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allenh

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Posts posted by allenh

  1. I like the look of it, I like the look of the plinth and feet and I like the idea of a 3D printed arm (got to be the future right there).

     

    I didn't take a look at the price and I haven't heard one so as to performance or value for money I haven't got a clue. But I do have to give it some points for being a Kickstarter turntable that at first glance isn't

    a) seeming to be trying to overcome a problem that was never a problem in the first place,

    b) trying to convince me that the perceived problem really really is a big problem and

    c) ooh look it's really cool and can play records on it's side and shit, or some other lifestyle bollocks that you just have to have because the perfectly good well proven turntable you already own is so last year Grandad (ignoring the fact that this new lifestyle inspired bollocks sounds like utter cack in comparison).

     

    So on balance like every other bit of hifi I've never owned or heard I'll reserve judgement until I can hear one.

  2. You can download a free protractor to print out from the Vinyl Engine but make sure you print out one with a ruler scale on it so you can check your print isn't resized by your printer.

     

    On any turntable there are other things to check like tracking force (which you need a scales for), anti skate (anti skate should be set roughly the same as tracking force) and VTA (vertical tracking alignment) but VTA is fixed on a Rega so that can't be your problem unless you've sent it way out with a really thick matt on your platter or similar or have an odd sized cartridge fitted which is doubtful as you bought it new.

  3. As you're in the US if going used I'd be looking at home grown i.e a Sota (preferably a sapphire) or a better AR or VPI, or if not a better Japanese table so upper end Micro Seiki or Luxman or possibly the Clearaudio that's badged as a Marantz. If you could up the budget a bit you could go with a new Funk Firm Little Pink Thing. They are fragile and quite rare in the US but sound sublime.

  4. 14 hours ago, ajxd said:

    New house; new loud system. I get some background noise at 55ish; would like to be able to listen at 65 for when I'm wanting loud music. Just a little boost needed.

    You could try any of the Musical Fidelity phono stages, they all get a hell of a lot out of MM (they do a good job with MC as well) but make sure you can try before you buy over a decent listen as they can be a tad bright in some systems. Not sure what price and availability is like your side of the Atlantic but the V90 LPS is an absolute bargain and can be had for not a lot of money here (about £140 new) and performs way above it's price point, if you can find one an old XLPS is always a very good buy, over here anyway a good used one should be around £100 to £150.

     

    Of course if you want to spend some money you can always go for a Musical Fidelity Nu Vista at around £3300 but if that's a little high then there are another 3 or 4 in the range at prices in between.

  5. Nice range of tables and nice to see so many in use, looks a lot like my house with turntables everywhere. The feet on that Goodmans Lenco don't look exactly standard though? I had a Goodmans one in the sprung white formica plinth a little while ago and I've got one in a Leak plinth that I'm working on at the moment.

     

    Current turntable list is:

    Pink Triangle PT1 with FFYX arm and Grado 8MZ

    Pink Triangle PT1 with Logic Datum2 arm and Koetsu Rosewood Signature

    Garrard 401 with SME 3009 improved and Shure M97xe

    Garrard 401 with Helius Scorpio and Grace f9e

    MRM Source with Helius Scorpio 3 and Sumiko BPS

    Manticore Mantra/Manticore MB6i with Manticore Magician Audio Technica AT-OC9

    Input Designs Kitdeck with Jelco SA250 and Shure V15III

    Royce Elega with Jelco SA750 and Audio Technica AT-12S

    Sharp Optonica RP-3636 standard arm with Nagaoka MP10 Boron

    London Acoustical Developments (LAD) GAJ828P with OEM Jelco SA-370 (I've got 4 of these, 2 very early and 2 later)

    Self made suspended DD and modified 12" ADC arm with Shure M97HE 

    AR Legend with Helius Scorpio 2 with Grado GTE+1

    AR XB with ADC LMF1 and Nagaoka MP15

    Leak Lenco GL75 standard arm and Shure M75ed

    Goldring Lenco GL72 standard arm and Shure M55e

    Marantz 6170 standard arm and cartridge

    Marantz 6025 standard arm and Shure M55e

    Rotel RP-3300 standard arm and Shure M75ed

     

    All down to the Optonica and one of the LAD's are in use and there are a few more around that I'm working on like a couple of B&O music centre's, a B&O RX2 and a couple of connoisseur BD2's

     

     

     

     

  6. 13 hours ago, Citroen said:

    They each have their own strengths.

    I definitely prefer the Aura for its sense of ease, accuracy, neutrality and rhythmic flow. The 401 arguably has better base solidity and dynamics but lacks the overall clarity of the Aura. 

    There's a good 50 years difference there in the drive alone so you have to give the 401 a bit of leeway but it does show you that not a huge amount has really changed in that time as far as turntables are concerned and that quality engineering will always be quality engineering. If like idlers and haven't already then try a Lenco GL75 with a half decent arm on it in a decent plinth, they used to be an absolute bargain but not anymore.

     

    This stuff is very much down to personal preference, I like the 401 and the 301 before it but I'm more of a belt drive 3 point suspended sub chassis fan. I've had the same Pink Triangle PT1 since the mid 90's and I won't change it for anything, many supposedly better tables and vastly more expensive tables have been through my hands but there is something about the way that PT1 makes music sound to my ears that I've yet to beat.

  7. 2 hours ago, Citroen said:

    You know your turntables :)

    Yes, a 401 in a sapelle wood  triple layered plinth, with Analogue Instruments (cocobolo) tonearm, with Dynavector 20x2 cart.

     

    WOW! You have a very interesting and comprehensive collection! My Collection http://www.discogs.com/collection?user=allenh

     

     

    No but I've had more than a few 301's and 401's and tried most types of turntable at one point or another. And records like turntables I've been at it a long time, like to try and have an open mind about sounds and can't say no to stuff so the end result will always be a big collection of both. 

     

    401's do like a good solid plinth and that one does look the part but I can't say I've heard one with an Analogue instruments arm on it, how do you find it compared to your Aura?

     

  8. On 05/04/2018 at 2:18 PM, NapalmBrain said:

    you have a pretty impressive system, so perhaps you have more insight on this matter. But from my experience I haven't been impressed with the performance of MC for this type of music, they have impressive mid range but I feel the low end is lacking. I'm sure this is improved with higher end cartridges but I think MM would be the way to go for an under $500 cartridge for the rock listener. 

     

    On 05/04/2018 at 1:55 PM, kannibal said:

    C’mon

    Pretty much my reaction.

     

    MC carts are generally more tonally balanced than MM carts which some people mistake for an MM cart being more detailed, this is generally an immediate impact due to the general tonal balance of an MM cart being toward the higher end of the spectrum but live with any half decent MC for a while and it's overall more balanced sound should win out with any musical type.

     

    Don't get me wrong, there are good and bad in both and to get the best out of any cartridge the rest of the system needs to be able to resolve what it gives out which is never more true of an MC cart than the tone arm it's mounted in but there is a reason the very best cartridges are all MC's and why those that are at the very top of the tree don't even bother with MM.

     

    One notable exception to not follow this is Grado but then the better Grado's are not really in either camp and I can't help thinking old Joe just wanted to plough his own furrow.

  9. On 23/04/2018 at 7:56 PM, ajxd said:

    Oh Uncle A- if I wanted to listen to gear as old as you; I would ;)

     

    And no, I haven't listened to ribbons for more than a quick demo in a shop. Thanks for making this point.

    Cheeky..

     

    Plenty of modern ribbons about in fact they seem to have had a bit of a fashion comeback in recent years, go have a good listen, you won't regret it.

  10. @ajxdhave you had a good listen to anything with ribbon tweeters in? In my experience they can be a bit of an acquired taste and can sound very bright if done badly but if right I think you'll like them, their biggest plus for me is the midrange warmth they add along with the top end clarity and that allows the crossover for the bottom end to get more thought put into it. 

  11. On 19/03/2018 at 11:44 PM, dreamover said:

    I’m digging it as an album. I knew it would be all over the place, considering all the different musicians and recording sessions. I think he’s completely lost his mind, in a good way. 

    I agree I'm liking the non conformity, a friend described it as his Zappa phase which I think is a fair comment.

  12. In general vinyl records were in their heyday in the late 70's and early 80's with the absolute peak for high end turntables being in the mid to late 90's before the CD based decline really set in first time round. So basically more varied good turntables were made and in higher numbers during the 70's and 80's so it was easier to get a good turntable. The basic building blocks of a good turntable haven't changed and when no one wanted them $300 for a new table could buy you a used table where the equivalent used table if it were new now would be 10 times that.

     

    The down side of that is because so many turntables were made back then there was also plenty of absolute rubbish as well and all points in between so it is just as easy to pick up a big pile of crap.

     

    Now with turntables being back in fashion good used tables are now valued much higher so you have to do your research and or be lucky to find a bargain but in general for an average decent turntable you will still get more bang for your buck with a used table over a new one but that gap is slowly closing, and if spending a lot of money (I mean in the thousands) then with modern technology there are some amazing  brand new tables around but that has never been any different.

     

    As I say the basic fundamentals of a good turntable haven't changed and there really is nothing new as everything is either a refinement of an earlier design or more accurately a blatant copy so you pay your money and take your choice. The bottom line with going used is research, research, research but the internet can be a huge help and a huge hindrance, there is a huge amount of info out there but a lot of it is utter rubbish. e.g. "My (insert name here) is the best turntable in the world" coming from someone who has only ever heard two turntables in their life isn't really to be trusted. Try and talk to people who have listened to lots of different turntables for their opinions but ultimately trust your own ears.

     

    And as to B&O, like all makers that produced many models over a long period, they made everything from complete stunners all the way down to utter crap but the biggest things with B&O were that most of it unfortunately was form over function so the look was more important than the design in most cases, and with the turntables unlike most other makers turntables the cartridges were B&O specific and are now impossible to get new so you have to have them rebuilt at quite a cost.

     

    The Beogram 3000 being a tangential tracking turntable is quite good by B&O standards and now has a higher value than it's real worth so my advice if the cartridge is in good condition would be to sell it and put the money to something better. Even if the cartridge is worn I would still sell it as it still has a pretty good value but try it and if you like it and the cartridge is good then keep it. You will only learn what you like and what you consider is good or bad by listening to it.

  13. That's quite difficult to answer @RecruitingGuy because there's not really anything you can do to tweak it without changing items of kit. You can look at speaker and turntable positioning and isolation as that can make huge differences if its wrong but one thing to consider is It's not only the the phono stage and cartridge that have a bearing on the sound in the front end. One thing that people don't seem to take into account now is to make sure the cartridge/stylus are a good fit with the arm and by that I mean things like mass and compliance, the manufacturer of both will quote those figures and their use ranges so it's worth a check before you blame something else and start changing other things for the sake of it.

     

    That particular phono stage can pull every bit of information that your arm and cartridge can give and that the rest of the system can output so can do the job but my instinct is that your system will be quite bright sounding so possibly not the best thing for anything that needs a deep clear low down bass or more importantly the lower mid ranges. The MF should work very well with that MM cartridge but If I'm right the easiest thing you can do would be as previously suggested to look at what MC cartridges are suitable for your table as they will be more tonally balanced from the get go. Ideally bigger speakers to move more air and ideally passive ones with a decent integrated amplifier would be the answer but if it's an office system space etc might not allow that.

     

    It is doable in a small footprint though my office system currently uses a lot of British cottage Industry kit (mostly because I had it available) but for a small system is more than a little impressive. It is a Royce Elega turntable with Jelco 750 arm and Grado 8MZ cartridge/stylus, Musical Fidelity V90-LPS Phono Stage, Kinshaw Perception pre amp, Kinshaw Overture DAC, Inca Tech IT200 Mono Blocks into Harbeth LS 3/5a speakers.

  14. Superb phono stage and by far the best thing in your system by a country mile. Also a contender for your downgrade @xxmartinxx possibly although it doesn't give you cartridge loading options

     

    If you like the Sumiko sound then another option would be a Sumiko Blue Point Special if you can find one or one of the lower end Benz Micro's or possibly a Shure M97. That said the Shure might be a little bit too much with an MF phono stage and I'm not convinced about an Ortofon cart into an MF phono stage either but as @xxmartinxx says the better Denon's should work well.

     

    Another left field choice might be to pick up an old Grado cart that needs a stylus and then buy an 8MZ or better stylus to go in it. I've got a system with exactly the same phono stage in it although the rest is a bit higher up the food chain but I have an old Grado GT with an 8MZ stylus in that and it does work very well indeed. The only down side with Grado carts and could well be a problem for you is that they can be a bit of a pain to align which is why they get blamed for high IGD when its bad alignment and I'm not convinced the arm geometry of the Project Carbon arm is that accurate.

  15. On 26/02/2018 at 1:29 AM, xxmartinxx said:

    I sold the Rogue locally, so there's no turning back with the phono preamp.  The Mani doesn't seem to have the loading that my Denon DL-301 MKII wants to see, so I think it's between the Pro-ject Phono Box S and the Emotiva XPS-1.

    I've got an XPS-1 here and found it underwhelming sadly, can't say on the Project but the other solid state phono stages I've heard from them have been disappointing.

     

    Are the Project valve units out of budget? I can't say I was that impressed with them but at least with those you can do a bit of valve swapping if its not to your liking.

  16. Nothing you can do about the Crosley unless it's one of the slightly better component ones that have an adjustable weight on the back of the arm but even if it is it's not going to help unless it's wildly out, if it is as @Tardcore suggested get hold of a scale to see what its tracking at.

    Other then that you are looking at isolating the Crosley from whatever is making it bounce, be that the table its on or the floor. You can try putting the feet on some halved squash balls which quite often works with better turntables but it's going to be trial and error and TBH you're better just putting the Crosley in to landfill where it belongs as soon as you can get something better.

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