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Something A Bit Different: Optical Cartridge....

MattHooper

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I figured this might be an interesting topic. I'm dimly aware that optical cartridges go way back, but nonetheless they are a pretty rare specimen.

I was thinking about it because I just read my pal's review of the DS Audio cartridge. I know most here don't go in for those type of reviews, but here it is for anyone who is interested. Before getting to the sonic impressions, Jason gives a lay of the land as to the purported benefits of such a cartridge:


I visited a few times since he put in that cartridge/phono stage. I'm very familiar with Jason's system as I visit regularly - he plays mostly vinyl in that particular system - and I have to say I was wowed. My impression was of a clarity and "see-right-through-the-recording-space" sensation and level of detail I hadn't quite heard before from that system. I have to concur with a lot of his subjective impressions in that review in terms of the nuances that were so easily heard. He has an upstairs system with some great speakers/solid state amp, streams digital, and listening to it afterwards was a bit of a letdown by comparison. The vividness of the downstairs vinyl system with the DS Audio cartridge was stuck in my mind.

Here's the website with some explanation of the device:


I've no doubt there's inevitable manufacturer exaggerations built in to their descriptions. But generally speaking, what do you make of the idea of an optical
cartridge - it's likely advantages or disadvantages?
 

LTig

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Haven't read the review but AFAIK the first optical player which came on the market a long time ago suffered a lot from tiny pieces of dirt clinging to the sidewalls of the groove which a needle would just brush away. So the theoretical advantage in clean sound (less distortion) was beaten by dirt noise. Nowadays one could use sophisticated DSP (like in the Parks Audio Puffin) to get rid of most of the dirt noise.

Edit: I'd better had read the review first. :facepalm: My comment targeted an optical player using a laser as pickup.
 
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RayDunzl

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It has a stylus, optical sensing instead of coils and magnets
 

JP

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I‘ve a Trio but haven’t played with it yet.
 

LTig

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Now after heaving read the "review" I can certainly dismiss any remarks about higher SNR while playing records. My humble DIY MC phono preamp is certainly much quieter than the inherent groove noise of any record I've ever played on my LP12 equipped with VdH MC1 special.
 
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Newman

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The important thing is that it glows blue. Worth any price.
202207_ds_audio_L1640827.jpg


It's the phono version of this:-
show-lighting_0e3a8c3c-3d9a-4fca-97cc-6565d86f8139.png
 

DVDdoug

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Interesting... Well, it would have been a LOT MORE interesting 40 years ago... ;)

The lower moving mass and higher output should be advantages but I wonder if it actually measures/performs better. (I don't give much weight to subjective-anecdotal reviews.)

And of course the 'big problem" and the weak link is the records themselves, not the cartridge or rest of the playback system.

I'm thinking the same thing as when I've r read about laser record players - Now, if they could make the record digital and make it smaller in diameter they'd really have an improvement!
 
OP
MattHooper

MattHooper

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Interesting... Well, it would have been a LOT MORE interesting 40 years ago... ;)

Ha! I like it.


The lower moving mass and higher output should be advantages but I wonder if it actually measures/performs better.

Agreed. It would be nice if soundstage could also do measurements for vinyl gear. Not many mags doing that though.
 
OP
MattHooper

MattHooper

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Now after heaving read the "review" I can certainly dismiss any remarks about higher SNR while playing records. My humble DIY MC phono preamp is certainly much quiter than the inherent groove nouse of any record I've ever played on my LP12 equipped with VdH MC1 special.

Sounds reasonable.

Can you see any plausible technical advantage to this cartridge/phono stage design over the run-of-the-mill versions?
 

LTig

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Sounds reasonable.

Can you see any plausible technical advantage to this cartridge/phono stage design over the run-of-the-mill versions?
Compared to a good MC pickup with a sharp needle resulting in a freqency range to 50 kHz or more? No.

Edit: I had similar experiences like the reviewer when I replaced a Linn Clyde by the Van den Hul MC One special. Especially a major reduction in dirt noise. Loud pops changed to quiet short ticks. My understanding is that most of those improvements result from the needle and its very thin line contact. Even records I had bought 2nd hand which clearly distorted on the Clyde were much cleaner on the VdH.
 
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OP
MattHooper

MattHooper

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Thanks LTig !
 

MCH

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Fremer has a video interviewing the guy behind that same company. It was interesting, talked as well to the old folks involved in the original developments iirc.
 

deniall83

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Compared to a good MC pickup with a sharp needle resulting in a freqency range to 50 kHz or more? No.

Edit: I had similar experiences like the reviewer when I replaced a Linn Clyde by the Van den Hul MC One special. Especially a major reduction in dirt noise. Loud pops changed to quiet short ticks. My understanding is that most of those improvements result from the needle and its very thin line contact. Even records I had bought 2nd hand which clearly distorted on the Clyde were much cleaner on the VdH.
Agree completely. A good line contact stylus does wonders for reducing surface noise. Even my cheap VM95ML reduced noise by so much, previously unplayable records now sound quite good. I don't think I'd ever go back to an elliptical stylus.
 

DonR

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I wish the blue light fad would die. It's incredibly jarring and distracting. Very interesting product but is it solving a non-existent or marginal problem?
 

al2002

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I figured this might be an interesting topic. I'm dimly aware that optical cartridges go way back, but nonetheless they are a pretty rare specimen.

I was thinking about it because I just read my pal's review of the DS Audio cartridge. I know most here don't go in for those type of reviews, but here it is for anyone who is interested. Before getting to the sonic impressions, Jason gives a lay of the land as to the purported benefits of such a cartridge:


I visited a few times since he put in that cartridge/phono stage. I'm very familiar with Jason's system as I visit regularly - he plays mostly vinyl in that particular system - and I have to say I was wowed. My impression was of a clarity and "see-right-through-the-recording-space" sensation and level of detail I hadn't quite heard before from that system. I have to concur with a lot of his subjective impressions in that review in terms of the nuances that were so easily heard. He has an upstairs system with some great speakers/solid state amp, streams digital, and listening to it afterwards was a bit of a letdown by comparison. The vividness of the downstairs vinyl system with the DS Audio cartridge was stuck in my mind.

Here's the website with some explanation of the device:


I've no doubt there's inevitable manufacturer exaggerations built in to their descriptions. But generally speaking, what do you make of the idea of an optical
cartridge - it's likely advantages or disadvantages?
Nothing new. Kenwood sold an optical pick up in the 1960s
 
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