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Got my new/old Supex SD900 Super back from Garrott Bros today

mjw21a

mjw21a

Super Member
Ok, so I got a Supex SD900 Super missing its cantilever a month or so back. I've wanted one of these carts ever since reading about them 3 or so years back. I sent it off to Garrott Bros in Melbourne for a rebuild, aluminum cantilever and aluminum tip.

First impressions spinning some Jim Reeves that the cart is big and full bodied, though very laid back. Smooth like some of the nicer MM's like my Grace F9E with Soundsmith Ruby stylus, though with bass like my microtracer tipped Grado Reference Platinum 1 or shibata tipped Denon DL103.

Moving on to domestic Fleetwood Mac and this cart is very 3D sounding, like my Fidelity Research FR-1 Mk3 though more solid, with more bass making this seem like a more balanced cartridge overall.

Frankly it feels like the love child of something like my DL103 and Grado cart. Its, thick, rich and liquid sounding. Incredibly pleasant to listen to all up.

Listening to Marvin Gaye there's a real sense of space, the sense of being there at the performance. This may just be my best LOMC cartridge.

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I picked up one of these a few months ago on Agon. I think I have the SD900 Mark IV. I agree this is a very nice cartridge to listen to. It has a ton of dynamics which you sometimes don't get with the laid back sound of an ultra refined LOMC. It's gonna stay on my PX-2 for quite a while I think...


jblnut
 
Yes, it also has plenty of punch as well which is also rare with a refined cart. I think this will be staying in my system also :)

I'd read reviews which indicated that it wasn't the last word in detail, nonetheless I'm hearing plenty of micro detail. Could be the shibata tip. The same thing regarding it not being a great tracker though I'm yet to experience any mistracking either. This is just an all round fantastic cartridge
 
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Yeah detail is has, dynamics it has, tracking it too has. The only drawback is that the sound is a little colored compared to some of the other carts I have. I think that was the big change when the designer took his knowledge and started up Koetsu (if I have my history straight). A wood body would probably do huge things for this cart. We can't expect what was a sub $200 cart back in the day to compete with the modern giants, but I'll damned if it doesn't try to anyway :-)

It was on my VPI Classic until the AT ART 9 showed up and well...it didn't win that battle...

jblnut
 
I don't mind coloured..... I tend to believe that every component has coloured..... Even the desription of uncoloured with a component is a colouration.
 
mjw21a said:
I don't mind coloured..... I tend to believe that every component has coloured..... Even the desription of uncoloured with a component is a colouration.
Click to expand...

How true - almost everything we do when we are 'improving' or upgrading our system is all about eliminating undesirable colourations and retaining the desirable ones.
 
Of the Supex SD-909's that I have seen, quite a few have suffered from some degree of suspension problems,
including one that was sent to Andy for service.
 
I've been lucky thus far. Hopefully it stands up to further use, otherwise I'll send it back to Garrot Bros to have the suspension repaired.
 
I have been running the next generation Sugano Son cartridge Koetsu Rosewood Long Body for over 35 years. Even at it's age, it just has a very natural detailed output, tracking at 1.9 grams. It puts me front row center with anything I play.
 
Nice score. It kinda looks like the SD 900 Mk II with wooden sides. Do you have a photo of the front at all?
 
It's like a cross between the SD 900 Super and the SD 900 Super II. Very interesting.
 
Yes, the Rosewood bodied versions are extremely rare.... Much more so than the usual Supex or Fidelity Research carts. I'm happy to get one, even though I'll need to send it to Garrott Bros for some work.

I will probably get my Fidelity Research FR-7 fixed up before the Supex, followed my a FR-1 Mk3F ;)

Have you tried any of the Koetsu carts? I'm curious about the Signature Rosewood
 
mjw21a said:
Yes, the Rosewood bodied versions are extremely rare.... Much more so than the usual Supex or Fidelity Research carts. I'm happy to get one, even though I'll need to send it to Garrott Bros for some work.

I will probably get my Fidelity Research FR-7 fixed up before the Supex, followed my a FR-1 Mk3F ;)

Have you tried any of the Koetsu carts? I'm curious about the Signature Rosewood
Click to expand...

Not only have I never heard a Koetsu, I have never even laid eyes on one.
 
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