Koetsu Shoot-Out – 24th June 2022
After much anticipation, we had a full-house attendance on this memorable evening with many people present who had never previously attended a Nirvana Sound event.
For over 50 years, Sugano and now his son Fumihiko have been building phono cartridges. Their legacy has been built around the unique sound quality of their products as well as their rarity and beauty. After so many years of experience, Koetsu have developed a philosophy based around the quality of the materials in the cartridge motor and how the motor interacts with the material of the body. They have selected high purity materials such as 6N copper and rare platinum iron magnets to use in their motor mechanisms. To compliment these, they have created bodies made of materials chosen for their specific sonic qualities, including aluminium, rosewood and various stones.
George began the evening by reading out comments and quotes that he had found on the audio forums about the ‘Koetsu sound’. He said “tonight, we’re going to put those opinions to the test by playing the same music on the same system in the same room and only change the cartridges”. The anticipation was palpable, as Mark prepared the following cartridges for the evening:
- Koetsu Rosewood
- Koetsu Urushi Vermilion
- Koetsu Blue Lace Platinum
- Koetsu Coralstone Platinum
George took us on an informative journey, explaining the history, philosophy and intention behind the Koetsu way. Each cartridge was introduced within a technical context as well as where it fits in the range and the audience were encouraged to make their own notes. After each session, the audience were invited to share their opinions and insights about the sound and as the night progressed, we began to truly appreciate the performance and majesty of these creations. The diversity in the music selection also allowed us to compare the dynamic and tonal contrasts of each cartridge.
Of particular interest was the audible qualities that each of the body materials contributed to the sound. Mark played the sounds of a Formula One pit crew while he changed the cartridges in between listening sessions which set the tone for a light hearted enjoyable evening.
Fumihiko often described his father as a ‘non-scientist’, meaning that rather than measure the material resonance profiles and the various sonic characteristics of differing magnet systems, he preferred instead to listen, painstakingly cataloguing the sonic nuances between various compositions. A technique that combined artistry with obsessive attention to craftmanship and traditional techniques. The sound has been carefully honed for over 50 years to the degree where it is highly refined. It’s so evolved & sophisticated – you can virtually hear 50 years of development and workmanship in the way it plays music. The Rosewood shocked us all because of its transparency, timbral & tonal quality. Piano and brass instruments were real and in the room. Leonard Cohen’s voice was haunting, the drums were perfectly placed. The Urushi had more detail and we could hear the artists breaths between the violin strokes. There was a bit more harmonic richness and the emotional communication was flowing. At this point the audience was saying that the sound was so enjoyable, how could the stone cartridges be so much better to justify their prices?
We had a break to enjoy some freshly delivered pizzas & conversation and there was a great energy in the room, another reminder of the power music has to bring people together. We then experienced the Blue Lace Platinum. I say ‘experience’ because this moment transcended simply listening to a hi-fi system. One guest exclaimed “This is the best acoustic guitar I’ve ever heard through a system before!” in response to the Cosby Stills & Nash Live recording of ‘Mushy Song’. You could actually hear the artists fingers moving both vertically and horizontally over the strings making the guitar sound more believable. The word ‘purity’ was mentioned a few times and when that session concluded , there was an overwhelming expression of ‘wow’ from the guests.
George informed us that unfortunately, they had sold their demonstration Coralstone the week before so the cartridge they had to use on the evening was brand new with only 4 hours of use. Once it started to play, it was clear that it was a bit strident compared to the Blue Lace but even over the course of this session the sound improved and the quality of the cartridge was evident. This cartridge had a slightly more propulsive quality and the nuanced detail was out of this world. The Nirvana team played a grunge rock piece by Mad Season and guests were commenting that you could hear the nuances of the valves within the guitar amp. The attack and energy of the drums was addictive. After the night official closed at 9:15, most of the guests stayed on till after midnight, enjoying one record after another. It reminded us of why we love this hobby – the human interaction and feeling that you are sharing a special moment was prevalent.
So is the exalted reputation of Koetsu cartridges well earned and justified? I believe that everybody that attended would say that they were very impressed, some people were blown away. On thing’s for sure – when people talk about Koetsu on the forums as being soft, mushy, all midrange with rolled off high frequencies and woolly bass…..well that could not be further from the truth, certainly not what this group experienced on this evening!
When does one EVER get the opportunity to experience four Koetsu cartridges on a reference system in one night? Thank you to the Nirvana team for making this night possible and for the care you show to your music-loving community. Quality!
