MINT Koetsu Blue Lace Agate Platinum MC Phono Cartridge

Hello,

You are looking at a 100% authentic, custom made to order, Koetsu Blue Lace Agate Platinum MC phono cartridge in pristine, absolutely flawless & practically new condition. I'd comfortably rate it 10/10 as per grading guideline for the Audiogon Grading Scale.(AGS)

As a Koetsu fan since I've gone all analog in 2017, I pretty much fell under its spell and acquired a Black Goldline, a Rosewood Signature, an Urushi SkyBlue and ultimately this stone body Blue Lace Agate Platinum.(all in the span of a couple of years) Was blown away each time and never looked back.

This particular cartridge was custom made to order by the Koetsu factory as it is indeed the best of the best by Koetsu so the quantity is very limited - I placed the order in April 2019 and received the item in July 2019. The cartridge was meticulously & carefully mounted/aligned with a German protractor and channel balanced with a Fozgometer. It was then loaded on a brand new Purist Audio Analog System Enhancer vinyl disc with 2.0g tracking force and ran for roughly 15-20 hours in total to have it broken in. Upon listening for the first time, it was immediately evident that both soundstage & overall dynamic were much closer to what one would experience in a live performance - It was exhilarating!

To make long story short, my initial plan to upgrade to a dual tone arm turntable setup did not materialize due to space limitation and that I had to choose a phono cartridge and stick to it for now. After much debating, I have decided to let this cartridge go - It wasn't an easy decision by any means. I am hoping this cartridge would go to a fellow analog enthusiast and make good use of it for years. Please see notes below & reference attached photos for detailed info in regards to the cartridge.

• I am the only owner of this amazing, custom made to order cartridge which had roughly 30-40 hours of total usage. It is barely broken in to be completely honest.
• Cartridge was very well cared for during use. I used a combination of high end protractor, Fozgometer & precise tracking force gauge to make sure it was properly setup/aligned. Over 95% of my records were purchased brand new which increases longevity of the stylus & cantilever. Kept in climate controlled listening room.

• I have done what I could to truthfully represent the item for sale by taking numerous detailed shots as well as using a digital microscope to show perpendicularity of cantilever to the front leading edge of cartridge body as well as condition of stylus. However, please do not hesitate to contact me if there are anything that I might have missed.
• I realize that it is difficult to establish trust when I am not able to show the actual cartridge to you in person. Therefore, I am willing to go extra length, making arrangement to meet up if you are willing & able to travel to N. California.(Cupertino)
• I have not sold any gears on Audiogon in recent years, but have had a good number of transactions with fellow Audiogoners back in 2008-2009 with many happy customers. Please take note of my perfect feedback history and transact with absolute confidence.
• I'd prefer that the buyer pick up the cartridge in person so that you have a chance to inspect the actual item. However, I am willing to ship the item to you as per your request, if you live in the United States. (cartridge will be meticulously packed, triple boxed with lots of packing material)
• I'd only sell to those with excellent feedback history on Audiogon. Thanks for your understanding!
• Please add 3% service fee if paying by Paypal. Thanks.

Please contact me should there be any questions or concern. Thanks for your time, attention and be safe!

Joseph