Listened on my Stax/Lambda Pro Sig/T1 tube driver.
Well, I wouldnât dream of suggesting that the Palladian sounds $9,890 better than the JVC, but it does sound better...a lot better. I really do wish I could say that the JVC sounds as good as the Palladian does to my ears; but, while it does sound decent, I just donât think it is in the same league.
First, as I have opined previously, âthere is no âinherentâ superiority of one form of cartridge over another in my experienceâ. I agree with halcroâs comment completely. IN GENERAL, each technology seems to offer certain desirable characteristics. Personally, I donât think that this JVC is a particularly good example of the general merits of MMâs. I am much less impressed with this one than the previous Victors heard. As always, the tuning and other characteristics of the rest of the audio system plays a major role in how well a given cartridge fits in.
To my ears the most obvious difference, and one immediately apparent, is that the Palladian controls the highs much much better. I could point out that the JVC sounds thin and splashy in the highs with a generally terrible (sorry) cymbal sound, but the best example is to listen to how it handles sibilant âsâ sounds. Listen to the lyric âsomethingâ @ 1:44; or, âpeaceâ (?) @ 1:54. The âsâ sounds are distorted and splashy. With the Palladian (@1:45&1:55) the âsâ is smooth, controlled and well integrated.
With the JVC, besides a cymbal sound (high-hat in particular) that gets distorted and pushed forward to the point of distraction the result of this characteristic is that the sound of other instruments get tilted in the direction of that zone of distortion. The guitars sound thinner with a little too much âtwangâ and less sense of the body of the instrument. Vocals sound less natural than with the Palladian which offers a generally smoother and meatier sound. At times I wished that the Palladian had a little less âmeatâ and a little more of the JVCâs faux clarity (distortion) in the highs, but I much preferred the overall balance of the Palladian. The JVC sounds a little fatiguing by comparison. Dynamic performance seemed comparable for the most part, although the distraction of the JVCâs splashy cymbal sound obscures some of the rhythmic interplay between the drums, bass and guitar for some reduction of rhythmic groove. Â
Thanks, halcro.
Edit:
I just went back and reviewed my earlier comments (and halcroâs) re the other Victors heard previously. I loved the X1, I did not like the 4MD-1X as much, and I liked this 4MD-20X even less. Halcro feels that the 4MD-1X is âsomewhat betterâ than the 4MD-20X. It all seems to make sense and is consistent.
Well, I wouldnât dream of suggesting that the Palladian sounds $9,890 better than the JVC, but it does sound better...a lot better. I really do wish I could say that the JVC sounds as good as the Palladian does to my ears; but, while it does sound decent, I just donât think it is in the same league.
First, as I have opined previously, âthere is no âinherentâ superiority of one form of cartridge over another in my experienceâ. I agree with halcroâs comment completely. IN GENERAL, each technology seems to offer certain desirable characteristics. Personally, I donât think that this JVC is a particularly good example of the general merits of MMâs. I am much less impressed with this one than the previous Victors heard. As always, the tuning and other characteristics of the rest of the audio system plays a major role in how well a given cartridge fits in.
To my ears the most obvious difference, and one immediately apparent, is that the Palladian controls the highs much much better. I could point out that the JVC sounds thin and splashy in the highs with a generally terrible (sorry) cymbal sound, but the best example is to listen to how it handles sibilant âsâ sounds. Listen to the lyric âsomethingâ @ 1:44; or, âpeaceâ (?) @ 1:54. The âsâ sounds are distorted and splashy. With the Palladian (@1:45&1:55) the âsâ is smooth, controlled and well integrated.
With the JVC, besides a cymbal sound (high-hat in particular) that gets distorted and pushed forward to the point of distraction the result of this characteristic is that the sound of other instruments get tilted in the direction of that zone of distortion. The guitars sound thinner with a little too much âtwangâ and less sense of the body of the instrument. Vocals sound less natural than with the Palladian which offers a generally smoother and meatier sound. At times I wished that the Palladian had a little less âmeatâ and a little more of the JVCâs faux clarity (distortion) in the highs, but I much preferred the overall balance of the Palladian. The JVC sounds a little fatiguing by comparison. Dynamic performance seemed comparable for the most part, although the distraction of the JVCâs splashy cymbal sound obscures some of the rhythmic interplay between the drums, bass and guitar for some reduction of rhythmic groove. Â
Thanks, halcro.
Edit:
I just went back and reviewed my earlier comments (and halcroâs) re the other Victors heard previously. I loved the X1, I did not like the 4MD-1X as much, and I liked this 4MD-20X even less. Halcro feels that the 4MD-1X is âsomewhat betterâ than the 4MD-20X. It all seems to make sense and is consistent.