I have played a total of 8 record sides so far from last night and this morning.
As the needle dropped for the first time, the basic character of the cartridge came through - deeper bass (though it sounded bloated for quite some time), better high frequency extension (I could discern a "shadow" of a shimmer, hitherto unheard in my analog setup - I must add).
It was deja vu all over again - like the time I heard much better frequency extensions at both extremes when I changed from the MM Shure V15/III to HOMC Denon DL 160. Going back even further, this was the same feeling I got when the venerable Shure V15 replaced the more modern Shure Mx97E, which Shure likes to tout as the replacement for the V15 line. The Kontrapunkt c replaces the Denon DL 160, which is my reference point for the purpose of this write-up. I understand they are classes apart but then the DL 160 was the best cartridge I had prior to the Kontra c.
By the time the c was playing the last track of Side B of the first record, the bass had firmed up substantially. The quantity of bass had seemingly reduced but the specific tonalities of kick drums, bass guitar and synth bass became much more discernible. Upper high frequency shimmer which was there but sounding a bit brittle initially, and a mere promising silhouette had metamorphosed into something much more tangible.
At this point, I must mention that I had chosen the lowest impedance loading available in my phono stage (59 Ohms; recommended range being 50 to 200 Ohms). The VTA was also a guesstimate and it turned out to be tad taller than optimal and the business end of the arm was drooping down on the record surface. I had set the Phono stage gain at 56 dB, though 60 dB is also available. With this gain setting, I need to boost my preamp by about 5 to 6 dB from my usual listening volume.
After the third record had completed playing, I dismantled the arm board and did the whole height adjustment rigmarole for the second time in the same evening. This exercise is always fraught with extreme danger despite the stylus guard, so it is not something I do lightly or relish in my tonearm. VTA adjustment on older SME arms is a much easier affair - loosen screw with appropriate sized allen key, adjust height to taste, tighten screw. While I was at it, I changed cartridge loading to the next higher value available in my phono pre (121 Ohms - don't ask me why these odd figures of 59 0r 121 Ohms - that's what I get in the phono pre).
The result of these changes - a more correct VTA, different cartridge loading, and 6 sides worth of burn-in, and perhaps properly warmed up pre amp and amp produced a much more coherent sound. Bass tones have become more palpable. The air around the highs is beginning to sound very sweet. Backing vocals are beginning to stand out. Instrument tones have developed a nice, chunky bite. Instrument decays are much more discernible. But the biggest change I heard was in the quality and quantity of bass. Now I know the kind of bass my modest speakers are capable of reproducing. And to think I had always cribbed about the bass response of my speakers
Need to listen to more varied tracks (especially violin-, sax- and piano-based tracks) to see how the c fares.
Once I figure out the best loading value, I will modify my Hypnotoad MC phono pre to this value. I had got mine with a view to running it with the Denon DL 103, so the current value is probably not the best loading value.
All in all, a very worthy upgrade.
