The living room of my home where my audio set was installed has been cleaned up so that to listen good music there became enjoyable. So I started to set a "Koetsu" which was repaired and finely tuned by Mr. Sugano on my phono player.

Hereafter I will write the process for re-starting my stereo player in details. For the so-called audio mania it is important as same as the sound. But those readers who have not much interests in it are asked to jump to the paragraphs below the next picture.

Fix the cartridge on a holder with two small screws. Then insert the holder into the end of pickup arm. Adjust a balance weight so that the needle weight on the surface of record disc would be 1.5 gram. Then adjust the side force so that the needle on disc surface can keep the same position by canceling the centrifugal force. The turntable was switched on in order to minimize the rotation resistance of its axis. On the control amplifier, push the phono button. And then the main amplifier was powered on with a minimum position of the volume control. Every wiring was right and perfect so that to my relief no woo or sound came out from speakers. .

I took out one of my favorite disc, "Mozart: Violin Concertos No. 3 G major KV216・No. 5 A Major KV219, Anne-Sophie Mutter・Berlin Philharmoniker, Herbert von Krajan", from the shelf and put it on the turntable. Then the table was switched on and a surface cleaner which was made of velvet was lightly pushed on the disc surface. No dust was catched. The rotation of disc was stopped for installing a clip on the axis of turntable and pushing lightly the disc on turn table.

The lever of pick-up arm was not used. With my fingers the needle of cartdrige was put on the disc edge and pushed it a little to slide into the groove of disc. Nothing happened. As the volume control was turned up little by little, a wonderful music sound came out. The volume knotch was stopped at the 2/5th position. The sound volume was satisfactory enough.

I was so excited with the music that I could not help myself from shudder.

The fine vibration of high tone generates melancholic feeling meanwhile the low tone gives rich and stable feeling. I could not endure my desire for sending this music sound to a few of my friends, I called some of them and sent them the sound through the phone, but they did not show any interest.

I bought CDs from the day of their introduction to the market, Although I did not satisfy with their sound, I have been sticked to them for more than 15 years because they were convenient for the listeners. The CD has a big recording capacity comparable to two or three discs. The CD player stops automatically when its music ends. I invested much to digital-analog convertors which were used not only for CD player but for BS tuner. Last year I bought a CD which was advertised as sounding just like LP. Although I have a few of cartdrige other than Koetsu, But every one of them sounds very bad. I went to Akihabara where there a few stores selling cardriges. But their price were so high that those who bought at such price might seem to be stupid. Meanwhile, a friend of mine told me that one of Mr. Sugano's sons might repair Koetsu and gave me his phone number. I reported on the diary how he did for me. Finally Mr. Sugano checked and tuned himself my Koetsu.

Thus I could get perfect pieces of Koetsu but I have not had any confidence for setting them on my stereo equipments until today. But the result is quite satisfactory as I mentioned in the above, As a vacuum tube amplifier was waiting for repair, I used a transistor amplifier, DENON POA 3000. The cartridge arm and the step-up transformer are Koetsu originals.

When I listened to an old SP record music, "In the mood" played by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, at Ezra's home in Cove Creek, Arkansas in May, this year, I felt a sensation running through my body. It was played by an antique phonograph with a new steel stylus.(Ref. 5/8/99). I had the same sensation today.

From the day of Edison, disc grave was cut on wax disc by a cutter. That means the cutter of cutting machine is concentrated with all sounds. To use the cardrige stylus for replaying the sound is just the same as the antique phono player. The only difference is how to amplify the sound which the stylus picks up. This is a new discovery for me.

I enjoyed myself very much today. Many thanks to Mr. Sugano and all related personals.

Back to Calender