TBT: Kiseki Purple Heart NS Moving Coil Phono Cartridge Review

Phono cartridges occupy a reverent place in an audiophile’s arsenal. The Kiseki Purple Heart NS (new style) moving coil phono cartridge reviewed here is a good example. Their significance, however, is often under-appreciated by neophytes who don’t understand that cartridges have a shorter lifespan than other components. The manufacturers are not to blame; after a few years, even the most robust stylus wears out or the cantilever breaks. The uninitiated – or the financially strapped – will frequently opt to replace those elements (re-tipping), but the DNA of a true audiophile relentlessly demands upgrading to a better phono cartridge. Luckily, a large majority of manufacturers are willing to credit the purchase price of an older cartridge towards a new one higher up in their line. That brings us to the subject of this review, the Kiseki Purple Heart NS moving coil phono cartridge. In November 2014 I reviewed the excellent Kiseki Blue NS, priced about a thousand dollars less than the Purple Heart. Those who read the review know that Kiseki cartridges are manufactured by Herman van den Dungen….