Puma Cat
09-01-2010, 01:49 AM
I bought it very slightly used for use as a mono deck and it arrived today. I set up it with my Grado Reference Sonata stereo cart just for giggles as I didn't feel up to ripping the Shelter out of the SME V just yet. Installing the cart and setting up the table was a snap, really easy. The cartridge clips were really nice, and it was easy to slide them on and them mount up the cartridge. I set the tracking force to 1.5 grams, did a quick check of alignment and it's good to go.
http://photos.imageevent.com/puma_cat/fujif31andf20photos/large/Concept-1.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/puma_cat/fujif31andf20photos/large/Concept-2.jpg
Initial impressions are quite favorable, w/o doing an A/B with the Michell. The Concept images very well, with excellent soundstage depth and excellent imaging, in fact, the thing images like nobody's business. Very good bass performance, perhaps very slightly overripe and plummy with the Grado Sonata and this arm, but quite nice bass overall. Highs are slightly rolled off and a bit compressed with less air than the Shelter, but again, I attribute this more to the Grado than the table. The mids are to die for, but Grados are all about killer mids. While it sounds like way overkill, I'd love to hear this baby with a Dynavector XV-1S, but I will be trying with the Shelter here in the next few days.
With a properly recorded LPs it gives a really nice sense of recording venue ambiance, excellent decay, and inner detail, and the harmonics, tone colors and overtones are excellent, the Grado being exemplary here. The overall presentation is punchy, solid, and muscular and with excellent rhythmic drive. It certainly has a fuller sound than my Rega Planar 3/SME III with the Sonata on it, which, while musiclal, is thinner and leaner sounding.
http://photos.imageevent.com/puma_cat/fujif31andf20photos/large/Concept-1.jpg
http://photos.imageevent.com/puma_cat/fujif31andf20photos/large/Concept-2.jpg
Initial impressions are quite favorable, w/o doing an A/B with the Michell. The Concept images very well, with excellent soundstage depth and excellent imaging, in fact, the thing images like nobody's business. Very good bass performance, perhaps very slightly overripe and plummy with the Grado Sonata and this arm, but quite nice bass overall. Highs are slightly rolled off and a bit compressed with less air than the Shelter, but again, I attribute this more to the Grado than the table. The mids are to die for, but Grados are all about killer mids. While it sounds like way overkill, I'd love to hear this baby with a Dynavector XV-1S, but I will be trying with the Shelter here in the next few days.
With a properly recorded LPs it gives a really nice sense of recording venue ambiance, excellent decay, and inner detail, and the harmonics, tone colors and overtones are excellent, the Grado being exemplary here. The overall presentation is punchy, solid, and muscular and with excellent rhythmic drive. It certainly has a fuller sound than my Rega Planar 3/SME III with the Sonata on it, which, while musiclal, is thinner and leaner sounding.