Any word on the Blue Angel "Mantis"?

Thanks for your feedback - I am havinf the opportunity to try & buy thanks to a generous offer from the seller. I compared the "Mantis" with my current Dynavector XX2 and heard some others at friends installations.

We have all agreed that this has been the best analog reproduction I have had in 30 years, and looks hard to beat it with similar priced options.

I have received some mails directly from a couple of "Mantis" owners that are willing to speak with me by phone and share their impressions - both sound very happy customers so far.

Regards,

I am deciding to keep it, it is by far the best cartiridge I have heard so far - it is very picky with VTA adjustments and overhang - once properly set up it sounds fantastic, very musical, honest and full of energy.

Regards,

Hi,
if I'm right, for ~ $1.700 of the snake-wood (alu cantilever) item it seems a very good cart for fair (MC) money.

Some dude offering it for $5'000, as could be seen on the web, was obviously trying to make a quick buck.

Dear Axel: +++++ " good cart for fair (MC) money. " +++++

What is a fair price? for whom? what really means fair price?

Do you think that a 50.00 cartridge that " fumigate " not only the Mantis but cartridges ( like Lawrence posted on the MM thread. ) in the 8-12K price range have a fair price?, well take a look:

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgcart&1253551030&/Sumiko-Andante-P-76-New-Phono-

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

Hi Raul,
(MC) money = money for MC carts, which is usually 5 - 10 times more then for MM carts.
BUT, --- if you MUST HAVE an MC, for what ever reason and motivation, it seems 1.7k for the Mantis is fine?
Quickly compare it to the cost of e.g. a Jubilee +/- same price but lesser claimed performance, or Windfeld >3.5k +/- equal performance, which is what I was trying to express.
AND, note both these carts mentioned are considered to be a BARGAIN for comparable MCs, yes?

There is this thread about the high cost of MC and all explanations including J.Carr who is doing it mostly for the love of it, as he explained. How can you pay less for an MC and not feel very touched by the suffering of those poor dealers, designers and manufactures? Raul...

Do a good thing and support them, 1.7k is not so much 'tithing', no?
To go pay 10k$ - 20k$ MC 'tithing' is only for those generous souls that want and can afford it.
Now, if everyone will go change to MM, the MC cart industry will collapse, is that what you ask? Not a good thing to loose choice I think.
Greetings,