I recently purchased a Kensington C-500 moving coil cartridge, installed in my SME Series IV tonearm fitted with SME’s damping system, mounted on a Michell Orbe SE turntable with the latest motor. The Kensington C-500 replaces a Denon DL-302L in my system.
The rest of the system comprises a Michell ISO phono stage with Hera power supply designed by Tom Evans, a combination that still competes comfortably with present day alternatives.
This feeds an Audio Research LS17 SE pre-amplifier and then Audio Research Corporation monoblocks driving Martin Logan Summit loudspeakers.
I tested the Kensington C-500 moving coil cartridge across a wide range of music, including classical, opera, jazz, rock, and both male and female vocals. The overriding character of the C-500 is neutrality, combined with an abundance of detail and a tuneful, well-defined bass response.
While listening to “Diamond in the Rough” by Shawn Colvin, as the background vocal gradually receded into silence, that silence was CD-quiet with not a hint of surface noise, before the next track emerged from an inky blackness. The composure and refinement here were exceptional.
Dynamics are unrestrained, and the treble is sweet and open sounding. On “Better Git It in Your Soul” from Charles Mingus’ album Ah Um, the drum solos sounded strikingly realistic, combining sweetness with the crisp attack of the cymbals and the distinct tonal character of all the different drums.
The soundstage is both deep and wide, presenting all the detail one could wish for.
“Fanfare for the Common Man” by Aaron Copland (Telarc), in my opinion the definitive recording, was reproduced with all the dynamic range and authority inherent in this piece.
A direct comparison between vinyl and CD proved so impressive that any alleged disparity in dynamic range between the two formats was simply not an issue.
After many hours of listening to various genres, my conclusion is clear: if this represents the entry-level moving coil model in the Kensington range, then many other cartridge manufacturers will need to raise their game.
I look forward to hearing the models further up the range.
An outstanding product at a very affordable price by today’s standards.
Sean Cassin
System used:
SME Series IV tonearm (with SME damping system)
Michell Orbe SE (latest motor)
Michell ISO with Tom Evans Hera power supply
Audio Research LS17 SE
Audio Research Corporation monoblocks
Martin Logan Summit loudspeakers