Following the jasmine turntable and tone arm, Nagai, representative of Bakoon Products, also evaluated the cartridge. This is my impression after using it for about 2 months.
From Jasmine, there are four types of MC cartridges: the M series of affordable MM cartridges and the Nature series in the middle price range, given the names "wind", "forest", "fire", and "mountain". And traditional ChineseCeramicsThe B&W Ceramic Series of high-end MC cartridges with celadon-based bodies is an ambitious cartridge series that is modeled after four types of mythical beasts: "Seiryu", "Bakkuti", "Suzaku", and "Xianwu", which are also very ambitious cartridge series that is conscious of Chinese tradition and the latest technology.
This time, we asked Mr. Nagai to give us his impressions: the MC cartridges from the M2 MM cartridge and Jasmine ceramic series, MC cartridges."Black Tiger"There are two types: TIGER.
the currentBakoon ProductsThe listening room is equipped with a Jasmine belt drive turntable, a Jasmine long straight tone arm and an air bearing tone arm, for the purposes of research and development of new products. I have posted my impressions and impressions of it there on Facebook.
jasmine MM Cartridge Series - M2 is here
https://exclusive-audio.jp/products/jasmine-m2
Jasmine MM cartridge. The company has three types of MM cartridges: M1, M2, and M0. The M2 is a mid-level product, and is a product with a jointed oval needle attached to a hard-coated aluminum cantilever. The mainstream Japanese-made joint needles are made by joining diamond tips to metal titanium, but it is thought that the base of the Chinese-made joint is transparent and is sapphire. The recommended needle pressure is 2.5g. If it's sapphire, it has a smaller specific gravity than titanium, so I think it's advantageous. What impressed me about the jasmine cartridge is that the signal pin arrangement can be switched 1:1 with the headshell pin arrangement, and you can connect it straight without having to switch the left and right sides or the top and bottom. It weighs 4.8g, which is very light, so some tone arms may not be able to balance. The minimum cartridge weight for Jasmine's Dynamic Balanced Tone Arm was 5g, which is below that, so I was able to balance the weight close to the center of the arm. If necessary, additional weights may be required. By the way, 1 yen coin is 1g, so adding a 1 yen coin to the shell will increase the weight by 1g. The sound has a high resolution and a flat feel, and in all genres, it plays without any preference.
jasmine Click here for MC Cartridge B&W Ceramic Series "TIGER"
https://exclusive-audio.jp/products/jasmine-tiger
Jasmine comes in two series of MC cartridges and one series of MM cartridges. "White Tiger" is one of the four gods in the high-end series. This series is named after the four gods that protect the four sides, Seiryu, Hakutiger, Suzaku, and Genbu, and comes in a ceramic case with each symbol on it. Each cantilever consists of boron for the Seiryu, sapphire for the Hakutiger, solid aluminum for the Suzaku, and aluminum pipe for the Genbu. The stylus is made in Japan, with a microridge diamond, the white tiger is made in Shibata needles, and the Suzaku and Genbu are made in elliptical needles. When you listen to the combination of the company's turntable and the dynamic balanced tone arm, it gives a very detailed and tight sound. It doesn't sound like a typical analogue image, but rather it seems like it's been poured into high-quality high-resolution sauce. However, the arm adjustment is strict, and if you don't adjust it properly, such as the height of the arm, tilt of the shell, adjust the overhang, and inside canceller, the sound will be distorted. When customers who have come to listen to this sound listen to it, they say that the concept of analog records has changed up to now. The child cartridge has that much power, but its true value cannot be realized unless the proper arms and turntables are adjusted accurately.
That's all, when you visit Nagai's Facebook, you will find more comments and we are very pleased to see that customers who came to listen to it were all surprised by the performance of Jasmine's products.
Nagai's Facebook page is here
https://www.facebook.com/nagai.akira
Bakoon ProductsKazuma Nishino's blog, "Audio Nishikata Pure Land," which frequently visits the listening room, features jasmine turntables and white tigers. The following excerpt is:
So let's change the cartridge...
Nagai has replaced his DL-103 with a high-grade cartridge ceramic series of Jasmine...
Click here for more details about this ceramic seriesJasmine Jasmine Audio MC Cartridge B&W Ceramic Series "TURTLE" – ExAUDIO (exclusive-audio.jp)
Adjust the needle pressure and so on, let's listen...
oh! This is a completely different thing! The sound coming out of the SATRI flat speaker with an adapter in a ceramic cartridge is so vivid that you've never heard of such an analog sound! The sound is already lively and bounces sharply...
Hmm, while I was crying, it was about time I had to go home...
Finally, I'll be asking you to listen to a classic album from a long time ago.
This is a recording from the 1950s, but it's a very fresh sound, and it brings back so much lively that it wouldn't have been like it was from over 60 years ago. This is a time machine now
Click here for Nishino Kazuma's blog, "Audio Nishikata Pure Land."https://ameblo.jp/audioniravana/entry-12780795504.html?frm_src=favoritemail&fbclid=IwAR3vWbdSy3-Mk9iNVE-v-mRh5QyCsFjpZxAsABDpbj96SjJwAXuSTpgAJaw
Jasmine Forest Stereo MC Cartridge Nature Series is here
https://exclusive-audio.jp/products/jasmine-forest
Jasmine Audio is a high-end cartridgeIn addition to the B&W Ceramic Series, we also offer four types of cartridges called the Nature Series: "wind", "forest", "fire", and "mountains". This time, Forest is a stereo cartridge that hits the middle range of the series. The body is made of copper and aluminum and has a solid, beautiful vapor deposition coating. Forest's wideband and high SN ratio doesn't make you feel the narrowness of the f-range specs. The sound does not distort your sleepy feeling until aging progresses, but as the aging progresses, it gives you a high-resolution, precise sound. The reproduction sound is pure and natural with no muddy or distortion components within the reproduction band, and without any coloring or coordination. It realistically reproduces the delicate and quietness of the weak sections of string instruments. The powerful ensemble of the vision also brings out the accurate vibrancy.
It has the ability to bring out the true expression of music, with fine grooves engraved on it.
