Just over a week has gone by since my Sumiko Pearwood was retiped with a Frits Gyger II styuls by Northwest Audio. It was good from day one, but over the week it has improved subtly. I re adjusted the down force yesterday, the digital balance arived. As already reported, the new 'recycled wood' TT shelf has played its part dramaticaly.
There was always an open easy sound from the first time I heard the new tip, but as needle time has been acrewed a smoothe, dynamic presentation developed with one becoming aware of extra inner detail. The base line is much stonger, on the right record, 'at the right points in the music . . . !' showing just what the speakers are capable of, mid range detail is superb, top end is well controled, with unnatural subiliance, where I thought it exited, vanished in almost all instances. Dynamics are strong with musicality giving a listening pleasure one keeps wanting to come back to.
Image has taken on a full presentation, not the wide left to right classic stero presentation but a room filling, wall crashing (were appropiate) solid, live performance type of image. One worthy of note is the Nat King Cole 'Love is the Thing', I have an original copy. Not haveing heard the remaster . . . The original is stunning, as I say, a 'real performance', with width, depth, hight, all in layers and the 'King' there very personal with an ease and realisum to the voice, it is amazing . . .
The re tip has changed my perception of classical work, being able to follow a section or individual instrument with ease, again on the right recording. In other words if the infomation is there in the black stuff, the 'Northwest Audio Sumiko' will find it . . . which says a lot for the rest of my simple basic system. I have always believed that it simpley delivers what is presented to it . . . Remembering the old audiophile mantra of yester year; 'quality in, quality out', 8)
Speaking to Dominic, he sugested that this sort of magic can be worked on lesser cartridges, their monetary value being less than the retip cost, he admits a hard one to sell . . . I fancy the idea of a Denon 103 re tipped with an FGII, the 103, classic in its own right, would it react well . . . just aint got a 103 . . . :?
I had reservations over re tipping, to the extent, I bought the Benz Wood, at the right price, as a possible hedge against things not going to my liking. My fears were unfounded, the £250 re tip is a route I will happily take in the future, working on the basis that styli are consumable items and one will be looking at this senario in a 1000 or so hours again???
All this and a new 'Audio Mods' arm to come . . . where will that take us?
CJSF
There was always an open easy sound from the first time I heard the new tip, but as needle time has been acrewed a smoothe, dynamic presentation developed with one becoming aware of extra inner detail. The base line is much stonger, on the right record, 'at the right points in the music . . . !' showing just what the speakers are capable of, mid range detail is superb, top end is well controled, with unnatural subiliance, where I thought it exited, vanished in almost all instances. Dynamics are strong with musicality giving a listening pleasure one keeps wanting to come back to.
Image has taken on a full presentation, not the wide left to right classic stero presentation but a room filling, wall crashing (were appropiate) solid, live performance type of image. One worthy of note is the Nat King Cole 'Love is the Thing', I have an original copy. Not haveing heard the remaster . . . The original is stunning, as I say, a 'real performance', with width, depth, hight, all in layers and the 'King' there very personal with an ease and realisum to the voice, it is amazing . . .
The re tip has changed my perception of classical work, being able to follow a section or individual instrument with ease, again on the right recording. In other words if the infomation is there in the black stuff, the 'Northwest Audio Sumiko' will find it . . . which says a lot for the rest of my simple basic system. I have always believed that it simpley delivers what is presented to it . . . Remembering the old audiophile mantra of yester year; 'quality in, quality out', 8)
Speaking to Dominic, he sugested that this sort of magic can be worked on lesser cartridges, their monetary value being less than the retip cost, he admits a hard one to sell . . . I fancy the idea of a Denon 103 re tipped with an FGII, the 103, classic in its own right, would it react well . . . just aint got a 103 . . . :?
I had reservations over re tipping, to the extent, I bought the Benz Wood, at the right price, as a possible hedge against things not going to my liking. My fears were unfounded, the £250 re tip is a route I will happily take in the future, working on the basis that styli are consumable items and one will be looking at this senario in a 1000 or so hours again???
All this and a new 'Audio Mods' arm to come . . . where will that take us?
CJSF