Roksan Corus 2
Composed presentation; crisp and precise sound FOR Sound could do with more excitement; fiddly to fit AGAINST
The original Roksan Corus cartridge was introduced way back in 1989. It was based, like many others of that time, on Goldring’s excellent 1000 series of cartridges, but a number of engineering tweaks gave it a distinctive sound.
Initially, there were two grades available, and the range-topping Black was a firm favourite at What Hi-fi?, delivering a combination of detail and dynamics most rivals struggled to better.
We’ve had to wait 30 years for a new generation of Roksan moving-magnet cartridge, so it's with some anticipation that we unbox the new Corus2.
Name and shame
In some ways it’s a shame the company decided to call it a Corus, as there’s little shared DNA between the old and the new. The new one is based on Audio Technica technology and features that company’s VM dual-magnet design (one per channel) rather than having a single magnet as used in most rivals.
The cartridge body is made of aluminium, as is the cantilever, which is completed with a Shibata shaped tip. At 8g, this is a fairly hefty cartridge and it tracks securely at 2.0g. While the old Corus was one of the easiest cartridges to fit thanks to a nicely squared off shape and the use of captive threaded inserts, the new one is undeniably fiddly.
There aren’t any captive inserts for a start, so you’ll have to hold onto the tiny nuts while screwing in the bolts. The 2 also requires the stylus assembly to be removed before the cartridge can be mounted to the tonearm, as there just isn’t enough space to fit the allen key with it in place.
The problem is that when you want to adjust the cartridge position to get everything aligned properly the assembly needs to come back off again each time. It’s a pain. Of course, you can get the dealer to do the job for you, but that might cost you.
Once it’s mounted on a Rega Planar 8, it doesn’t take long to realise that this is a capable performer. However, sonically, it doesn’t share much of its character with the previous one. That cartridge’s fun-loving nature has been replaced by a more refined and precise presentation.
Crisp and detailed
The Corus2 sounds commendably crisp and detailed when we listen to Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis. It sets up a wide and expansive soundstage and positions the various members of the group with precision and focus. There’s lots of insight and the ability to render instrumental textures with delicacy.
Tonally, it’s nicely balanced. There’s a fine degree of body and authority to the sound and no part of the frequency range is given undue prominence.
We become aware of a slight shortfall of rhythmic drive though. While this Roksan defines leading and trailing edges of notes with crispness, it doesn’t quite tie things together well enough to fully convey the music's momentum. This becomes apparent when we play Mary J Blige’s No Drama set, where Dr. Dre’s hard-charging production comes across with more restraint than we’re used to. It’s still a fun listen, but it lacks a little of the expected verve.
A swap to Goldring’s 2400 restores the energy – it now sounds fluid, punchy and entertaining. The Goldring ties the instrumental strands together in a more natural way, but the Roksan counters with greater insight into vocal nuances and a touch more control.
The Corus2 is a capable performer. It may not be the most exciting listen for the money, but its range of strengths means it will sound at home across a range of systems and musical genres.
“Sonically, the previous Corus cartridge’s fun-loving nature has been replaced by a more refined and precise presentation”