Analogue pleasure away from the mainstream
There are cartridges in the price range of around 3,000 to 3,500 euros where you can’t go wrong: a Hana Umami Red with its beautiful mids may be just as inspiring as the emotional neutrality of an AT-ART 20. At this level, it’s easier to argue about taste than about ‘better’ or ‘worse’. Or you simply prefer a certain brand.
For those who are a little more self-confident and want something more exoteric, I have a hot tip: The GoldBug is the name of this piece of jewellery. It is marketed under the AudioMaster21 brand by Italian high-end veteran Joseph Szall.
He has a real feel for the core of the music, for playback chains that draw you deep into the performance. You bob along without even realising it. This is what happened at the Analogue Forum in Krefeld, where he conjured up a charm in the hotel room with the tiny AudioMaster 21 LS3/5a and huge tube behemoths that only a few presenters can manage. Incidentally, he deliberately opted for the MK Analogue MM-PH-AMP and the SUT-1L transformer. Which in turn was the reason why we got to know each other.
Back to the topic: The GoldBug deserves to be more than just an exotic. Because this MC cartridge epitomises the musicality that Joseph Szall lives for. A cartridge that gives me wonderful analogue hours away from the mainstream …
‘In addition to excellent tracking, (the Goldbug) distributes a smooth realism with just the right touch of warmth evenly across the entire frequency response. Excellent! Particularly commendable is the top end of the frequency spectrum, which is bright but always graceful and never shrill.’
