Jan Allaerts Cartridge Experience?

Thomas,you seem to be contradicting yourself in some comments.First you claim there is not that many good cartridges today.Then you state that today,there are alot of good choices.I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt,and assuming you know that today there are more great choices of components,in virtually any component category than ever before.In lieu of the fact that this is 2006,the fact that there seems to be so many really fine cartridge designs,makes that,alone,all the more amazing!!Now that digital has become the norm!

Also,the phonostage and arm,like virtually every aspect of a good set-up,is clearly important,but that does not negate the fact that there has been a wealth of "cartridge developement" in the "here and now".Last year I,and a pal did an extensive(and expensive)"small signal tube" survey,for our own phonostages.Even that aspect of performance,with the wide variety of "NOS" tubes out there,could,and has,become a long winded subject.

It's at the very "beginning",in the "groove",where everything "starts"!It's then up to all of us to screw it up from there -:)

Best!------- I guess I'm not going to get any new Allaerts insight,as those owners are probably too busy listening to music.That could say it all!!

Sirspeedy I'm in a rush so cant give an extensive comment but I find the Allaerts MC2 Finish is truly an exceptional cartridge. Properly set up, and with a good phonostage (it wants 845ohms mostly) the results are thrilling and astounding. A remarkable cartridge by any standards. I would add its also very sensitive to set up - especially VTF, where it doesn't tolerate any variance off 1.8gms. It brings out a lot more detail than the MC1B MK2, and a little more surface noise. The only other cartridge i've heard that seems of the same quality (and could be even more amazing actually, though its very different) is the Kondo Io-J. But of course the best Dynavector, Univ, Miyabi are all excellent cartridges too. I had got fed up with waiting so long, but in the end it was more than worth it. Now i'm very keen to hear the Formula 1.

BTW,Thomas--I owe you an apology!I read your post too quickly.You were not contradictory.Sorry!!

Dear friends: +++++ " I think, here it is much more important what Arm you have and what Phonostage to get the details out. " +++++

I almost agree with this Thomas post specially on the phonopreamp subject where not many people give the critical importance that the Phonopreamp has on the quality sound reproduction. In my opinion this analog audio link is ( maybe ) the most important one.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I own a MC2 Formul 1.
I have used it with a Da Vinci Grndezza Gran Reference 12" and also with a Graham Phantom 2 on a Monaco Grand Prix Audio turntable and on a Versa Dynamics 2.0.
It is a good cartridge, fast, dynamic and well detailed.
Compared with tha Kondo IOM it sounds a little lighter on low frequencies but a little more dynamic..
Compared with Ikeda 9 it sounds a little deeper on low frequencies and very similar in dynamic, perhaps just a little lower but richer in details.
With a Audio Tekné MC6310 it is clearer ad more extended in high frequencies, faster and more dynamic, but perhaps for some voices and "solo" instruments" a little less "magic" (but it happens only few times).
Compared with the Audio Note IO LTD it has a better separation but loses against the capacity of IO LTD to materialize instruments/people/music in front of you.
Against the ZYX Diamond, it sounds a little similar but, i think that, the Diamond has all the qualities of the Formula expanded.
I think best matching for the Formula1 is an active preamp, but it seems to me it sounds a little more natural with high sensivity speakers driven by tubes.
:)
Pietro