Kiseki "PurpleHeart N. S. (New Style)" moving coil cartridge, beautiful looking and sounding.

Beautiful design... piece of musical art. Reminds me to my Koetsu cartridge.

 

Claus, the first time I saw a Kiseki cartridge, Koetsu was the first thought I had in my mind. Both makes of cartridges reek of elegance in styling and in sonics. Pure Japanese audio art.

 

Thanks again Steve for the great insight. Kiseki, what a piece of craftsmanship!

 

Which Norman Blake album is that?

 

I wish I could hear that cartridge. I have heard at least one model of most of the premium brands of cartridges, but, I cannot recall listening to a Kiseki cartridge. I am envious.

 

Nice, thanks. Those Flying Fish, Rounder and Sugar Hill records generally have great sound. Tony Rice, Norman Blake, the Bluegrass Album Band, Skaggs and Rice...killer stuff. Plus the Rounder albums were pressed on translucent Quiex vinyl.

 

It's interesting that Kisekis appeal to you, Steve, as they do that midrange perfectly - one of the characteristics of an SH mastering effort. Try and listen to some Stax Sigma Pro headphones - they have exactly the same characteristics - the only phones I've heard that do piano/vocals perfectly.

 

I hope the Blue sounds as good as the PurpleHeart. Looks-wise, I'm slightly biased towards the look of the Blue (as one can probably surmise from my avatar). I almost didn't grab that Norman Blake LP when I saw it (ages ago), for some reason. Glad I did, anyway.

 

Has anyone Compared the Grado Statement 1 to the Kiseki "PurpleHeart N. S.

Grado also has the wonderful mids, so a side by side would be very interesting.

 

Steve, that statement is absolutely on point...100%, IMHO. It is so very interesting to see how few a'philes either a) agree with that statement and/or b) understand it. In the music world, it is taught that almost all music reproduction is to be found in the midrange. If you don't get that area right, you are doomed before you start. I have had numerous disagreements with other a'philes who simply do NOT accept this fact. Maybe you and I are the only two who do, LOL.

 

J. Gordon Holt was a big proponent of getting the midrange right.

 

I would go as far to say that IF an audio component can get the midrange right, probably all else will basically fall into place. One of the reasons that I love my Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage's so very much is that they get the mids so very right...better than just about any other speaker I have heard in over 40 years in this hobby.

 

The Kiseki Blue was even more impressive in person - talk about precision machining.

 

Thanks for the offer Steve, but LA is a bit out of the way. I could send you a pre-paid mailer so you could send it to me. If you were to compare its sound to other cartridges you have heard, which ones would you say is most similar to the Kiseki?

 

That's another great point. I too have heard this at shows from various equipment manufacturer's. Makes one wonder if we all hear the midrange quality the same way??

 

The purple heart is without a doubt the most beautiful sounding cartridge I have ever owned. I really need to get my 25+ year old unit retipped one of these days.

 

"V equalization" is a pox on high fidelity, if not, humanity.