How Does That $28,000 SAT Pick Up Arm Sound?
So what does it sound like? It is fitted with the new Air-Tight PC-1 Magnum Opus cartridge ($15,000--review in an upcoming Stereophile) going into a Ypsilon MC-10L step-up transformer ($6500) and that into the Ypsilon VPS-100 phono preamp ($26,000). The turntable is the Continuum Caliburn, which sold for $150,000 until production ceased, though the company claims they'll make one if you order five or so.
The recording is the recently released 200g edition of a March 2000 recording by legendary engineer Keith O. Johnson of Eiji Oue conducting the Minnesota Orchestra in a Copland program of the familiar "Fanfare for the Common Man" and Copland's "Third Symphony".
Digitization was at 96/24 via the Lynx HiLo. You can watch and listen on YouTube (see below) or download the file. It's a big file so give it time before you try playing it.
Yes, this is a ridiculously priced analog front end and while digitization doesn't do it complete justice, I think it gives you a good idea, especially of the bass energy that arm is capable of transmitting. Nothing else I've heard manages that.