Which cart for an ARO - Phonosophie no3 with prefix

I have the S type. It’s a good match with DV. I also have a K type. Also I use a Hiline 4 to 5 between supercap for prefix and 552. I know some people prefer grey.

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@Devraj I have the grey one!
S type is inside phonosophie?
Do you need to pull up the volume knob more (than what? Sorry) as it has only 0,28mv output?

Maybe I take the dv2xx a - good match with overhang and if it works in your system it will in mine I think :blush:
Also a bit lighter and less expensive…

Or Hana red… so lovely reviews…

Hi in my opinion Hana is too soft and not as even as DV

I am considering Hana umani red - their top range cart … the lower ones might be soft, but the big one?
I have now a Benz wood.
Do not know if it is a soft one?

@all
One of the items I admired most in my early years (and never could afford) was the linn troika.
Still in love with this historic moments

But could not tell how it sounds.
What is the troika sound?

Hana umami red has hole to stylus 7,3mm - that’s really good (troika is 7mm afaik)

I took a punt on a new Benz L0.4 Wood many moons ago. The price was good and it was supposedly a step up in the range from the Glider which was the “cart du jour” at the time. It was nice, particularly with classical LPs, but otherwise too soft and slow overall I found.

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Thanks a lot, Richard. I have no comparison.
When music gets complex it has its limits.
Think both do xx2a and Hana umani red will top this.

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Hi Drago,
from what you have written and after looking at the system in your profile I would suggest looking at the used Karma at Kleinanzeigen to get a taste of what a Troika would be or the Koetsu Rosewoods (Standard or Signature, but not the Platinum). There will be some of the Supex DNA in these. To my ears the wooden Koetsu cartridges have more finesse and rhythmic qualities than the Benz L04 I could compare to my Urushi.

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i have both, i prefer the hiline version, it just goes deeper. i still get a lovely organic, lush bouncy sound. it’s just wonderful.

Powerline on my armageddon was a game changer very surprising. highly recommended.
A powerline anywhere in your system is highly recommended:metal:

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Koetsu was also on my list - rosewood standard !
But these are not so easy to find. Is it an old one and not available anymore?
Ok - there is a karma with 50h… hmmm? Troika is only a phantasy … don’t know if like it today,
The Benz I loved…
How is Hana vs DV. Think Hana are the warmer ones?

Thanks a lot!
Some prefix lovers here - good! Have enough powerline now - 6 +4 :blush:

Which kind of music you are listening to?

The Rosewood Standard is still listed on the distributors website (Axxis Europe), but several dealers sites no longer show it. I would like to be more helpful, but none of my dealers currently carries Koetsu cartridges, so I can’t ask them.
I remember marveling at the Troika back in the eighties/nineties, unfortunately my budget only went as far as the Asaka. At least the K 18 I had before the Asaka had some of that red finish :grinning:
Once I had a chance to see and listen to Koetsu owning one became one of my HiFi dreams. I still have the Urushi Wajima and had it rebuilt about a year ago.
Hana cartridges are among those I only know from reviews, not from any own experience.
The 50 hours of use are odd for a Karma and I would surely ask the seller about it. The cantilever looks very clean, though. The seller has a good feedback, but caution is never wrong in these situations.

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No jazz - no classic.
Electronic and singer songwriter most
Currently Paul,Simon

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I went from chiave (yes - I am from Hamburg :blush:) to Benz e605 - a van den hul DDT clone.
The troika was the endgame cart back in the days …

Is Koetsu so good? Should I look?

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As you mentioned being not far away from Phonosophie Hamburg was easy to guess :grinning:

Regarding Koetsu: there is something very special about tone, the ability to integrate fine shades of different colors and body. I have heard that from a Red (=Rosewood Standard) and my Urushi. Both are slightly dark sounding and very much not in your face, but not dull. For me they are great, but others have different strengths. I am currently listening to a Sumiko Pearwood that surely is more energetic and has more resolution. So far +1 from the head, ? from the heart.

My cartridge history is: Linn K 9, K 18, Asaka, Lyra Lydian, Koetsu Urushi, Transfiguration Temper.

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Remember, it’s about system balance, the more you spend on a cart may not necessarily give you better results, squeezing the lemon doesn’t necessarily get all the juice out. Seriously, Hana ML will be more than enough.
The Aro Imo is still a relevant tone arm and competes well with much more expensive tone arms, as is the prefix preamp. Not that you have asked and I do not mean to offend, If i had a system like yours id probably look into a superline or something of similar elk, it’s romantic to have something of that olive vintage era, got me at the time as i had 52, 135. You having a 552/500 I will prophesies that an upgrade will be on its way if money allows. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Fully agreed
But I had a superline and tested it against prefix- I liked prefix a lot more for its earthy sound.
A lp12 like cohen‘s will nice - maybe later.
I currently have a Benz wood, which is a 2k cart - don’t want to go beyond it. Turntable wise it’s really good - the prefix might be the bottleneck… I know :blush:

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yes the superline can sound a little bit like a cd player ill admit.
i have personally come to the conclusion I prefer the boogie factor/ i’m not wanting something to sound clinical just musical witch makes me feel the way I wanna feel at the time im listening,

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Exactly!
Same here - boogie is more important to me than the last detail (for vinyl - streaming details and dynamics, but also not on all costs)

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