Recently I sold my Gyro Se to simplify my vinyl set up and don’t get me wrong, the Gyro is an awesome deck but I’m a sucker for a decent conventional wooded surrounded suspended deck so along came the cheaper Thorens TD1600 and I have no regrets at all. It’s an emotional deck with such a wonderful bass and midrange tonal quality and allows some older recordings really shine and I much prefer it over decks that are analytical and in my opinion, trying to be something vinyl isn’t.
Anyway, having been a great fan of Benz Micro Cartridges, I had to get another for this and boy, is it a good choice!!
The Benz Wood is imo, the sweet spot in the range, offering 80% of the more expensive LPS but having the option of 0.4mV or 0.8mV low outputs and I opt for the 0.8mV because it clearly matches phonostages with lower gain abilities and negates the need to crank up the volume and introduce unwanted noise.
An extraordinary powerful sound with dynamics to die for with virtually no surface noise. Bass is tuneful and tight with a superb integration with the midrange. No signs of top end break up or overbearing treble just music and music that sounds bloody darn good!
I’ve had a few Benz cartridges in the past and recently had on loan a Gullwing which was wonderful but at over twice the price, it didn’t justify itself in this combo.
So a match made in heaven? I think so and I’ll continue to listen to my vinyl for many years to come and this isn’t even run in yet!
Hopefully @MVJ when you get your Benz back, you can comment on how it’s sounding after it’s rebuild.
Anyway well happy with this set up!
Anyway, having been a great fan of Benz Micro Cartridges, I had to get another for this and boy, is it a good choice!!
The Benz Wood is imo, the sweet spot in the range, offering 80% of the more expensive LPS but having the option of 0.4mV or 0.8mV low outputs and I opt for the 0.8mV because it clearly matches phonostages with lower gain abilities and negates the need to crank up the volume and introduce unwanted noise.
An extraordinary powerful sound with dynamics to die for with virtually no surface noise. Bass is tuneful and tight with a superb integration with the midrange. No signs of top end break up or overbearing treble just music and music that sounds bloody darn good!
I’ve had a few Benz cartridges in the past and recently had on loan a Gullwing which was wonderful but at over twice the price, it didn’t justify itself in this combo.
So a match made in heaven? I think so and I’ll continue to listen to my vinyl for many years to come and this isn’t even run in yet!
Hopefully @MVJ when you get your Benz back, you can comment on how it’s sounding after it’s rebuild.
Anyway well happy with this set up!
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