Does the same RIAA EQ apply to that cartridge?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:
DS003 - DS Audio｜Creating the future of analog music
ds-audio-w.biz
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?
I’d wait for the McIntosh version when they add a meter to that glowing blue panel. Proper audio!The important thing is that it glows blue. Worth any price.
Yes and no, cartridges don't have RIAA EQ, records and phono stages are the add/remove steps in that process. The cartridge just picks up what's there.
Blue LEDs are indeed fantastic and made RGB possible but does every sub $100 piece of gear need one blaring at full brightness to indicate that it is operating? Subtle is better, IMO.
My solution is to optically dim them with a filter. I agree that if you try to current limit them they go from off to bright with no in between.Totally agree.
The issue is, they have become so bright for so little current (they are super efficient), that is virtually impossible to 'dim' them with conventional current limiting practices and maintain consistent light levels. In short, they are too good.
20mA was the 'standard' current for rated luminous efficacy for LEDs. Even just a tiny 1mA into a blue LED is really bright. If you run them at 20mA, they are like a search light!
Here's a comparison with red, white and blue 5mm LEDs at just 1mA:
View attachment 248453View attachment 248454View attachment 248455View attachment 248456
Didn't a company called Finial Labs (sp?) come out with a laser-based pickup for turntable some time ago, and the Library of Congress bought one so that rare records could be played without wear?
I think so. However, I am not sure if it's particularly high fidelity or what.
Be aware that cartridge & pre-amp is most of the time sold as a set. Only recently you can buy the cartridge without pre-amp from DS Audio. This being said the prices increased a bit in the last half year for the cartridge as well, now they sell for ¥247.5000 in Japan: https://search.yahoo.co.jp/shopping?ei=UTF-8&p=ds+audio+ds+003&fr=applep2&sftype=1&aq=-1&ai=41aca26c-bc75-41e3-9655-6c484f4b8d2e&oq=ds+audio+ds+003&aa=0&ts=8164&at=&iau=0&ml=zz:0;vpk:1;q:ds+audio+ds+003;prop:ec_ctlog;cvpk:631_1,636_1,649_1,104_1,632_1;ctlgid:8166963337;&nasb=1
