Cartridge for SME IV.V

I have a Koetsu Urushi on my IV.Vi. It was my first Koetsu and there was a lot of expectation. Jaw dropped when the first notes came out.

I started my SME20/2 IV.V with a Koetsu Black (which doesn't do the 20 justice) and then started upgrading the rest of my system. I was intending to get a Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum (RSP) when the opportunity to buy an Onyx Platinum came along.

The Onyx P made all the other investments in the system pay off...It is absolutely phenomenal. Recently I did an A/B comparison with an RSP and my Onyx P...Astonishingly for this level there was a significant improvement in frequency extension with the Onyx P.

So, I highly recommend the Koetsu Onyx Platinum.

My own personal analog guru has very good things to say about the SME V / Benz LP Ebony combination.

I have an SME 30 and the SME IV.vi arm with the Dynavector XV-1s that bettered a van den Hul Colibri and a Clearaudio Insider Reference by a significant margin IMHO. But, as always, this is a personal preference thing so YMMV

Thanks for the input guys - lots of useful info here. I suspect that the interconnect will be the first thing to go. I would have addressed that sooner, but the only interconnect that I have seen that I would have wanted appeared - and vanished :( - the same week I got the turntable. So if anyone has a nice deal on a Purist Audio Din to RCA phono interconnect, please feel free to let me know ;-)