My MC cartridges Ortofon Anna D and MSL Eminent
EX are the ones usually accompanying each of my two turntables,
Kuzma-1
and
Kuzma-2. But I do have an MM cartridge, The Vessel B3SS, made in
Japan for the American company
LP GEAR.
The B3SS was recommended by a friend who is a dedicated MM/MI fan and
its Shibata stylus and boron cantilever were features that tickled
my curiosity.
Setting it up for the first time I was impressed by its tracking
ability, not so much for its channel separation. I found the soundstage
narrowing in, not so much in depth, but more towards the center, but the
ease of tracking whatever vinyl I put below it was impressive.
The reason for launching a few pics and comments here in 2022, a couple
of years after I bought it, is that I was testing a cheap Chinese tube MM phonostage
(don't ask which!) and needed an MM cartridge. So, having the
Jelco TK850S on my Kuzma-2, it was an easy
task to set it up.
Running the B3SS through my EAR-868PL MM phono stage and some Ellipticor
quarterwave tubes, I was quite impressed from what I heard and thought I
might have misjudged it the first time. Never say never, but try again
in other constellations.
My Jelco fitted with the B3SS cartridge.
LP GEAR does not spend money on fancy
"apple" packing, but what's needed is there.
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