Cartridge Reviews

Tonearms: Graham 2.0, Immedia RPM2, Simon Yorke.
Turntables: VPI TNT Mk.IV, Simon Yorke.
Preamplification: Ayre K-1, Ayre K-3 preamplifiers; Stax SRM-T1W passive line section; Lehmann Black Cube, Audio Research PH-3SE, Pass Aleph Ono phono sections.
Power amplifiers: Conrad-Johnson Premier Twelve and VTL MB 450 vacuum-tube amplifiers.
Loudspeakers: Sonus Faber Concerto Grand Piano, Audio Physic Virgo, Audio Physic Rhea subwoofer.
Cables: Cardas Neutral Reference, Precision Interface Technology, XLO Type 3.1 Signature phono cables; Yamamura Millennium 6000, Cardas Golden Cross, Electra-Glide interconnects; Yamamura speaker cables; Yamamura Quantum, Electra-Glide AC cords.
Accessories: Sounds of Silence Vibraplane active isolation stand, Zoethecus equipment stand, Yamamura Millennium bearing stands, A.R.T. Q dampers, D.J. Kasser Black Diamond Racing cones, Walker Valid Points, Symposium Acoustics and Bright Star isolation bases, ASC Tube Traps, Shakti Stones.
LPs used: Ruggiero Ricci's Virtuoso Showpieces (London ffss CS 6039), Nick Lowe's Jesus of Cool (Radar RAD 1), Massenet's Le Cid: Ballet Music (Klavier/Acoustic Sounds KS 522), Janis Ian's Breaking Silence (Analogue Productions APP 027), Peter, Paul and Mary (Warner Bros. WS 1449, gold label), Nat King Cole's At the Sands (Capitol), Sinatra's At the Sands (Reprise), Holst's The Planets (Previn/LSO, Japanese EMI Pro-Use series), Sibelius' Violin Concerto (Heifetz/Reiner/CSO, RCA Living Stereo), Muddy Waters' Folk Singer (Mobile Fidelity), Bach's Brandenburg Concertos (Telefunken/ARS), Dance Music of the Renaissance (DG Archiv/Speakers Corner), Joni Mitchell's For the Roses (Atlantic/Asylum), and Malcolm McLaren's Duck Rock (British Charisma).—Michael Fremer