bjorn

Grabbed all four from Deathwish. I was waffling on whether to track all of these down but getting them all in one fell swoop made it easy. I somehow have every 12"/10"/7" they've ever released, minus a couple comps, so I guess I'm keeping the streak going after all.

Silver repress: https://velvetbluemusic.com/shop/starflyer-59-silver/

Sounds like something's up with that new cart, I'd definitely try to get that replaced. I've had lots of issues on older turntables with one side or another cutting out, but it was always some kind of issue with the table's wires or connectors, in your case that wouldn't make sense.

Nice! How do they sound? Curious what convinced you to buy them.

I have the original iPhono. It's a slight step up from what's in my Rotel sound-wise, but offers tons of extra adjustments/cartridge flexibility which is probably why I'll hold on to it. Other than that, not really crazy about its design, the little switches are a pain to mess with and not very intuitive. Having cables on both ends can be a little awkward, but I hide mine behind my turntable, seems to be designed with that in mind. That being said, apparently the 2 is even a bit better performance-wise if the hype it to be believed.

Spinning my blue/yellow copy now. I was worried it would sound noisy, but the vinyl is practically flawless. I like the album a lot, it's gorgeous really, though it loses steam a bit. I don't mind the stylistic change so much, but I think it would have been smart to keep at least some bursts of heaviness to punctuate parts here and there.

I agree. While swapping carts is fun, I've learned that the differences between them tend to be vastly overstated in reviews, discussions, etc. We are talking about very subtle differences in sound quality, with the main advantages of of higher-end carts being their ability to minimize distortion and produce a more accurate tonal balance. I've used a Nagaoka MP200 and loved it, and I'm sure the 120 would be a great cart to use. However, whatever turntable you end up buying will probably come with a halfway decent cart if you're buying new, and there simply isn't a reason to ditch that immediately.

So, my friend is a Waits fanatic and new to buying records. He bought a copy of the Closing Time reissue, but was bummed by how bad it sounded so he returned it. He's wondering if the clear variant might be a new pressing with better sound... I'm skeptical about that. Not sure if the clears have shipped yet or whatever, but if anyone picks one up will you please post your thoughts? Also, there appears to be a Euro pressing from a different plant. My gut says that one will sound better, but haven't seen anyone confirm this. Has anyone listened to it? Thanks!

I finally caved and returned my second US copy for an Amazon UK copy. It was absolutely worth it. There's a little noise for about 30 seconds on the C side, other than that it's near perfection.

If you're at all interested in the DIY route, I would definitely email the guy at GR Research. He can make recommendations for your room, etc. The ones I posted have an open baffle section which requires space to sound good, but the N3 towers are closed and use a ribbon tweeter as well. I really wanted to build those but they were out of stock at the time. I built the A/V 3 towers instead and I don't see any reason to ever replace them, plus it was one of the most enjoyable projects I've ever taken on.

Build these! You'll need lots of room though. http://gr-research.com/ob-7.aspx

The Shelter 201 is a really good cart for rock music, and can be found for a decent price from Japanese eBay sellers. The cartridge body also accepts Shure replacement styli, so if you want to upgrade it down the road there are options. I really liked my Nagaoka MP200 when I had it, but the Shelter is as good and costs half as much.

Cool looking setup. I just use the headphone out on my integrated, I'd be curious to compare it to something like this. I just rescued this Garrard Lab 80 form Craigslist. It cost me $25 plus a new idler wheel and some serious cleaning and lubing. I'm kind of in love with it.

I had to replace a motor on an Xpression a while back. Not hard to do thankfully, just disappointing quality. The replacement ran nicely for several years though.

I can confirm that Closing Time sounds terrible. A friend of mine preordered it from Kingsroad and brought it over to test out. Sounds dead and noisy throughout, not worth buying.

Which means getting a replacement would probably be pointless. Oh well.

I ditched my Denon DL-160 and switched to a Shelter 201 cartridge and added a JICO neoSAS stylus. This is an amazing combo. The Shelter sounds really good with the stock stylus, lively and dynamic but not bright. The upgraded stylus adds crazy detail and additional refinement to the mix.

I definitely prefer poly lined sleeves as well, but to me the bigger problem is the insane amount of dust and debris I often find on band new records. This one was pretty clean. I think the noise seems to be embedded in the grooves, not a dirt or scratch issue. I'll give it a wet clean but I'm not optimistic it will do anything. Also, I'm on the B side now, and while there is still some noise it's not as bad and fades a few tracks in. The album sounds gorgeous otherwise.

Spinning my Ghosts reissue now... getting persistent crackling in the right channel (only on the A side so far, haven't tried the others yet). Hopefully this is just my copy, anyone else?

Use the code winter2017 for 20% off through the end of the year! http://bjornbauerart.storenvy.com/collections/257704-gigposters All posters are produced in collaboration with the bands, 18"x24", screen printed, signed and numbered.

It's yours for $75 shipped. Includes case and original box, just has the tiniest signs of wear around the corners. Works great, but I want to try something else. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3_R_v67Cpu8cDhZM200THBkSTg/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3_R_v67Cpu8X1JyZFFsOG1ZMmM/view?usp=sharing

I've read good things about ELAC, so that's likely a solid choice. Bumping up to the B6 would probably be worth it in the long run (I see there is currently a used pair on Amazon for $220), but I realize that's out of your budget. You might consider checking Craigslist for something used. Adding a sub at some point might be a good idea, though not everyone likes them. Just some thoughts from someone who's been through a few different sets of speakers, good luck!

allenh brings up lots of good points so check all that stuff. I would cut up some small pieces of cardstock or similar material and place them under the feet of your table until the platter is level. You can level either the table or the furniture, whatever works. Leveling is important, but I don't think it will solve the brightness issue, and as long as it's at least close to level I don't think you need to be too concerned about damage. From what you're describing I think you'll want to get some better speakers at some point soon. You can also try deadening the room a bit with more sound absorbent/diffusing material. I have a bit of an issue with that since I have hardwood floors. Addressing the room acoustics probably won't fix it entirely, but it should help. Also, I imagine you have some kind of EQ on your system? It's not ideal according to most audio people, but nudging the treble down for the time being might be worth a try. Are you experiencing a lack of bass presence as well, or is it just that the treble is too pronounced?

Lots of factors can lead to what you're describing. If you play a CD or digital file on the same system, does it exhibit the same brightness? If it does, that probably points more to your amp/speakers than your turntable setup. If not, then it might point to your table, cart, or preamp combo.

Huh... weird. No, mine don't look anything like that. I've had them a couple years now and I'm very happy with the build quality. I don't use them every day though. My main gripe with them is that they hurt my head after about 20 minutes.