Hey!
Okay as some of you vinyl people here might recall that I switched from BPS EVOIII to Benz Micro "ACE" cart
Here is the link to my thread of how and why...
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=37504.0 A little bit of embarrassing
But! Hey! That's life
So, as promised... here is a little review on Benz Micro "ACE HO" Vs. Sumiko "BPS EVOIII"
Vs.
Keep in mind that since I broke the BPS so I can't go back to it for a direct comparison. But after living with the BPS for over 2 years and long enough on my new DIY FrakenRega TT. I'm pretty much know it well. So, even if the BPS EVOIII parts of this review and comparison is from my memory. I still think it is still a fair fight.
Here is the link to my FrakenRega TT. Using parts from Rega Planar 2 and 250RB arm on a new End grained chopping board
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=35663.20Other equipments are....
Audio Note M1 Phono tubed pre..... 12AX7 in Phono and 12AU7 in line stage.
Welborne Lab "Apollo" SET monobloc with KR Audio 842VHD tube.
Speaker are Homemade TQWT with 6" Fostex 167E and FT17H as Supertweeter.
Cables are all homemade.
Power: All plugged in to PS Audio P600
Okay, a little note..... I am not an analog guru or anything like that. I've never had or can afford a $5k cart or have a chance to to play around with other carts. But here goes my exprienec with these two carts on my own system
Okay, and now.... Leeeeet's Geeeeeeet Readyyyyyy to Rumbleeeeee!"
With out changing any thing I installed the ACE on my TT replacing the BPS. The installation of the ACE is a bit easier than with the BPS because the ACE have acrylic body. With the BPS it was harder to do so and need more precaution due to the fact that the cart is totally nude. Hmmm... maybe this is why I managed to break it
Well at least this time with the ACE it would be harder for me to snapped off the cantilever.
The loading still the same as 47Kohm as used and recommended by the BPS.
As of today the ACE is fully broken in. The first thing that I notice is that the ACE seem to have a higher output than the BPS. This is not a good in thing in my system since my step attenuators are already a bit coarse already
The sound from the ACE is noticibly different than the BPS for sure. They are both great tarcker. But somehow the ACE seem to pick up less surface noise than the BPS. This may have something to do with the fact that they used different stylus. BPS with more tradition
eliptical vs. ACE's nude line-contact. Very interesting.
And with this I do feel and hear more of the inner detail with the ACE than with BPS.
What really got me the was the midrange between the two. The ACE seem to be on the fuller side than the BPS with better nuance. The ACE sounds more open, more dimensional than the BPS with more of that 3D like layer and that give me the sense of space and depth better than the BPS. This make the BPS sounded a bit muted in the midrange compared to the ACE.
When it come to the bottom end. Somehow I do feel that the BPS is a bit better than the ACE in quick dynamic department. But I'm glade to give up a bit of that for the fuller with better definition bottom end of the ACE. It was simply beautiful listening to the Classic Record version of Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" with the ACE. I do hear more of the instrument's body rather than just plucked strings with the ACE.
With high frequency I found it is very interesting between the two carts. I don't know why but I some how feel that the BPS have a somewhat extended respond on top, but with some glare. But! the ACE have a better solid high frequency definition than the BPS.
Now when I'm listening to different stereo equipments I always looking and listening for what I called the
sense of flow to the sound of music.
And I happy to report that the ACE is truly have this. And with this to me the ACE made the BPS sounds mechanical in comparison.
And the ACE sound fuller, more dimensional, with depth and better nuance.
As you can see that I'm very impressed with the ACE a lot. True that the ACE cost more than the BPS at $550 for the ACE or $450 with trade-in and the BPS is now $400. But with trade-in the ACE is only $50 more than the BPS... heck! even at $550 if this is what the kind of sound I could get from this Swiss made beauty I would just give up Starbucks coffees for a month and get the ACE!
I've been using the BPS for a while the one before was the II version. It is a very nice cart for sure, had been around for a long time and got many great reviews from the mainstream press. But wiith the price of the BPS now at $400 and the arrival of the Benz Micro "ACE"... I don't know if you could call the BPS best buy anymore. So, I think it is time for me and other who are thinking of buying the BPS EVOIII to gratuated to the ACE.
Anyway, other cart that I wish I have a chance to compare in my own system is the Dynavector 10x5 cart
But I have to say that I'm very happy with the ACE and if this is what I'm getting from the almost at the bottom of the line cart from Benz Micro, than imagine what I will get from their more expensive upper cart?
Good thing that they do have a pretty good trade-in program.
So, look like on my TT it is a TKO and the winner goes to the Benz Micro "ACE HO"
Take care,
Buddy
PS
I found 1Kohm resistors in my parts box. So, I've just changed the loading resistor from 47Kohm to 1Kohm. I will report back on this change soon.
Edited: Oops! Bad typing.
One of the sentence above should be "As of today the ACE is fully broken in." not ".... is not fully broken in" Yes, it got more than 40 hours recommended by the Benz Micro. Well, it wouldn't be make sense for me to write about it if it wasn't broken in right.
