Ortofon MC 200 VAS Cartridge ReTip

Letter from NYC (23-15): VAS Re-Tipped Ortofon MC 200

Written in Shenzhen

Long-time readers of this blog, particularly those into analog, know about VAS Cartridge Re-Tip Service. Ever since I made the acquaintance of Steve and his son Ray, I have periodically covered them and used their services (as do others in our NYC group). So let this be known. It's astonishing that over the past decade they have repaired just about every high- to highest-end MC cartridge that you can name - and custom modified many! In our wechat group, it's astonishing what our friends show, all manners of cartridges old and new! They are so inundated with work now that they don't need my article; still, I always report on what I have heard, especially when it's good...

Summary of my Experience on VAS Restorations and Re-Creations
For this article, I re-read some of my past articles (yes, I'm quite compulsive about that) and, if I may say so, I am happy that I had been thorough. My first encounters were with the Denon DL-103 based cartridges, first the VAS Ebony 103, then the VAS Ebony Mono (Cartridge of the Year 2019), both wonderful creations. Incidentally, for the record I returned them to VAS after trying them out, not because I didn't want to buy them, but because I just know VAS will have something perhaps even more interesting down the road that I can borrow to try out. I also have some cartridges that I haven't even tried out yet, among those an Audio Techinca Art 2000 and a Kondo IO-M. I hope they have not gone bad in their boxes...

Excited by what I heard from the VAS cartridges, I sent my Koetsu Black to VAS for Repair, and the result was just fabulous. It pays to read this post carefully, as it kinda compares VAS' work with another's. I also sent my Denon DL-301 to VAS, and the result was great too! I just loved to have re-read this last post, as I had completely forgotten about my interaction with Richard (C)! This is one of the beauties of this blog - it's my personal Audio Diary. Another interesting experience was at Kevin's, with the "VAS" Ortofon 2M Red, a humble MM rendered much bigger! :-)

A few things of note. VAS gets many dead cartridge bodies, and they experiment with them. The Ortofon 2M Red had long been the part of the standard package in budget or super-budget offerings (I had one before) and Steve just played with it. Nobody would re-tip a 2M Red (cost of re-tipping would exceed value of cartridge), but VAS just had fun and ran with it, and we are glad we shared in the fun. It's good to have a kid's heart - especially to make something greater out of something humble! Incidentally, there seems to be a newer trend of diversification and expansion of MM offerings that use the same upgrade formula of MC (stylus material and profile). This last point on the Spirit of Experimentation is important when it comes to the Denon DL-103. Despite its humble price, it has a Golden Heart. It has long been a staple for me, something every cartridge is judged against. VAS holds the Denon DL-103 high in esteem and they have only praise for the excellent Alnico Motor and Sturdy Built. VAS told me some popular modern alnico cartridges are greatly inferior in construction. Of course, I cannot mention names! In conversation, they also told me of quite a few name brands to avoid, but I'd not buy those at those prices anyway - I had witnessed just too many terrible "high-end" analog setups! With VAS, there's a lot more to be had from the rock-solid fundamentals of the DL-103 - that I'm very glad to report! What I appreciate about VAS is their hearts are in the right places. No Nonsense.

Ortofon MC 200, Part I (Official Info)
This came as an utter surprise! When Richard and I visited them recently, Steve handed me this. I was perplexed. It looks like a DJ cartridge! Steve said, didn't you always wanted to hear the Ortofon MC200? And then I realized that something was lost in translation. I likely had once mentioned that I regretted not having bought an MC2000 (I had bought the wonderful MC3000 Mk II and 5000 on clearance in HK years ago, and I still have them).

But, as I scrutinized this completely unfamiliar Ortofon, I became more and more excited. Man, this is a veritable relic! This is an extremely low output (0.09mV) feather-weight (6g) MC cartridge that tracks light (1.3g) and can be used on a light arm, when the conventional practice is heavy MC cartridge on a heavy arm! From decades ago, we have this tiny cartridge that houses a Samarium Cobalt motor with a Boron Cantilever and Micro Line Stylus (wow, how modern that sounds, $$$ right?). This particular VAS restoration is with Boron Cantilever but a PA stylus.

I installed it on my Technics SL-1200, a medium-mass tonearm. I used the 37 ohm setting (1:36) on a Cinemag 3440AH (made by Ned Clayton) into the MM stage of my Aurorasound Vida, and the sound pleased me from the word go! It was very smooth, yet full of microdynamic details! It sounded like an expensive MC (which it should be)! Perhaps my Midas Denon DL-103 on the MoFi Studiodeck had a little more drama (and a little grain) but the MC 200 held its own. And I likely didn't even have the best SUT. I was running out of time and could not have taken it to Kevin to match it with its perfect partner, the Ortofon T20 SUT. This would have to wait for months for Part II on my next return to NYC, but I'm confident the Ortofon MC 200 is a winner. That it can be used on a light arm is highly unusual! I'm sure I shall install it on my SME3009i to try!

Another fascinating restoration from VAS! Salute!

 

VAS Visit, Distributed Bass and more

Click pics to enlarge. R, Ray at work.

 Letter from NYC (23-9): Trip to VAS, Subwoofer Mania, and The NYC Midtown of Today

Written in Shenzhen.

Preview: I had an incredible Labor Day weekend that ranks as one of my most intense exposure to audio, which I shall surely write about soon. But first, something before that, also a full day. And there are also other outings waiting to be out.

For my time back in NYC, I had hooked up with fewer friends than I should have. Perhaps it's just a period of reflection: apart from running the necessary chores, I just preferred to associate with a few and have more time for contemplation.

About 2 weeks ago, I made the appointment to meet my dear friend and Medical School Classmate George and his lovely Wife BJ. The appointment was 6:30 pm at the Yale Club in Manhattan. Since this was my first and only foray into Manhattan from Queens, I decided to make the most out of it. So, I planned it out with Richard.

 

Mid-Morning I traveled via the Subway to the Lower East side, where Richard lives (Grand Street near the River, edge of Chinatown Proper). I got off the F train at East Broadway and walked for 20 minutes. As a teenager, when I came to the US, I had lived in the neighborhood not far away (Project on Water Street). And my mother had worked long years as a nurse at the Gouverneur Hospital. The environs has gentrified quite a bit, but not at all to the extent of becoming unrecognizable.

 Richard's system has changed a bit, but not that much (his Previous System). His DAC is now a thoroughly modified ANUK, and the Subs used for Distributed Bass have increased in number to 6. As it is summer, he uses a pair of Classe monoblocks instead of tube amps.

The system has improved markedly since my last visit. This is a small listening area, but the sound he coaxed out of the system was much bigger than expected, a convincing demo of Distributed Bass. I hope Richard can contribute one day in an article. The sound field was deeper and images were bigger and taller. Dynamics was impressive. I suggested listening to Messiaen's Turangalila Symphony and it was very nice - we never switched to anything else and listened to a large chunk of it, time well spent.

Then Richard drove us to New Jersey to VAS. Steve is a good chump and Richard wanted to drop off his Nagatron Cartridge for him to repair. Steve is constantly collecting stuff and In the pics below you will see just the tip of the iceberg of his collection. I was very happy to watch his son Ray in action. Ray is a Pharmacist who chose to work with his father rather than in his own metier. He is by now a master in his own right and we talked about what's good and bad (not to be shared, too risque - you would be shocked how much they know about the innards). I just flipped when I saw Ray working (I just mistyped "woking" -  yes, people now mistake woke for work, not these two though!). You know, for years I looked into the microscope as a pathologist and I love that vista. For the numerous and scattered mentions of VAS and their sterling Cartridge Restoration work, read these. Steve also gave me a surprise cartridge, and you shall read about it later in another article.

After walking us through the latest acquisitions (pics below), Steve and Ray took us to lunch at their fav Chinese Restaurant. The food was delicious and the Californian wine was excellent.

After lunch, Richard drove me back to Manhattan and let me off at Houston and Lafayette. I had 2 hours till my rendez-vous and went LP hunting. I steadily walked uptown, scoured my usual haunts (glad they are still there!) and acquired mostly dollar records and a couple that were a couple of bucks more. Cheap thrills. Classical LPs are much less sought after and mostly there for the attention. One does not need to buy re-issues.

Regarding this crop, the most astonishing sonically must be the o Berio (Erato). Phew! I dug the rare Kurt Sanderling Sibelius and Shostakovich. The mono records are great too! the Robert Gerle Westminster recording is all poise. And elegance suffuses every bar of the under-appreciated Jacqueline Blancard. Alicia de Laroccha is always splendid musically and sonically, and this Mozart/Bach issue os no exception. The Paray Berlioz, although a later Wing (Maroon label) is sonically much better than I thought!

 

Then I had a great time with George and BJ. The Yale Club is situated on Vanderbuilt Ave, just across from the western entrance of the grand Grand Central. The room above houses portraits of Clinton, the two Bushes and Cyrus Vance, among others. We had drinks and dinner on the patio, with its magnificent view. Thank you so much!

As we left, I walked the couple to their Madison Ave Bus Stop, and was astonished by all the Migrants around. Yes! This is near the Hotel that was used to house them. A reckoning, and an uncomfortable one, literally under several ex-presidents' gaze. And, yes, the smell of hashish seems to be around

I'm glad Steve is using the TW Acustic TT and it sounds great with the B and W 802.

The cartridge is his own VAS Ebony!

Piles of R2R

Example of what one should never do

The ARC D125, one of my favs, VTL Ultimate Preamp, etc etc

Infinity

BEEFY RCA monoblocks

Old Military Grade Gear