. So I am basically not using it. I do not have the stomach to sell it to anyone either when I know it's issues. I have contacted the most reputable repair shops to try to have it repaired , but they say it's constructed in such a way that it cannot be repaired... So I would stay away unless you by from a reputable seller where you get full waranty etc. And know how to measure that is performs well and withing spec, or get someone to do that for you...
@@RaviNewfarm OK 👌
Thanks a lot for reply !👍
Thanks for the video. I’m a little puzzled by your comment that the “needle get polished”. I find it hard to believe vinyl alters the needle.
Perhaps it's a small effect but with play a stylus will wear. Eventually they have to be changed. So I'm referring to not actual wear but a slight polishing of the stylus. I'll try and find a reference for that statement.
I currently have the Hana EH and I'm about to pull the trigger on the Ml. I was going to get my Dynavector 10x5 retipped.
I haven't done the update video yet, but I'm approaching 50 hours. I'm really liking it, and based on what I know so far, I would go for the ML and skip the SL. It's worth the extra. Stay tuned fora fullreview
@ThePressingMatters thank you for your help, I ordered this 2 hrs ago from Music Direct and it will be delivered to me tomorrow. I got an open box for $959, which hard to pass up.
Awesome! Let me know how it goes. I'd be very interested in your impressions vs your other cartridges.
@@ThePressingMattersThe cartridge came at 3:00 pm yesterday and I installed it last night. It is miles ahead of my Hana EH, Denon dl-304 and Dynavector 10x5. It is smooth, yet the highs are not fatiguing. With my phonostage and magnitudes of options and gain settings, on my reg preamp as well I'm impressed, but still cautious.
The highs are not sibilant so far and records that sounded dull with the Hana EH sound exciting and full of life. I can't wait for your final review.
My system has been on since 6:00 am this morning and still going with 1 hour last night. I can't get enough. I wonder how much better the umami sounds, blue or red.
Great update! I predict things will start to smooth out on top over the next few hours. I'm up to 50 hours and I'm still noticing small changes, all for the good! I have it with no gain reduction and set at 100 on my Modwright, and it's perfect. Only one record that was cut a bit hot did I go down to 50, but even that is playing nice at 100. Glad you're happy so far, please keep me informed and I'll have an update or full review in the coming weeks.
The Shabbat needs very clean setup. If not it will drag in the grove
I know, and had the best technician redo it a second time after the initial dealer installation. Checked it myself as well. If that is how it sounds, assuming it was not defective, than the sound just wasn't for me. Much happier with the ML.
I have the Hana SL and I like it !!
Would I change it by ML ?
I would say if you are happy with the SL, then let it run its course. Many are perfectly satisfied with it. I'm my case, I did notice a definite improvement with the ML. It wasn't subtle.
@@ThePressingMatters Thank you for reply !! 👍👍
Please also bear in mind that my particular example of the SL, even though Musical Surroundings found it not defective, may have had some issue. I suspect a perfect example, set up precisely, would yield wonderful sonic results. The ML had a sweetness and liquidity to it right out of the box and it only got better around 100 hours. It's also seemed less fussy to set up. It might be something to look into once your cartridge need changing, and you should be able to trade up with your old SL and get a discount.
@@ThePressingMatters OK, thank you ! 👍
If the slight high frequency edge does not disappear with time, tracking it at a slightly higher force will solve the problem. It is magical moments to hear records you are so familiar with, revealing nuances and subtleties you never heard before, with your previous playback. But it makes you wonder if there aren't other things out there that would give you another improvement like that. One time a guy bought the exact same piece of equipment on sale at the same time that I did. After about a week of listening, he said "With what little money I have in it, I'm satisfied." I thought "What kind of a guy IS that?? By that time, I had already done a half dozen mods on mine.
With any new major improvement to our sound, our recordings sound like they were recorded better than we thought. Instead of 300 good recordings out of 500; we realize we might have 375 good recordings. We have to give more credit to ones we didn't like that well before, and re-evaluate. Playing back some lps will reveal a world of improvement; a whole new listening experience! While others will reveal hardly any improvement at all, only a little improvement; relatively much smaller. It isn't possible to predict which ones will be which either; until you actually play them. Which lp's really went up in sound quality the most, with the upgrade Scott?
One that definitely stood out is the Sheffield Direct to Disc Discovered Again by Dave Gruisin. Where before I thought it was pleasant sonic wallpaper, with three auditions over the last day, I'm getting so much more from it. Every instrument rings true. The Steinway sounds beautiful and realistic, Drums have the punch of a live performance. Vibes are absolutely breathtaking. Little touches like triangles have a marvelous clarity and decay. The space is beautifully rendered. I got more involved with it than ever before. Not one spot of glare or harshness. Buttery smooth deeply involving presentation I had never experienced on this level.
@@ThePressingMatters That is a good one. Mountain Dance is Dave Grusin's best lp probably, but I haven't heard them all. The recordings that will make the biggest improvement are the ones that sound like you can hear potential; like when something tells you the recording is better than the pressing. I have good instincts on sensing which ones might turn out to be real stunners. Their sound quality being held back all those years by bad lp pressings. I made another major improvement recently. I played some albums by the group Yes. Amazing improvement. Then I got out some Jethro Tull. Any improvement was very subtle. I'm glad I have my 1980s Mofi of Aqualung.
@sidesup8286 I haven't yet ventured into any rock, so far jazz, vocals and classical. All are sounding great. I'll try some rock tomorrow. Maybe some Yes or Genesis.
One record I just played tonight was Ella Swings Lightly, an original stereo pressing, and that was a beauty. Perfectly balanced sound and incredible vocal quality. Verve really did a wonderful job with Billie and Ella.
@@ThePressingMatters You ought to put on at least the first track of that Mofi of CSN. The blended voices on Suite: Judy Blue Eyes will be a real delight if they sound way smoother. If they still don't, then it could be the Mofi. Lessening distortion and electronic signature are the two main things I work on. Get those 2 things down enough and the rest is icing on the cake. A smooth natural non-electronicy sound will result in a real feeling that you're listening to something totally genuine and non-weird. The more weirdness you can eliminate from your sound the better.
…so then it seems your 2nd date with Hana is going better than the first.
Yeah I dumped her twin sister after one date lol. ML performs much more to my liking. She's so smooth and silky, really gorgeous. :-)
Vs lyra delos?
It would be interesting for sure! My dealer may have one for me to hear. I'll check and see.
Installing an ML today....
It's a very easy installation with any decent tool. The threaded top plate makes it much easier than dealing with nuts and bolts. Let me know how things go with the break in. Already it's sounding beautiful here.
All done. My TT guru did the set up including some time with the Air Tight break in tool. Already sounds superb. SME 10 table. Glad your enjoying yours.
@@bwaters23 i didn't know about the Air Tight tool! I'll have to research it. I've heard of and used devices to break in a phono stage but not a cartridge! Glad it sounding good right out of the box! Thanks for getting back to me. Let me know how it's sounding at 25 hours. I noticed a positive change around 15.
You set the needle down on it and it goes through cycles of micro vibrations to simulate many hours of playing. Of course it doesn’t affect the stylus just the suspension. Made by founder of Air Tight Mr. Miura.
@@bwaters23 How cool is that!??
did u ever do the full review after u got 100 hours on it?
Hi,
No I haven't yet, but I'm about to start working on it. It's got much more time on it now, and I'm about to hear it on a new turntable as well, so it should be very interesting to do the follow up. Stay tuned!
@@ThePressingMatters interesting to do a second review a year later. im intrigued. lets hear it.