Paincakes

If anyone has picked this up, can you comment on the sound quality? Is it decent, or am I better off buying each album individually?

Is the version from Relapse different from the one from Amazon? I'd like to pick up a colored version, but I don't think there are any left...

I've broken-in my stylus a bit more, and overall am now very happy with the sound quality.

To sum up, the issue I experienced was actually a combination of the stylus being new, mediocre quality pressings of some records, and to some extent, my speakers.

I found some records that sound absolutely fantastic, and even more so when listening through the headphones.

Very tempted as I have yet to own Pantera on vinyl. Missing Suicide Note pt.1 is a crime though. I'll wait till I hear feedback on the sound quality I suppose.

Looks like there is a pure mode that says it plays the source directly and turns all the eq and associated electronics off and there is also stereo mode but it looks like you can still have eq and other electronics effects in play with this mode.

 

Press the pure button on the remote and see what it sounds like then

With headphones, Pure sounds better. Through speakers, "Stereo" sounds better. Which makes sense, since the receiver is applying the room-compensated EQ configured by the "odyssey" process.

Update:

Using headphones plugged into my receiver, and using a "flat EQ" preset, the music from my turntable sounds pretty good (rich, full, sound overall).

I'm a bit relieved as it appears my gear seems to be working correctly... right?

Still a bit strange that digital music sounds fine, while records have more mids. I can live with it though, and will think about upgrading the speakers once my wallet recovers ><

Which input are you plugged into on the Denon?

There are 2 analog inputs on the AVR 1713. One labeled CBL/SAT, and one labeled DVD. I've tried both, and they more or less sound the same.

did u balance the tonearm? If not the tracking weight scale won't be a accurate. It may not be accurate either way. I'd recommend getting a cheap scale:

Shure SFG-2 Stylus Tracking Force Gauge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006I5SD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_vpkxwbZKFVNZ5

I balanced it per the TT's manual. I'm picking up the Shure gauge you listed to double check.

The blue is quite a sonic upgrade from the red.

 

How long did you run each for? They do need to break in but it should start off good and get better rather than start off bad.

I used the red for 2-3 hours. The blue has been in use for about 15 hours. I also had some distracting sibilance, but this seems to be dissipating over time.

Do u mean u increased tracking force from 1.8g to 2.0g? Did u verify with a scale?

Yes 1.8g to 2.0g, sorry. I did not verify with a scale.

Did the red stylus sound ok? Could be a bad stylus.

It actually sounded worse :/

Have you got the speakers placed correctly and what is the size of the room? you might want to revisit the distances between you and the speakers, between the speakers, from the walls to the speakers, from the speakers to the HiFi itself and how and where they are sited.

 

It's hard to know without actually hearing it and it's difficult to see for sure because of the angle of the 2nd photo but the alignment looks fine. Investing in a scale to measure your tracking force might be worthwhile as the scale on the weight isn't always that accurate but things like VTA (which you can't adjust on that table) and tracking angle will have more sonic effect unless you are running particularly light or particularly heavy so it's unlikely to be turntable alignment related to that degree

 

Also what is it like from a CD or other digital audio though?

 

If it's sounds as bad with CD, the speakers are correctly placed and everything on the turntable is correctly set up then the front end, turntable, cartridge and phono stage are all of a pretty good standard and I haven't heard the speakers but I have heard good things about them so my instinct is your limiting factor is the AV receiver, it's rather outclassed by the components in front of it and AV receivers in general are rarely very good at HiFi until you get a good way up the food chain but it should at least be reasonable, again I haven't heard that particular Denon but my own experience with AV receivers has been that all of them around that price point were decidedly average when it came to music but all were quite capable when it comes to film audio, to get one that did a half decent job at audio I had to go way up the range of the one I bought and with some makers you had to go a very long way up the range.

I have been using my Denon AVR with those speakers for years as my Home Theater setup, and the sound quality is excellent when listening to digital sources (HDMI), both movies and music. Perhaps there is an issue with the receiver's analog inputs?

Thank for your reply. I'll try to hookup the TT/Preamp to my PC's Audio interface to record some sound samples.

• Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit Turntable
  
• Ortofon 2M Blue
  
• Musical Fidelity - V90-LPS MM/MC Phono Preamp
  
• Denon AVR-1713
  
• Pioneer SP-BS22-LR
  

I contacted bengans and they said their version is from Republic, EAN/UPC 602537597758 which should correspond to the EU version mentioned by 3TA-BIRD  http://www.discogs.com/Ghost-If-You-Have-Ghost/release/5126073.

I have both editions in front of me. Detailed differences:

 

US edition:

darker orange color on the front/back cover

Record label states 45 RPM

code on the spine: B0019515-01 and only very small republic records logo

next to the barcode on the back cover: republicrecords.com and Loma Vista, Rise Above and Republic logo

 

Euro edition:

lighter brighter orange color on the front/back cover

Record label states 33 RPM

code on the spine: SPINE759775 and Loma Vista,Repblic Records and Spinefarm records logos

Next to the barcode on the back: spinefarmrecords.com, republicrecords.com and Loma Vista, Rise Above, Republic and Spinefarm Records logo

 

Barcode 602537597758 the same for both issues

Fonttype and size the same for both issues

Cover: If you have Ghost (so no mentioning of B.C. on both US and Euro pressing)

 

Hope this helps

Hey 3TA-BIRD, can you confirm that your Euro version that states 33 RPM, actually is 33 RPM?

Seku and kevbayer, can you confirm which version you have (that you mention as being 45 RPM)? Is it this one http://www.discogs.com/sell/release/5116225?ev=rb ?

Rising this thread from the grave as my first post! I hope I'm not breaking any rules ><

Long story short, I'm from the US, and I'm looking for the 45 RPM version of If You Have Ghost. If those are still available.

It sounds like my best options to order from HotStuff or Bengans? Is this a sure thing, or are 45 RPM versions a "luck of the draw"?

Thanks!