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Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC

Cartridge· Availability unsettled

Relative price

above typical

Among the 89 cartridges in the catalogue, this one is above typical.

A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.

What it is

Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum — platinum-magnet wood flagship. Weight 9g (mfr 12.4 flagged error).

Competition record

Assessed against 10 rivals across the sixty systems: it takes the slot in none of its 52 head-to-heads.

Where it gives ground

The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.

  • bass control ×32
  • quietness at rest ×25
  • low-level clarity ×12
  • rhythmic grip ×4

Who it comes up against

van den Hul The Frog

20 lost · Anchored, Artisan, BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Twin Arms

Against the Anchored brief, the van den Hul The Frog keeps the slot decisively.

With the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl gives up quietness at rest under the Anchored weighting.

micro and macrodynamics were spectacularStereophile (Scull) 1998

van den Hul The Crimson

15 lost · Anchored, BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Twin Arms

Against the Characterful brief, the van den Hul The Crimson keeps the slot decisively.

With the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl gives up low-level clarity under the Characterful weighting.

micro and macrodynamics were spectacularStereophile (Scull) 1998

Goldring Eroica HX MC

4 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Goldring Eroica HX MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the Whest Audio 60Se Pro, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Whest Audio 60Se Pro gives up quietness at rest under the Silent Path weighting.

It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

van den Hul The Colibri

3 lost · Artisan, Reference

Against the Artisan brief, the van den Hul The Colibri keeps the slot decisively.

With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

Linn Kendo MC

2 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Linn Kendo MC keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the way it sits with the rest of this system under the Twin Arms weighting.

Etsuro Urushi Gold MC

2 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Etsuro Urushi Gold MC keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue MC

2 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue MC keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

van den Hul MC One Special

2 lost · Romantic, Twin Arms

Against the Romantic brief, the van den Hul MC One Special keeps the slot decisively.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

With the Technics S-shape magnesium tonearm (SL-1200G), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC gives up quietness at rest under the Romantic weighting.

almost total lack of groove noise and distortionSoundStage! (Lyle) 2001

Koetsu Azule Platinum MC

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Koetsu Azule Platinum MC keeps the slot clearly.

On its own merits the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

Koetsu Onyx Platinum MC

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Koetsu Onyx Platinum MC keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the way it sits with the rest of this system under the Twin Arms weighting.

What the reviewers said

melding traditional values of lushness, harmonic fullness Stereophile + TAS — Rosewood Signature Platinum reviews· Harmonic texture
linearity, extension, air, focus, palpability, and openness Stereophile — RSP review· Spatial resolution
harmonic fullness TAS — RSP review· Tonal body
naturalness, ease and beauty which is immensely engaging Stereophile — RSP review· Presence & articulation
ease Stereophile — RSP review· Tonal consistency
25dB channel separation at 1kHz SPEC: channel separation 25dB @1kHz (manufacturer)· Spatial naturalness
midrange superb, profoundly musical Stereophile (Scull) 1998· Presence & articulation
a soundstage as large as life Stereophile (Scull) 1998· Spatial naturalness
micro and macrodynamics were spectacular Stereophile (Scull) 1998· Transient attack
high frequencies pure, clear, open 10audio (Platinum upgrade)· Spatial resolution

How it scores

Clarity

  • Spatial resolution 76 from listening evidence

Voice

  • Tonal body 82 from listening evidence
  • Presence & articulation 82 from listening evidence
  • Harmonic texture 82 from listening evidence
  • Spatial naturalness 79 from listening evidence

Rhythm

  • Transient attack 76 from listening evidence

LowerVolume

  • Tonal consistency 76 from listening evidence

Specifications

cartridge typeMC
output mv0.3
internal impedance ohm5.0
recommended load ohm75/500
tracking force g1.8/2.0
compliance dynamic um per mn8.5
weight g9.0
cantilever materialboron
body materiallacquered aged rosewood
frequency response hz20/100000
channel separation db25.0
notes