Announcement

**MylesBAstor** · 02-09-2016, 09:06 PM

Originally posted by pcosta View Post

I am looking for users of the Ortofon A95 cartridge. What cart did you move on from, and are you really happy with it. I used to own an Ortofon MC Windfeld and had a love hate relationship with it. Any comparisons with other carts. Any comments appreciated.

Welcome aboard!!! Why don't you tell us the table you are using and the rest of your system. Also what you like, don't like and are looking for in cartridges.

Andre's review was spot on and he compared it to the Anna as well as a few others. I will say it's the best $6000 cartridge I've heard and could live with it quite happily.

I would have compared it to the Atlas but my Atlas wasn't up to snuff.

**pcosta** · 02-09-2016, 09:33 PM

Thanks Myles

I essentially have a High Water Sound setup. A TW Acustic Raven AC and TW arm and a SME 3012R. I have a Tron Syren preamp, Tron Telstar 211 amp with Horning Speakers. It is a full sounding system.

**MylesBAstor** · 02-09-2016, 10:50 PM

Originally posted by pcosta View Post

Thanks Myles

I essentially have a High Water Sound setup. A TW Acustic Raven AC and TW arm and a SME 3012R. I have a Tron Syren preamp, Tron Telstar 211 amp with Horning Speakers. It is a full sounding system.

Ok, I just wouldn't recommend the A95 if one had a lean system.

I didn't like it at first (it was supposed to have broken in but somehow don't think so) but the A95 sounded better and better as time went on. The A95 also seems to take more than say two sides of a record to warm up.

But the A95, run balanced here, is everything Andre said in his TAS review. Mounted in the 3D arm on the Classic Direct/3D and running into the Doshi 3.0, the A95 is very neutral, lightening fast, resolving and transparent. It also has outstanding dynamics and great staging. It doesn't quite flesh things out in the mids nor is quite as resolving like the Atlas. I also think the Atlas is just a bit more relaxed sounding but more on that when my Atlas comes back from Japan. The A95 also hast has a very tight and dynamic bottom end. Maybe a touch too tight if possible? If I hadn't heard say the Atlas or one of the stone bodied Koestsu, I could live in bliss with the A95. Or want to hear the MC Anna.

**pcosta** · 02-09-2016, 11:01 PM

What loading do you use it with. I assume you experimented? Yours is a review sample? If so when will it be ready for us to read.

**MylesBAstor** · 02-09-2016, 11:08 PM

Originally posted by pcosta View Post

What loading do you use it with. I assume you experimented? Yours is a review sample? If so when will it be ready for us to read.

The same thing as Andre did in his TAS piece. 2.25-2.3 worked fine. Right now am using 100 ohm on the Doshi though one could play +/- 10 ohms. (the Doshi has remote control loading so playing is much easier). I also didn't find it any harder to set up than any other top MC.

Andre BTW for those who haven't read his work, is the best addition to the TAS staff in the last decade and I always read his reviews. In fact, his cartridge setup piece that appeared in TAS is a must read for all analog lovers! I feel very lucky to call him a friend and am very happy he's on board contributing to this site!

The A95 review -- as well the MG Audio cables -- are both sitting here partially done.

Certainly by the end of the month.

**Alex Siufy** · 02-10-2016, 11:23 AM

Me

We have it in the main system in the store, set up on the Kronos Pro. Since I had the A90, I could do a reasonable comparison, and I found the A95 to be quite different, with the best traits of the A90 (resolution, traceability) while avoiding its problems (leanness). The A90 was, AFAIK, the first application of Ortofon's new build technology, so the A95 was definitely a step in the right direction!

**Ki Choi** · 02-10-2016, 04:41 PM

After reading Andre's review, I wanted to dash out to my car and drive to the nearest audio store...but fortunately I came back to my senses. Maybe next month...

**Dre_J** · 02-14-2016, 02:37 PM

Originally posted by Ki Choi View Post

After reading Andre's review, I wanted to dash out to my car and drive to the nearest audio store...but fortunately I came back to my senses. Maybe next month...

Ha!

Dre

**Dre_J** · 03-08-2016, 05:33 PM

Originally posted by MylesBAstor View Post

The same thing as Andre did in his TAS piece. 2.25-2.3 worked fine. Right now am using 100 ohm on the Doshi though one could play +/- 10 ohms. (the Doshi has remote control loading so playing is much easier). I also didn't find it any harder to set up than any other top MC.

Andre BTW for those who haven't read his work, is the best addition to the TAS staff in the last decade and I always read his reviews. In fact, his cartridge setup piece that appeared in TAS is a must read for all analog lovers! I feel very lucky to call him a friend and am very happy he's on board contributing to this site!

The A95 review -- as well the MG Audio cables -- are both sitting here partially done.

Certainly by the end of the month.

Those were kind words Myles. Thanks!

So, how much longer before I get to read your take?

Dre

**MylesBAstor** · 03-08-2016, 09:24 PM

It's funny but after listening to it through the Kagura, think there's some areas of the A95's performance that are better than I thought. I[m not quite sure how to describe it but often we think and talk about each aspect of a cartridge's performance say dynamics, resolution, extension, transparency as a fixed value. But in reality we may have tapped as much as the cartridge's can do in one area but not in other areas. And I'm finding some areas where haven't realized all the A95 can do.

**Analog21** · 06-11-2016, 03:02 PM

Originally posted by pcosta View Post

I am looking for users of the Ortofon A95 cartridge. What cart did you move on from, and are you really happy with it. I used to own an Ortofon MC Windfeld and had a love hate relationship with it. Any comparisons with other carts. Any comments appreciated.

What did you like or not like about the Windfeld cartridge? I was looking at that for my VPI table and wondered your thoughts.

**Madfloyd** · 06-11-2016, 03:43 PM

Hmm, so the A95 is not as lean as the A90 but still not ideal for a lean sounding system? Would it be fair to say that the house sound of Dynavector and Zyx is more full bodied?

**Dre_J** · 06-11-2016, 05:34 PM

Originally posted by Madfloyd View Post

Hmm, so the A95 is not as lean as the A90 but still not ideal for a lean sounding system? Would it be fair to say that the house sound of Dynavector and Zyx is more full bodied?

I'm not so sure those other cartridges are more full bodied. That's too much of a generalization that doesn't fit with my listening experience.

There is no reason I can imagine that the A95 should sound lean compared to the other cartridges in your system. It eclipses the A90 by a WIDE margin and is Ortofon's most all around cartridge to date. It packs more punch than any Ortofon in the current lineup. I know your table and arm pretty well and it should not sound lean in any way, shape, or form.

IMO of course,
Dre

**allenh** · 06-11-2016, 07:35 PM

Originally posted by Madfloyd View Post

Hmm, so the A95 is not as lean as the A90 but still not ideal for a lean sounding system? Would it be fair to say that the house sound of Dynavector and Zyx is more full bodied?

Ian, FWIW I'm very happy w the A95 in my system. I don't think it sounds lean. Very dynamic, punchy, and neutral.

Announcement

Who is using a Ortofon A95

Who is using a Ortofon A95

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment