The Fuuga - long live the King !!!
My Koetsu Blue Lace Platinum is "dead" - long live the Queen !!!
Just got my Fuuga - long live the King !!!
My last 3 cartridges has all been Koetsus - from the Rosewood (Red) Signature, to the Jade Platinum, and then finally, Blue Lace Platinum (with diamond cantilever) - but, I broke the cantilever, and, well, oh well ... the rest is history !!!
Spoiler Alert !!! - the Fuuga surpasses my beloved Koetsu BLP in every "hifi" parameter (everything !!!), except for warmth & the luscious mid-range. (oh, the lusciousness of a Koetsu)
When Mohan (AE Singapore) recommended the Fuuga, after he heard of the demise of my Koetsu - I immediately went to seek reviews on the cartridge. Being an audiophile for many years - I am sure, most of us would probably "know" what we are gonna get without actually hearing the new component.
But, I did hear the Fuuga - in AE Singapore's beautiful showroom. What I heard intrigues me - but, every else (the entire system) is totally different from my humble setup - and so, it was hard to compare. What I was thinking was - if the Fuuga can come close to the "sound" and level of my Koetsu - I would be very happy.
It was with trepidation when Harprit came to install the Fuuga - with the Acoustical Systems SMART protractor and he completed the installation using computer-based software to "dial-in" the last bits. I didn't know what was happening until Harprit asked - can you please give me the RCA cables from your phono stage - erh, what are you talking about ? 😂
For full disclosure - the Fuuga tracks at 2.03g; with 66dB gain and 100 ohms loading, from my tubed phono stage.
The Fuuga was then lowered onto Bianca Wu's Jazz Them Up (胡琳) 45rpm LP - I was instantly intrigued; Bianca's voice sounded "different" - really different from what I have been used to and heard for many years - from the Koetsus.
Bianca's vocals is certainly not luscious, not warm - and certainly not as full as the Koetsu - BUT, there is a certain crystalline characteristic that is just as intoxicating as the Koetsu BLP's warmth & lusciousness.
I then quickly put on a couple of my favourite tracks - Hugh Masekela's Stimela (45rpm), Jennifer Warnes' Famous Blue Raincoat (33rpm), Tracy Chapman's Fast Car (33rpm), Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio's Aqua Marine (33rpm), Koji Tamaki's To Me (45rpm), Police's Wrapped Around Your Finger (33rpm), Analogue Production's Female Vocal (Diana Krall's A Case of You)(33rpm), Shelby Lynne's Just a Little Lovin' (45rpm), and loads more.
Then, it struck me - blimey !!! - I am hearing more (things) "into" the music, things/instruments that I either never heard before, or that it wasn't as clear as before. Almost every instrument (including, vocals) has its "own space"; there is more layering in the soundstage, and the soundstage is slightly deeper & wider.
There was within the first 3 hours of listening to my brand new Fuuga !!!
The next couple of days were a whirlwind of finding my favourite LPs and quickly spinning them. Somehow, from my umpteenth listening session - from 32 hours; suddenly at around the 33.5 hour mark - everything CLICKED into place !!!
The (less than ideal) fullness that I was referring earlier on - is NOW full !!! as full as it can ever be. The soundstage has widen (to the extent, that for some tracks, it went beyond the sidewalls), the soundstage is more transparent (you can hear - almost - each instrument in its own space);and it's is deeper too.
As for the micro-dynamics - the start-stop of each note, the transients, the PRat and the CONTROL - man !!! my beloved Koetsu can only dream of, but will never be able to do it.
Shelby Lynne's Just a Little Lovin' (45rpm) opening notes has lower-end frequency overload - but, via the Fuuga, you can barely hear this previously & powerful low-end overload.
I pulled out Michael Jackson's Japanese pressed Thriller & Off The Wall (33rpm) LPs - I have never heard these tracks like that. Must be the micro-dynamics at work - the PRaT is so-so good, and kick-drums so precise, taut n FULL - it's so intoxicating.
Police's Wrapped Around Your Finger (33rpm) - again - up next, and this track simply confirmed the micro-dynamics is as good as it comes. I have heard many many cartridges - with speed, with slam, etc - like Lyra Titan, Clearaudio Insider and then Goldfinger, etc - but the Fuuga is something else.
Then, I put on - ORG's Diana Krall's A Case of You)(45rpm), IMPEX 1-Step Jennifer Warnes's Famous Blue Raincoat (45rpm); Analogue Production Rob Wasserman's Duets (45rpm) and Carla Bruni's Best of ... (33rpm) - purchased recently after the Fuuga was installed - it confirmed everything (above & more) that I have written.
One last thing - this also the first time that a cartridge is able to lower the noise floor of my system. In some tracks, the contrasts between the loud notes (and quite often, complex passages) and softer passages are so startling - almost like a hybrid car when its engine is being shut-down during a traffic-stop. Andre Pavin's direction of Gustav Holst's Mars - is a clear demonstration of this phenomena. Wow, I never knew that cartridges can do this !!!
I would clearly say that the Fuuga is BETTER (about 10-20%) than the BLP in ALL parameters, except for warmth & mid-range lusciousness. But, don't get me wrong - its definitely no way as cold as a typical Lyra. It's tonal warmness is between a Koetsu and a Lyra.
It's ok, though - my friend who suffered the same Koetsu fate as I did - recently had this Koetsu BLP cantilever repaired by an Italian craftsman - and soon, my BLP will be visiting the Mediterranean, in search of a new cantilever.
Mr. Mohan - kudos to you & your recommendation. When 1 door closes, another will open.
I may have the best of both worlds when I next upgrade to a 2-tonearm setup - hint, hint !!!
In that case, Long Live the King - and then also Long Live the Queen as well !!!
Just got my Fuuga - long live the King !!!
My last 3 cartridges has all been Koetsus - from the Rosewood (Red) Signature, to the Jade Platinum, and then finally, Blue Lace Platinum (with diamond cantilever) - but, I broke the cantilever, and, well, oh well ... the rest is history !!!
Spoiler Alert !!! - the Fuuga surpasses my beloved Koetsu BLP in every "hifi" parameter (everything !!!), except for warmth & the luscious mid-range. (oh, the lusciousness of a Koetsu)
When Mohan (AE Singapore) recommended the Fuuga, after he heard of the demise of my Koetsu - I immediately went to seek reviews on the cartridge. Being an audiophile for many years - I am sure, most of us would probably "know" what we are gonna get without actually hearing the new component.
But, I did hear the Fuuga - in AE Singapore's beautiful showroom. What I heard intrigues me - but, every else (the entire system) is totally different from my humble setup - and so, it was hard to compare. What I was thinking was - if the Fuuga can come close to the "sound" and level of my Koetsu - I would be very happy.
It was with trepidation when Harprit came to install the Fuuga - with the Acoustical Systems SMART protractor and he completed the installation using computer-based software to "dial-in" the last bits. I didn't know what was happening until Harprit asked - can you please give me the RCA cables from your phono stage - erh, what are you talking about ? 😂
For full disclosure - the Fuuga tracks at 2.03g; with 66dB gain and 100 ohms loading, from my tubed phono stage.
The Fuuga was then lowered onto Bianca Wu's Jazz Them Up (胡琳) 45rpm LP - I was instantly intrigued; Bianca's voice sounded "different" - really different from what I have been used to and heard for many years - from the Koetsus.
Bianca's vocals is certainly not luscious, not warm - and certainly not as full as the Koetsu - BUT, there is a certain crystalline characteristic that is just as intoxicating as the Koetsu BLP's warmth & lusciousness.
I then quickly put on a couple of my favourite tracks - Hugh Masekela's Stimela (45rpm), Jennifer Warnes' Famous Blue Raincoat (33rpm), Tracy Chapman's Fast Car (33rpm), Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio's Aqua Marine (33rpm), Koji Tamaki's To Me (45rpm), Police's Wrapped Around Your Finger (33rpm), Analogue Production's Female Vocal (Diana Krall's A Case of You)(33rpm), Shelby Lynne's Just a Little Lovin' (45rpm), and loads more.
Then, it struck me - blimey !!! - I am hearing more (things) "into" the music, things/instruments that I either never heard before, or that it wasn't as clear as before. Almost every instrument (including, vocals) has its "own space"; there is more layering in the soundstage, and the soundstage is slightly deeper & wider.
There was within the first 3 hours of listening to my brand new Fuuga !!!
The next couple of days were a whirlwind of finding my favourite LPs and quickly spinning them. Somehow, from my umpteenth listening session - from 32 hours; suddenly at around the 33.5 hour mark - everything CLICKED into place !!!
The (less than ideal) fullness that I was referring earlier on - is NOW full !!! as full as it can ever be. The soundstage has widen (to the extent, that for some tracks, it went beyond the sidewalls), the soundstage is more transparent (you can hear - almost - each instrument in its own space);and it's is deeper too.
As for the micro-dynamics - the start-stop of each note, the transients, the PRat and the CONTROL - man !!! my beloved Koetsu can only dream of, but will never be able to do it.
Shelby Lynne's Just a Little Lovin' (45rpm) opening notes has lower-end frequency overload - but, via the Fuuga, you can barely hear this previously & powerful low-end overload.
I pulled out Michael Jackson's Japanese pressed Thriller & Off The Wall (33rpm) LPs - I have never heard these tracks like that. Must be the micro-dynamics at work - the PRaT is so-so good, and kick-drums so precise, taut n FULL - it's so intoxicating.
Police's Wrapped Around Your Finger (33rpm) - again - up next, and this track simply confirmed the micro-dynamics is as good as it comes. I have heard many many cartridges - with speed, with slam, etc - like Lyra Titan, Clearaudio Insider and then Goldfinger, etc - but the Fuuga is something else.
Then, I put on - ORG's Diana Krall's A Case of You)(45rpm), IMPEX 1-Step Jennifer Warnes's Famous Blue Raincoat (45rpm); Analogue Production Rob Wasserman's Duets (45rpm) and Carla Bruni's Best of ... (33rpm) - purchased recently after the Fuuga was installed - it confirmed everything (above & more) that I have written.
One last thing - this also the first time that a cartridge is able to lower the noise floor of my system. In some tracks, the contrasts between the loud notes (and quite often, complex passages) and softer passages are so startling - almost like a hybrid car when its engine is being shut-down during a traffic-stop. Andre Pavin's direction of Gustav Holst's Mars - is a clear demonstration of this phenomena. Wow, I never knew that cartridges can do this !!!
I would clearly say that the Fuuga is BETTER (about 10-20%) than the BLP in ALL parameters, except for warmth & mid-range lusciousness. But, don't get me wrong - its definitely no way as cold as a typical Lyra. It's tonal warmness is between a Koetsu and a Lyra.
It's ok, though - my friend who suffered the same Koetsu fate as I did - recently had this Koetsu BLP cantilever repaired by an Italian craftsman - and soon, my BLP will be visiting the Mediterranean, in search of a new cantilever.
Mr. Mohan - kudos to you & your recommendation. When 1 door closes, another will open.
I may have the best of both worlds when I next upgrade to a 2-tonearm setup - hint, hint !!!
In that case, Long Live the King - and then also Long Live the Queen as well !!!
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Comments
Just wanna follow-up my 1st review with a quick & short update.
In my last review - I said that at the 33.5-hour mark - almost everything "snapped" into place. Then, as I continued to use the Fuuga, the cartridge showed more "goodies" and evolved until the 100-hour mark or so, I thought. Most cartridges that I have used - usually "stopped" evolving around the 100-hour mark - but NOT the Fuuga. In fact, it still gives you the good stuff, until around the 130-hour mark (though, the evolution is a lot less, after the 120-hour mark). So, be patient and have patience when you run-in the Fuuga. It provided me with plenty of surprises (good ones) along the run-in journey.
Whatever I have said in my 1st review has been reinforced time and again during the run-in process - the PRAT, the "rightness" of the start-stop of notes (from drum bass, guitar bass, shimmering cymbals, etc) to the dynamism of the whole music & soundstage, and the crystalline quality of vocals (esp. female ones) - remains the same, from the first impressions.
For full disclosure - my Fuuga tracks at 2.03g; with 66dB gain and lowered to 75 ohms (from the previous100 ohms loading), from my tubed phono stage.
You getting yours ? soon ? 🤣