Price Paid:  $295.00 from Hifi Studio City, En

Summary:
Benz Micro Silver Cartridge from Zwitzerland, purchase price in EURO's! Coming from Project Debut with Ortofon OMB5 cartridge, later with Denon DL160 cartrdige, I recently bought the Project 6.1. First I installed the Denon cartridge, but since 20 hours I listen to the famous Benz Micro Silver and I have upgraded some cables (van den Hul the Well and Bay C5) System set up: Swans Diva 5.1 speakers, bi-wired with van den Hul CS122 on bass and van den Hul MC352 on mid and high. NAD C320 amp, Marantz CD63MKII KI with Canare coaxial interlink to California Audio Labs Gamma DA-converter, Standdesign audio-rack, MFE cable for current, separate group for the audio-equipment, van den Hull the Well between Project and NAD PP1, and van den Hul Bay C5 between NAD PP1 and NAD C320. and a beautiful wife that likes music too!

Strengths:
Silky highs, deep lows, and very very neutral mid-frequenties. After 20 hours the break-in has not been fulfilled, and I can notice that. At this very moment the music really comes to life and the way a record has been recorded can be heard. When I move besides the speakers, I seems as if I can look into the space the recording was made. Boy am I satisfied with this beautiful piece of Zwitzerland.

Weaknesses:
Surface noise, it seems very microfonic in the arm. Any suggestions?

Similar Products Used:
Ortofon OMB5, Denon DL160 My rating is is very high, but I am high.... This sounds very very nice, and very very neutral and civilized while dynamics are so natural.

Summary:
This cartridge brings the music alive. Very detailed. But, it also enhances record noise and the bass is not quite as full as a comparable mm cartridge.

Strengths:
liveliness, detail

Weaknesses:
enhances record noise, not as forgiving as mm cartridges

Similar Products Used:
Shure V15 Type VMR, Grado 8MZ Signature

Summary:
Recently upgraded to the Micro Silver from the Sumiko Blue Point. This cartridge has eliminated the sometimes too shrill highs from the Blue Point.Details, soundstage and imaging have vastly improved. Bass is not quite as fast but is tighter than the Blue Point. The sound is on the warm side of neutral but not quite as warm as the Shure V-15. Overall a 4 star sound.

Turntable- Rotel RB900 with Audioquest Sorbothane mat on 2" concrete base.

Preamp-B&K Pro10MC
Power Amp- B&K ST140
Speakers- Paradigm 7SE Mk III

Summary:
I recently upgraded my turntable to a (used) Linn Sondek LP12 (Valhalla/Ittok LVII) and at the same time bought the Lehmann Black Cube and the Benz Micro MC Silver. As far as I can tell the MC Silver is a high output (2.0mV) version of the MC Gold.
As you might immagine it is difficult to credit one product when upgrading an entire front end, but let me say that I am very happy with all of them!! I initially had my heart set on the very visually appealing Grado Ref. Platnum, but after auditioning that cartridge at the same time as the Benz it really wasn't much of a choice. What I heard was more extended and clean highs, tighter (if diminished in quantity) bass and better image focus. To me these added up to a more natural sound. It also reproduces a lot of detail while still being "easy" or "pleasant" to listen to (esp.with the 100 Ohm cartridge loading that I like to use at night when it seems to sound better).

Note that I did not audition the Blue Point Special or MC Gold (As soon as I heard Nat King Cole with the Silver I was hooked and wanted to get home and start playing records...