I installed this excellent cartridge on my Technics SL1210 M5G. Yes... that turntable which all professional DJs were using for years and years. This combination with the Benz and the Technics results in an extraordinary machine of pure listening pleasure at home. The music and the sound that comes out from the Vinyl is so balanced and accurate. I own the high output versione (Blue Color) which fits perfectly with my handmade Tube phono preamp. The Benz Micro ACE is really an excellent cartridge.

At this price point, it delivers ALL the goods that I was looking for: wide soundstage, enjoyable imaging, fullness, smooth treble and midrange, strong bass, inner detail, and nice transients, all accomplished without fatiguing this listener - or providing annoying HUM or RUMBLE!!! Plus, it is beautiful to look at (I have the blue high output, mated to another great audio bargain, the Pro-Ject RM-5 turntable). As someone else said, you will smile all day long listening to your records the Benz Ace way!

I have NONE to report.

I am an amateur musician, but beyond that, a music lover (as a listener) who has survived the LP quad era, cassette and 8-track tape, reel-to-reel, and the compact disc and now ipod formats, enjoying brass, Baroque, Renaissance, Mahler, Dvporak, Shostakovich, Bruckner, Haydn - you get the picture. Through it all, while I have amasses a decent commercial CD collection over time, I recently went back to vinyl and vintage audio playback equipment (both thanks to ebay) and have NOT regretted one minute. I now listen to the CDRs that I make from my vinyl LPs more than to my regular CDs. Why? The sound is different/"better". Words tend to be clumsy to try to explain: more warmth, more vivid sound, more like a live performance, bigger soundstage, even with the occasional surface noise inherent in the LP format.

Which brings me to the Benz Ace. This cartiride creates a very low noise floor, meaning the LP music jumps out from a near-silent backdrop. This makes them sound like CDs (especially if it is an LP with quiet surfaces). The cartridge did sound very good "right out of the box", although my experience told me it would even improve with time, and it has (about 30 hours on it so far). I love the midrange detail, the solid bass, the lack of harshness, the overall "musical" presentation - I will keep this cartidge and not need to look for any other. That is the best compliment I can give any item such as this.

Customer Service

nothing to report.

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I had been using a tried and true vintage MARANTZ 6300 turntable, which is an outstanding quality product - plus a wonderful Grado Platinum cartridge. The downside to this combo was a slight HUM, and the fact that the cartridge required over 90 hours to burn in (!) before it "opened up" noticeably and nicely. Once that happened, I was captivated by the sound, especially for a $395 mm cartridge.

Every aspect is simply as good as possible for the 500-700 Euro category. Transperancy ,dynamics, speed, imaging is what Ace is all about. A rather full soundring cartridge. Midrange to die for, extended and very very clear and open highs without a hint of 'harsh'. Bass is simply tuneful and 'nice' slightly organic. As rich as it must be.

... Less romantic and musical than a Koetsu I heared. :) But who asked for the price of Koetsu ? Also, Benz Ace could bring your under 1000 Euro turntable to a next level of total quality, precision and musicality and this is bad news for other cartr. You may listen less to your Class A CD player.

Simply a very good, probably the best under 700 Euro cartridge. I have the medium output version (clear). Full, tight bass. Class A Dynamics and the most precise imaging that I could not believe that is possible. The Benz is clearly a winner. Transperancy and detail without the washed-out symptoms are something phenomenal.

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I heared Koetsu. Lovely...

Very musical balanced top to bottom detailed and not aggressive

except when I compared to my other cartridge the Denon DL 103 while the frequency reponse is not as wide the music presentation from the Denon DL 103 just as good, so the DL 103 better value, if you don't worry too much about the cost, ACE is still the choice

High output moving coil 2.5mV medium compliance cartridge. Used on Rega P-25 turntable. Matches well with RB 600 arm, heavy counter weight used mine is the Clearaudio Heavweight. Phono amp Graham Slee Amp 2 SE Unico P integrated and Audio Physic Yara