Analogtechnik DMT25 - is M the new S?

Mono, stereo, whatever… had an interesting conversation with Dong Bum Kim (Daniel), the skilled artisan behind those amazing, handmade masterpieces…

I was - actually AM! - utterly amazed and shattered by the seldom heard beauty of the music as performed by this exotic, sought-after cartridge - i.e. DMT25: I couldn’t understand “why” this cartridge sounded more “right” to my ears than other cartridges!

The most technically- gifted advocates an embarrassingly “wrong” non-linearity of original Neumann DST62…

😱

Neumann DST-62 shows a 30-10Khz with a 10db channel  separation. This cartridges looks at measurements more mono than stereo.

Dual mono!

To my ears the exaggerated channels separations as found on most “modern” hi-fi cartridges sounds less natural than these old ‘50s DST design.

It’s like looking at a Neumann U47 frequency response: dips and peaks, a rollercoaster if compared to a B&K/DPA 4011 

🥳😎😱🥳

… or…

😱

… but: is human hearing “linear”?

(have a read at the “live link” above)

Will any passionate jazz, music lover like more a Rudy van Gelder-recorded John Coltrane’s tenor sax (non-linear, colored, whatever Neumann U47) or a laboratory-grade linear  B&K 4011 recording?

My humble approach is easy: I like what pleases me more.

Double Mono? Ok, fine to me!

😇

 

I must add that “colorations” (see above Garrardzilla declinations) are salt-to-life… they’re a reality interpretation, no lesser or wrong, per se: if these (apparent) weakness was good for Rudy Van Gelder and John Coltrane, it’s good for me 😊.

I asked Daniel for enlightening me…

Daniel - Thanking the researchers who designed and developed the DST cartridge in Neumann in the 1950s.  There is no better design than this.  I just researched and developed various materials to make this basic design sound better.  In particular, the DMT25 was inspired by the process of modifying the existing neumann DMT cartridge and producing it.  And I made my own sound while thinking of the many famous monocartridges that have been repaired.

Me - Yes… but how is it possible it plays like a stereo, ultra wide soundstage cartridge! I’m still impressed! Every instrument is superbly located in space… is DMT25 working on both vertical and horizontal planes like Mono and Stereo designs?

Daniel - Sound can be reproduced from all directions like a stereo cartridge.  However, it is difficult to play stereo lp.  It is designed to reduce stereo separation and reproduce mono sound as equally as possible on both channels.  The big difference between the DMT25 cartridge and other autophone series monos is that it minimizes the influence of the rubber damper in its structure and minimizes the distortion and exaggeration of sound because the vibration direction of the groove matches the vibration direction of the coil.

The DMT25 reproduces the sound signal in the same direction as the left and right directions of the groove, and the Autophone Mono reproduces the signal in a rotational motion rather than in the left and right direction.

Me - … makes sense… but believe me: it’s not reduced stereo separation, or, better, the separation isn’t exaggerated and to my ears more natural as live music 🥇🎶🥇

Daniel - You're right, the original record isn't over-recorded, because many cartridges play over-played. I left out one important point, except for cartridges that use air-core coils, all stereo and mono cartridges have iron bobbins inside the armature. Since it is placed on the magnetic field lines, the smooth movement of the coil is restricted.  This is the biggest downside to sound quality.

The Neumann DMT cartridge is a stereo cartridge produced briefly in 1957, early in the development of stereo cartridges.  The M in the DMT name is probably the M for a magnet (dynamic magnet tonabnemer).  In fact, there is a very small magnet in the middle of the coil) This cartridge was developed as a stereo cartridge, but it cannot be used like the current stereo cartridge.  The two channels are output in different ways.  It's not perfect, but only one channel can be used in mono.

The Analogtechnik DMT25 is rising the level of zestness and beefy-ness to 2.0 level… it’s like a field Coil DaVa FC1-A, a Neumann DST or… such an incredible quality! Sounds as fast and dynamic as master-tapes played on my Studer C37😎🥇🥇🥇😎

Needless to say I bought it (Needed it? No! Loved it? Yes!!!) and my sampler is serial # 001 🥇

World needs an M, aehm… S… well, W(hatever) cartridge.

DMT25 = Daniel-made treasure25cu, a statement.

Interested?

Contact - siemensklangfilm@hotmail.com

Dong Bum Kim 

Damaschke str.4

08064 Zwickau

Germany

Tel - +49 (0)17656433631

P.S. - I’m not related to Analogtechnik and am not responsible in any way for anyone liking or not these cartridges: I’m just sharing my first-hand opinions, for the sake of passion for quality-audio and love for music.