Sugano-san Senior often jokes that he had been killed 3 times by some foreign audio magazines who prematurely reported his death in their publications.

Some people have proclaimed Sugano-san Senior's death for their own benefit.  A Koetsu customer told me someone in the US had advised him that after Sugano-san Senior's death, the Koetsu company was sold to a US company who now makes the Koetsu cartridges only and all enquiries should be directed to Koetsu USA!

Ha Ha Ha Ha...

For the ignorant, I'd like to state for the record, Sugano-san Senior is up and about despite his 90-odd experience years.

In fact, he is currently living in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo and is a consultant to his son, Fumihiko Sugano, who is currently running the family cartridge business.

All Koetsu phono cartridges are still (proudly) built in Japan with the fine tradition of Japanese craftsmanship.

This, my friends, is Music to my ears and you heard it right here, cut Direct to Disk, using a 1S stamper, mastered at Half-Speed...