Pickering XV-15 vs Ortofon Kontrapunkt B

[Shian7]

Originally Posted by Ianm2

I think we need another section for 'arguments' venting, flaming, and off topics, and keep hifi to hifi and all ancilliries there

I'm not sure if thats the right way round Ian!

[pre65]

Hi-most of the "arguments" arise during a genuine hi-fi topic so having a separate section will not be much help.

Perhaps we should have a special section for Ian and Stuart.



Philip

[Toppsy]

Presicisely the reason I have given up with posting this forum is the bickering between 'A FEW' members. I sure the regulars will know those I mean.

Nor sure the idea having a seperate section for Ian and Stuart. But then.......... combining the names and putting through an anagram generator one comes up with 'ANUS IT ART' Quite appropriate I thought. Just my opininion of course.

[Shian7]

Originally Posted by pre65

Hi-most of the "arguments" arise during a genuine hi-fi topic so having a separate section will not be much help.

Perhaps we should have a special section for Ian and Stuart.



Philip

Do you mean a sort of 'celebrity death-match' section? That would be cool!

[BOONDI]

Originally Posted by Shian7

Do you mean a sort of 'celebrity death-match' section? That would be cool!

L.M.A.O......

But, I thought the whole point of forii were so that people could express their opinions to a group of like minded people......

And, back on topic....

I don't own a Kontra a(nything), b or C. I do own a Pickering.....

With regard to surface noise:- I played my new audiophile pressing of the Beatles "Love" album using the Pickering and a Shure V15 XvMR. On both the listens, there was very little surface noise evident. The Pickering was the more musical and emotive. The Shure was more technical and authoritive. Then to a less well preserved audiophile disk. Again, similar sonics as before, but this time the Pickering presented less surface noise than the Shure. Last up was a very badly worn Ktel top of the pops, with definite sidewall damage and several major scratches and jumps... Well, the Pickering still made a stab at replay. The Shure was not even put on the record, it's too valuable to risk the stylus as they are now unobtainium.....Which brings me neatly to my point. When I first posted my findings with regard to the Pickering, it was as a sacrificial lamb for the second hand LP. In this regard and at it's price, it has surpassed my wildest expectations to the point that I now have 2 of them and 9 stylii....
At no point did I ever expect comparison to a Kontr B. The fact that it can hold it's own in such elevated company speaks volumes for it's VFM and just goes to show the diminishing returns law is ever present whichever version of reality we subscribe too....:p

[Ianm2]

I wasn't terribly keen on the shure mkV, so no big worries about not getting them, even if its sad a great cartrigde is now defunct.

I am about to pit my 7500 against a goldring, and a few head amps after all the amp messing around

its totally unbleivable, a cart. of that decency for £70 and 3 styli, total bargain and no brainer

lets try to get the thread back to clive and others commenting on carts.

[BOONDI]

Ian, have you made any progress with your latest experiments as per your last post?

I am thinking that santa might bring me a XVS7500.....

[Black Stuart]

Boondi,
I'm not going to bother replying to those who feel inadequate and can't handle straight talking, they need to feel part of a herd - so be it.

I've been pming with Ian and he has given me a straight forward opinion of the 7500. It has a bass problem that maybe is to do with the stylus profile, just a gut re-action but it maybe right.

If it covers 4 x times the area of a 'normal' stylus this could explain the 'abnormal' bass response, which Ian refers to as " fast and furious".

What does interest me about the cartridge is it's construction and specifically the coils. If these are in effect MC coils, then fitting an MC type stylus may well be the solution and a very cheap one in relation to the £500-750 MCs.

Expert Stylus may have a solution at a reasonable price.

Blue Angel on another forum started building his own stylii and has progressed onto a commercial enterprise. His results using quite cheap or indeed very cheap Stantons/Empires has acheived really good results - so why not the 7500.

Pickerings have very well made bodies, which is more than you can say for a lot of other cartridges. They are very well sheilded and a doddle to set-up. Fit a 'correct' type of stylus, there are, after all, only so many computations to use. Maybe, just maybe there is a giantkiller in the making and anything that can save me real money is an extra bonus for me, maybe for others too.

If I do lash out, it will be for a Shelter but that would be after a complete re-nag on the Kenwood.

[Tourmaline]

Originally Posted by Ianm2

I like the pickering, its a steal, tracks like a train, too, I suspect that mc's aren't inherently superior, and what we hear is to do with cost, ie if it costs more, usually it will be better.

the pickering afaik is a very old design, probably done by hand, whilst the new ortofon's are computer designed, so technically will be better, and you will be hearing techincal vs. old school, which still can be very good and have more 'character'.

I did find what clive found, bit of surface noise, but for the cash, I also have a 7500 that I paid a bit for, sounds quite good, but never tried it properly yet, I also have pickering/qed transistor battery step up, which is jolly good, very quiet, clear and forward, which I like, occasionally peaky.

Interested to know about those step ups, stuart, bit of an interest of mine.

They will have to be good to beat the altec/peerless ones I have, someone said they are better, but these are the best I have heard, better than ortofon's t3000, totally flat, no peaking, ortofon v. clear, but a bit 'loose' with it.

I don't think hand design versus computer design is inherantly inferior. I remember the hand made very expensive van den hul elements. Also some other expensive elements are hand made. It has more to do with design and material.