shaizada

Took some pics for fun!  
 
-Stillpoints ESS rack
-Ray Samuels B52 preamp.
-Ray Samuels F-117 Nighthawk Phono preamp peeking out below the B52 Preamp section
-Below is an EAR 868 Preamp.
-Below that are the Exactpower EP 15a and SP15x4 power regenerators.
-Speakers are the Marten Design Bird 2
 
I have an XLR switch box that lets me switch between the two preamps to change the different sound presentations of the preamps.  
 

 

Took some pics for fun!  
 
-Stillpoints ESS rack
-Ray Samuels B52 preamp.
-Ray Samuels F-117 Nighthawk Phono preamp peeking out below the B52 Preamp section
-Below is an EAR 868 Preamp.
-Below that are the Exactpower EP 15a and SP15x4 power regenerators.
-Speakers are the Marten Design Bird 2
 
I have an XLR switch box that lets me switch between the two preamps to change the different sound presentations of the preamps.  
 

 

So if I replace my Bren1 Record Clamp for a Stillpoints Ultra LP Isolator, will my music sound $500 better? 
 
I kid, I kid.  Methinks that if I had more of a disposable income, my audio-related purchases would know no bounds.  Of course, it does bring up some interesting points about the law of diminishing returns.  I would love love love to hear shaizada's system, simply to experience something really high end ... but also to compare it to what I've grown accustomed to, which is decidedly low-to-mid-fi.  No doubt that it would best my gear easily, but I wonder by how much.

Yeah, I've learned that it's never a sound-per-dolar debate, not when you're talknig about serious hi-fi. It's all about "I love my setup, but how can I squeeze just a tiny bit more out of it". I'm not even close to there (yet ), but I do understand the notion.
 
At this point for example I could never justify spending $500 on a record clamp, because there are so many other segments I could improve way more for the same cost. But there exists a point where a $500 record clamp IS the best improvement for the cost.

"I'll save you all $500! Got a hockey puck?!" -Every audio board ever.

@shaizada
I haven't been able to stop buying records . I'm gonna put some stuff up for sale that hopefully people will buy. It's my next purchase though and I can't wait.

Finally got my VPI Scout on Friday. Mostly set up now, just chasing a ground hum...it's annoying. But, holy shit this turntable sounds 100x better than my Technics SL-1600mk2 and I love that table. Even with the lowly Ortofon 2m Red I'm amazed at the sound.

The lowest offerings from:
 
Rega = RP1 = $445
http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store/Rega-Turntables
 
Pro-Ject = Essential = $299
http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store/Pro-Ject-Turntables
 
MusicHall = MMF 2.2 = $449
http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store/Music-Hall-Turntables
  That is the minimum outlay to get into the hobby at a somewhat decent level.  Hardly laughable advice...below these price points, you are just struggling and spinning wheels like the OP.  You're dealing with quality issues, bad sound and just FIGHTING the format instead of enjoying it.   EDIT:  Most good friends of mine would definitely put out $1000 for a table if they really were getting into this hobby.

Ordered my VPI Scout today, finally!
Went with the last model with the acrylic platter and JMW-9T tone arm, because I got a pretty good deal. Also, got the Soundsmith Counter Intuitive weight for it and some Blue Jean LC1 cables.
Color me excited!

I was a little nervous about pulling the trigger on the the Yaqin amp but i do not regret it at all. I can honestly say my ears have not heard anything sweeter. Ive had it about 5 months and it still blows me away everytime i turn the thing on. I don't just play my records through it i have my iMac and TV going through it also, and same results. 
 
Like i said I was very nervous with it being relatively unknown and with there not being alot of info out there it was a scary purchase. Im working on upgrading my speakers soon so we shall see how that goes  
 
I would recommend this to anyone who's thinking about it. 

What part of "'good' friend" don't you understand? He's not referring to the guy who stumbled onto the "vinyl" section at urban outfitters and bought "el camino" and now wants to play it.
LOL @ autocorrect of v i n y l s

I was talking about the point you made about not letting a friend go for anything less than a VPI Traveler. $1000 is way too much money to be spending on a turntable if you're a beginner.   I agree with your posted minimum outlay's above though.  Assuming new of course.  Though I would replace the Essential with the Carbon if your other 2 offerings are also near $400.

I get a weird feeling that you like Metallica.

No problem.  PM me anytime.  Thanks!

I used the "DIODER" ones IKEA sells. They seemed the easiest to install, and I can't solder to save my life. I haven't looked at them from under, as the highest ones are about 2 feet off the ground.

Haha, I can see that. Just wish I had the funds to play around. I was toying around with upgrading everthing in my setup, but soundstage is no longer offering the Scout b-stock. Looks like ill have to save up some more to get the Scout 1.1. I was looking forward to the acrylic platter, but a lot of people seem to prefer the aluminum one. This phono stage looks like it might be the ticket. So the nighthawk charges? I was looking at the musical surrounds phonomena cause it was battery powered. Gonna have to check it out some more.
Awesome setup by the way!

Ray Samuels Nighthawk F117
I had sold it in a weak moment...
 
This was then:
 

 
 
And re-bought it tonight...all black just like this one (this is not a picture of my actual unit, but it looks identical to this):

Not really.  Technically he isn't on VC, so it doesn't count.  

If you dig hard enough, you can find a couple credible people who say that the effective mass of the G-704 is 6g.  The Denon DL-103D weighs 7.5g and has a dynamic compliance of 18cu.  Factor in the head shell screws and that gives us a resonant frequency of 10hz, which is pretty much where you'd want to be.
 
I would definitely agree that calculating resonant frequency is really important in most instances.  It just seems less so in this case ... but then again, I haven't tried anything other than a high compliance cartridges with this low mass arm.
 
My basic rule is to follow tried-and-true guidelines closely - alignment, VTA, VTF, Resonant frequency - but then tweak as needed and let your ears be the final judge.

Just finished building this with my father in-law. Took us about 10 hours accumulated. Pretty happy with the results! Going to eventually build a second one and a table to put in between to make a kick-ass entertainment center.
 

I am listening to mine, and I have to admit, I thought shaizada's review of being "blown away" was going to be a bit over the top, but I was wrong. While I'm not blown away to the same degree, I am impressed with the sound here. It's anything but flat. Very lively and deep with crazy separation Sometimes too much? the the high hat can end up way outside the sounstage) and sound space for music like this. There also is an organic quality to a lot of the guitar sounds and synths that must have driven shaizada to comment that it sounded very analog. 
 
Over all a very good release. Oh and mine came in very good shape. The super thin vinyl was surprising, but no big deal. Gotta find a way to press these for the cheap complainers.

that table sucks. tell him to try a crosley. urban outfitters has a decent selection.

Basic equipment list:
Ear Discmaster Turntable
2x Helius Omega Arms (cartridges are London Decca Reference and Stein Aventurin 6)
EAR 324 Phono, EAR 912 Preamp, EAR 890 amps as monoblocks
EAR Acute 3 CD Player
Marten Design Birds (speakers)
All I had was my iPhone with me. The room isn't long at all, but it is quite spacious. Couldn't do anything about the glare.

Oh No!  I meant $40 plus for two copies...my apologies for lack of clarity.
 
EDIT:  I'm currently spinning side B.  The sound on this record is absolutely stunning!  The soundstage is massive, the clarity is pristine and it sounds VERY analog.  I have no clue how this could be as I would expect this to be a totally digital recording.  No digital nasties on this one guys. I could barely read the mastering credits but it is Tom Baker at Future Disc Systems I think...font is really small.  Mad props guy!

Since I've gotten into this hobby, the best, most productive and eye-opening thing I've done is experiment.  And I'm not even talking about upgrades and tweaks ... although I've done plenty of that as well.
 
In other words, take some time to really explore your equipment, understand how it works and how different setups affect the overall sound.  Play around with different alignment protractors.  Think you have the proper VTA?  Well try it tail up / tail down and listen to how it affects the bass, midrange and highs.  Make minor tracking force adjustments and note the differences.  Do you have a suspended turntable?  Tune the springs so they're more / less bouncy.  How about a silicon damped unipivot tonearm?  Try with with no fluid.  Try it with the cup half full.  Try it completely full.  Put your turntable on a slab of granite.  Build a wall shelf.  Build a sandbox.  Suspend it from the ceiling. Bla bla bla, you get the idea.
 
If you gave me $1000 and told me to put it toward upgrading my turntable, I could burn through that shit in about ten minutes.  But there's so many things you can mess around with for free, and not only is it fun, but it will give you an entirely new understanding of the synergy that exists between a turntable and its many parts.
 
Same thing goes for the rest of your equipment.  Hell, this afternoon I spent two hours adjusting the gain on my preamp and cartridge loading at 47, 62, 100, 300 and 500 ohms.  And at the end of the day, after all that testing, I decided that I liked it where I had originally set it.  Still, it was fun screw around and listen to how load impedance changed the sound.