HANA cartridges are already well-recognized and loved by many analog aficionados and music lovers around the globe. With the Umami Red MC cartridge, HANA ventures into the delicate realm of MC cartridges, where some of the most iconic Japanese designs have been perfected, including the renowned Urushi lacquer-based cartridges. I was thrilled when Hiroshi Ishihara of Youtek Limited offered me […]
As much as the digital audio is being acquainted with the new developments, the analog counterpart is by no means slowing down. In the last two or three years, I have received many highly interesting cartridges, each of which has pushed the limits of analog reproduction by a not inconsiderable amount. When I was asked to evaluate the ZYX Ultimate […]
Richard H. Mak writes: “If there is one game in High-End audio that’s gaining popularity right now, it is the ever-Inflationary-MSRP game, and I mean it is really getting out of hand in 2020. Amplifiers costing more than condos, and speakers the price of a small yacht. Cartridge’s are no different, my favorite cartridge on earth, the ZYX Optimum 1 […]
Latest review by Mono and Stereo Senior Contributing Reviewer Ron Resnick (September 5, 2020). This time Ron takes a closer look at the GRADO LABS EPOCH3 cartridge with his usual passion, dedication, and detailed insights. INTRODUCTION Jonathan Grado, Vice President of Marketing at Grado Labs, of Brooklyn, New York, offered in November of 2019 to send to me the Lineage […]
Micha Huber is known for its outstanding analog creations and has already demonstrated this with the minimalist and highly sophisticated analog products in the form of turntables and iconic twin-tube tonearms. Now he continues his analog legacy with brand new products and company. Huber is a perfectionist by nature, as all his products show, and his latest creation and venture […]
When Guy Pelletier, the owner of Audio MusiKraft, asked me if I was interested in reviewing one of his pickups, I did a little research on the product as usual. Even a quick glance at the website sparkled more than enough curiosity to make it go beyond the usual interest. After a few e-mail exchanges, we set for the evaluation […]
When the DS Audio DS-W2 cartridge and phono stage arrived approximately a year and a half ago, I jokingly said on Facebook that the cartridge has got “Frickin Laser Beams” made especially for Dr. Evil. Tetsuaki Aoyagi (or just “Aki”), President of DS Audio, saw my Facebook post and quickly pointed out that DS Audio has got nothing to do […]
8. October 2019. Many amongst us are highly cherishing the analog products that are coming from the Land of The Rising Sun. Decades of painstaking efforts in researching all the different materials and approaches have lead to the creations of many analog micro machines. In the past few years, HANA cartridges made a highly important impact on our beloved industry. By […]
You could say, that I’m both, rather well informed and quite fond about the analog products from the Japanese boutique high-end manufacturer Murasakino. I’ve already reviewed the Murasakino Sumile Mono MC cartridge here, that received prestigious Mono and Stereo Editors Choice Award and Sumile MC cartridge here, that also received Highly-recommended product award. Their products are as distinctive as the […]
The attentive Mono and Stereo readers will surely remember that I’ve already reviewed Murasakino Sumile MC cartridge some time ago. This is what I’ve written almost three years back… “Murasakino’s Sumile cartridge comes as visceral and has more soul then I would even dare to expect. It’s always great to discover such a cameo among all the offerings especially if […]
They come in all shapes and sizes, they have many different names. Their price can vary by over a few hundred percents, and yet price does not correlate with performance… No, I’m not talking about condoms, tampons, pens, or chocolates. I’m talking about the single most indispensable tool which every turntable owner must buy regardless of whether you own a […]