Ortofon's "Vinyl Preservation Academy" has promoted the Arkiv as a transcription tool for a while now. We have on hand the Arkiv 'single cartridge with spare needle' package. Also available are an OM mount cartridge, an OM with spare stylus, and twin packs for both the Concorde and OM mount.
Yorick hits the bins to test out his Arkiv.
Methodology
To test out the Arkiv I put it through its paces on some records that would get sampled or transcribed because it's not on CD. And a couple of records I just like. The playlist is as follows:
The Word Booty EP 33RPM 12" (Catskills Projects)
The Dandy Warhols - Smoke It 33RPM 7" (Parlophone)
The Art of Noise - Legs 45RPM 12" (Chrysalis Records)
London Elektricity - The Strangest Secret in the World 33RPM 12" (Hospital)
Bassliners - You're My 303 33RPM 12" (Prozaac Recordings)
The Propellerheads - Take California 33RPM 12" (Wall of Sound)
To test the Arkiv against another cartridge, I attached the cart I wanted to compare it to to my PDX-3000, listened to a track then swapped in the Arkiv and listened again.
I used what I had on hand to compare it to - an Ortofon DJ Pro S, Ortofon Omega, Ortofon MF-6 and an Ortofon MF-7. So whether or not this review is as useful for those across the trenches in the Shure and Stanton camps, I can't say for certain, but these other needles cover, respectively: entry-level spherical stylus carts, basic hi-fi carts, mid-range mix carts and mid-range scratch carts.
For those interested, the signal path is as follows:
• Ortofon Arkiv (or other cartridge)
• Vestax PDX-3000 Mix S-arm turntable with anti-skate off
• NAD PP-2 Phono amplifier
• Generic RCA cable
• M-Audio Delta 1010LT ADCs @ 24 bit 96Khz
• Audacity in loopback mode
• M-Audio Delta 1010LT DACs @ 24 bit 96Khz
• Alesis RA-100 reference power amplifier
• Loudspeaker Kit M5 monitors, Limited Yorick Edition
• Yorick's ears
This review is not scientific.
Before We Get Started...
I have to hand it to Ortofon, they know how to make your purchase feel first class. None of this cardboard box crap - the Arkiv comes in a hardcase with the cartridge, a spare needle and a stylus brush all held in a velour lined tray. Since the case is made with exactly the same parts and techniques as mixer and turntable hardcases, the Arkiv is kept in its own indestructable cocoon when you need to move it from place to place. Since it's not really a gigging needle it's not a huge deal...
But it's a really sweet box.
Carting the Numbers
The Arkiv tracks at a relatively standard three grams, but is rated from two to four. The stylus flexes badly from about 4.5 grams up, so stick to the recommended weight with this one.
The stylus is elliptical, indeed "special elliptical" if the marketing is to be believed. Elliptical stylii are widely agreed to improve fidelity at the cost of record wear - except for scratching, where it will increase wear and reduce traction.
The output volume is 6mV - this isn't an epic number like the Qbert concorde's 11.5mV, but it’s a nice comfortable middle-ground level for a moving magnet cart. You won't get your phono amplifier to clip with this one, but you definitely will need a hi-fi phono amp with a bit of backbone to get it up to a normal line level for recording.
The only remaining fact-sheet number worth considering is the 20° tracking angle - this means no straight arms. Not surprising for those who've worked with elliptical stylii before, but it's worth reiterating - scratch turntables are not on the cards here.
The Sounding
I hate audiobabble, so I'll keep this short - this needle genuinely, audibly improves the sound over normal DJ cartridges. Higher frequencies in particular are just a lot more there when compared to the OM Pro, and stereo imaging seems to be a bit better. The live instruments in breaks and big beat are improved somewhat the added fidelity, and the response of the elliptical stylus is evident in complex segments, especially when listened to side-by-side with a spherical-stylus cartridge.
The cartridge handles tracks with mixed bass and mid-range segments magnificently. It never breaks its stride in the slightest, even in very complex pieces. The Arkiv demonstrates true hi-fi strengths in live-instrument recordings, especially when compared to DJ cartridges built more for toughness than sound quality.
Breaks, funk and rock records are treated very well by this stylus. Drum and bassand electro not so much - the Arkiv doesn't add that great low-end 'oomph' to records that have been cut hot, and it definitely does not provide that 'club sound'. That can be quite easily added with any equalizer though, and it’s very, very hard to equalize back to the crystal clarity of the Arkiv.
The major difference in design that allows the Arkiv to give these characteristics is that it has not been tuned to overemphasise bass notes and the scratching midrange. This lack of a sawtooth frequency response curve makes it a lot more pleasant to listen to for most types of music, and if you're archiving or sampling your vinyl it's a very welcome design feature.
So, if you want things to sound as clear and balanced as the CD issue - whether or not that issue exists - you should use an Arkiv. Compared to a scratch, general-purpose or even mix needle swapping to the Arkiv is like pulling the cotton wool out of your ears.
This cartridge gives a balanced, 'true' sound with ultra-low distortion and a flat frequency curve. It doesn't 'cut through the mix' or 'give accented highs' or 'epic bass mayte' it just plays what's on the record. And it does so with serious aplomb.
Hyphy
The way that this cartridge sounds is straight-up high fidelity. It seemss an Ortofon DJ needle that has been tuned for accuracy, not durability or the features demanded by the average DJ for their mix needles.
This does however put it in the same ring as "real" hi-fi cartridges - and it may not stand up so well when compared to a Van Den Hul, or indeed Ortofon's own hi-fi line. The real problem would arise if the entry-grade hi-fi cartridges sound as good... But luckily they don’t. Not even close. Still, it may be worth investigating hi-fi cartridges if your budget will stretch – and with hi-fi cartridges your imagination will be stretched by just how far your budget is expected to stretch.
Compared to other DJ carts, The Arkiv is truly. It sounds great, it's reasonably priced and it’s got genuine style.
Would You Cut With It?
If there are any soul or classic breaks DJs out there wondering whether this needle's hi-fi aspirations might make the Arkiv a good alternative if you want to have your mix sound a bit nicer... Well no, it really won't cut it. So to speak.
It skates like a greased weasel on an ice rink when you try to scratch or backspin, and the cartridge very quickly bottoms out and flexes in a horrible fashion if you try to compensate with more tracking weight. Between the elliptical stylus and the added weight required to turn it into a mix cartridge it will quickly wear out the nice records that you wanted to sound better in the first place.
The Arkiv does not exactly have a durable stylus either. It won't snap off the first time you try something athletic with it like moving coil cartridges, but the Arkiv's improved fidelity came at a cost - noticeably reduced stylus suspension and mass, combined with a thinner stylus overall - making it significantly more fragile than Ortofon's other Concorde-mount offerings, let alone the scratch cartridges of this modern world.
Conclusions
Basically this cartridge does what it says on the tin. Samples and transcribes vinyl. I've used the Arkiv to transcribe about a twenty vinyl records from a wide variety of genres, and the result has consistently been of very high quality - not quite as clear as the CD issue for things I have on both 12" and CD, but a seriously respectable cut above 'listenable' all round.
The Arkiv is a genuinely excellent cartridge. It ticks all the right boxes for what it does: It has high fidelity, a flat frequency response, good output volume and Ortofon's trademark attractive Concorde housing.
Sampling is one area where I think the Arkiv will truly shine. Whether sampling complex funk breaks for looping or instrumental tones to warp for synths, the Arkiv gives you a lot more to work with by avoiding distortion of the original sample, and moving the bar a lot closer to what was actually cut to the record to begin with.
The Ortofon Arkiv is very, very highly recommended for sampling, recording and general listening
Strengths:
• High fidelity
• Clear top-end
• Flat response curve
Weaknesses:
• Awful traction
• Fragile
• Doesn't give that 'club sound' on dance tracks
Better than: For what it does, almost anything else.
Worse than: A zyx R-1000
But: You probably can't afford one of those, and at its price point the Arkiv is top dog for sound quality.
