Ortofon A90 review.... wrong choice of gear

I only mentioned the phono stage because the reviewer pointed out the A90 sounded 'warmer' through the Slee.

Myles...

All I am saying is that to hear how good the A90 is, is it not worth putting it with the 'type' of equipment it will be used with? I don't know about you but I heard that the Cambridge audio 640p was a good phono stage...I heard one in my system and it sounded CRAP! Compared to what I was using at the time, the Cambridge sounded.... well crap!
Some folks think the 640p is as good as if not better than the Slee units. I have found that after the TT/ Arm/cartridge combination the phono stage is a definite next big stage. I like many here have found that they can either 'hide' the cartridges capabilities or bring them out.
Things like RIAA accuracy which the mags 'bang on about' is irrelevent, because most stages are pretty much the same when it comes to RIAA specs. Like any amplifier, it's how the cartridge signal is 'processed' that makes the difference.

I think it was wrong to play the A90 though a cheap phono stage and 'hope' to really hear what it is like. The Slee like many other cheap units don't image that well, have a very limited sound stage and don't sound as 'real' as the higher-end products. So, playing an A90 through that will give you the wrong idea.

Rob-Reread my post. That is exactly what I said :)

Oh yeh....I need my tooth extracted and it's getting in the way of my brain!

Dear friends: I agree ( one way or the other ) with almost all your posts so I don't want to be redundant about but touch a little different approach.

As are different reviewers levels as are different audio magazines levels.

On the England audio magazines HIFi Choice and especially HIFI+ are IMHO at the top level and HiFi World at the lowest one and border line " mediocrity " ( could be that even that the magazine is a medicre medium one of its reviewer/contributor can has a top level as happen with top level magazines that some of its reviewers/contributors are mediocre ones. ).
Why any one want to read an audio magazine that is deep on mediocrity? just for fun? or it is that the ones that read it are at that level? or because there is no other one to read?

It is clear to me that no one of you are HiFi World readers your audio level is way up to hat magazine. No one of you can take seriously a kind of review like that on the A90.

The problem IMHO is not people like you but the un-experienced ones that read that they can mate the A90 with a " poor " quality performance analog rig.
A function/target of an audio magazine is to be a " stage to learn ", an audio newbie can learn through those kind of reviews?: IMHO they can't, the ones that can learn are all of us because we can learn or confirm how don't do " things ".

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.

I just bought the Feb Hifi World and have had a read of the A90 review mentioned in this thread.

I agree with Robm that you need to take a liberal grain of salt with the review and need to take the reviewers system into context. However there are some good points in the review.

Noel Keywood actually measures the cartridges he reviews. Noel has voiced his systems to be ultra smoooth - his words not mine

" The MC90 has an almost ruler-flat frequency response from 20 - 20khz within tight 1db limits. Its quite an amazing feat in its own and should result in super smooth, character free treble. For some listeners used to the more typical high frequency lift most cartridges possess, the A90 might sound a little recitent, possibly lacking a little sparkle"

The measurements are superb.

He compared the A90 to the Cadenza bronze, that by comparison offers a technicolor sound".

Interestly the 2nd opinion review says the A90 has clarity at the expense of body and he had to use it with the 900 pound Icon tube phono instead of the Slee SS phono as the tube phono seemed to complement the slight brightness of the cartridge.

So he we have the same A90 cart and in one system it is too warm and smooth, and the other too lean and bright. All the A90 is doing is highlighting the sound of each reviewers system. sounds like each system needs some balancing :-)

For me the A90 is easily the best cartridge I have heard and it is that lack of high end exageration that I appreciate the most. This enables one to get into the true transparency of the music better.

cheers