Listening to the Le Son SL1 MkII
Contents
The Le Son SL1 MkII does not disappoint. The high range sounds clear and tends to be a little fresh at times, making ‘s’ and ‘t’ sounds a little sharp. The soundstage is very spacious, you can hear and follow all instruments and voices well. Especially in the speed at which attacks on drums and keys are followed, you can clearly hear the moving coil character of this cartridge.
A spatial experience
Joe Jackson’s “You Can’t Get What You Want” sounds swinging and energetic. Fierce attacks are rendered without any problems. The reverberation of the drums and brass against the walls of the theatre in which it was recorded is clearly audible. An insightful recording is also insightfully rendered.
The qualities of the recording and the pressing splash off The Nits’ album ‘Omsk’. We are treated to a grand and open soundstage and very precise attack of the instruments. Despite the Le Son SL1 MkII’s very bright midrange, the soundstage continues to feel organic and that’s exactly what we play vinyl for. All that is left to do is sit back and listen.
The bass is also present
We put the 12″ of “Inertia Creeps” by Massive Attack on the record player. The deep bass comes through very powerfully. The character of the Le Son cartridge remains clearly audible here too: open midrange, clear highs, somewhat sharp on the s- and t-sounds.
Again, the huge soundstage stands out, which seems to extend far beyond the limits of the listening room. The open midrange of the Le Son SL1 MkII makes it possible to follow exactly what is happening in the different layers stacked in the music, but it remains a coherent musical picture.
Voices take on an extra dimension
What is particularly striking is how good the Le Son SL1 MkII is with voices. The album ‘Déjà Vu’ by Crosby Stills Nash & Young, in the opening track “Carry On”, makes the harmony vocals and voices sound beautiful together, while also being abrasive. It is a stunning experience. The 70s vibe is almost physically palpable. Percussion and Neil Young’s signature guitar sound are unmistakable in sound and colour, and a bass guitar that sounds as if it was recorded in a gospel church: round, full and a bit mushy, a typical “whop whop whop” sound.
The urgency, anger, militancy, but also desperation in ‘Almost Cut My Hair’ is still palpable even in 2024, perhaps more so than ever. And the funny thing is; the LP we had on the turntable was a regular 1973 release. Nothing like an audiophile 180-gram extra black vinyl. Just go ahead and let Le Son get the music out of the grooves.
We listened to both sides of the LP. Just because we could. And because we really wanted to. You cannot give a better compliment to a cartridge.
What about le son?
We are deeply impressed by what this cartridge can get out of a record. The days after this listening session, we searched wistfully in the digital and analogue domain at home for the same listening sensation, especially with the ‘Déjà Vu’ album. We didn’t find it. We write sensation and it is. It is like an event that sticks like a special performance, a concert that makes a big impression.
The Le Son SL1 MkII cartridge is available for a temporary introductory price of 469 euros.
Conclusion
Le Son. Remember the name and do not be afraid to order a cartridge from China through the internet sales channel. We are deeply impressed with the performance of this cartridge and how much music it can pull from a record groove. We can only be curious about the sound of the low output MC cartridge from Le Son, the LS10 mkII...
As with other products, there is always a brand that shows us that a top quality product doesn't necessarily come attached with a high price tag. For its price, the LS1 of Le Son is extraordinary. This high gain MC cartridge is very close to the speed and transparency associated with MC cartridge, but with the ease of use of a MM cartridge. Just use a regular phono preamp, probably in its standard setting and you are done.
We will continue enjoying the music. A very deserved Alpha Approved!