Tardcore Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Quick question for those who have a digital scale/stylus force gauge or whatever they're called: the $20 scale on Amazon is $30+ on the Canadian site, so I've looked around a bit for something a bit cheaper. This one is available on eBay: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/NEW-Vesion-Professional-LP-Digital-Turntable-Stylus-Force-Scale-Gauge-MC-MM-dzr-/351077969757?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51bde0af5d ($11.50 US/ $15 CAD) Anyone have this particular one, or would anyone see a reason why this one would be noticeably inferior to any others? I'm guessing a scale is a scale to most extents (unless your system starts to cost more than my house...) a scale is a scale as long as they measure things accurately...other than it ships from China and you might have to wait forever for it to show up, probably not much risk here. if you complain about it not working or whatever, they will probably just refund your money to protect their feedback score. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jab Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Hey guys, thanks for all the work in this thread. Based on your suggestions on page 1 and doing some research on head fi I purchased a pair of superlux hd668b's in 2013. I currently have a pretty basic (music hall 2.2 through a Yamaha a s500) setup and do 90% of my listening through headphones. Long story longer, I'm looking to upgrade on a budget. Pretty sure I've got it down to Sennheiser hd 598 unless someone has a better over ear recommendation at the same cost ($115-$150). Now the part where I'm really confused is on the headphone amp... no ideas on this. How much would I gain (or even need) vs continuing to use the A S-500? The key here's the budget part... can I get something in the $150 range that would be a CLEAR upgrade over what I'm using now? Looking at the Shiit Vali. Any input you guys have would be appreciated. Oh and for reference there are zero shops near me where I would be able to test out equipment beforehand. Going to have to go strictly on research and recommendations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpiumEd Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 In the original article to this thread, the Stanton is listed as a turntable to avoid. What is it about the Stanton you don't like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 In the original article to this thread, the Stanton is listed as a turntable to avoid. What is it about the Stanton you don't like? If you are talking about the Stanton's with a straight tonearm and standard straight headshell then those and any copies of them are to be avoided unless you are a battle DJ. The problem is a straight tonearm / headshell is great for back cueing etc but absolutely crap for sound quality and record wear. The correct stylus angle is 18 degrees which is why you see S shaped arms and straight arms with the headshells angled in. There are standard SME fit headshells that are angled in appearing on the domestic versions of these decks but I've not seen anywhere selling them separately yet because if you could get them then a lot of these straight arm DJ decks would become very useable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpiumEd Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Is it possible to exchange just the straight ("Str8") tonearm for an S-curved one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Yes usually it is and the only difference in the Stantons is the arm as the STR models have the straight arm but I would see if you can get an angled headshell, there are more decks appearing with them like the Lenco's so they must be available somewhere and it's a lot easier than changing the whole arm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpiumEd Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I have a Str8-80 - with two cartridges mounted on separate headshells, one for playing modern albums with higher fidelity (the "EEE III"), and the original default cartridge (the "500") with a general stylus for playing 78s. I found that with one screw unlocked, I can point the stylus to different angles. As it moves toward the center, it tends to get more-and-more off axis. The limited tracking angle of the Str8 arm is rather annoying, I must say. I have a few records that have grooves very close to the center - novelty records and custom-cut records from the 78-RPM era. Sometimes I can angle the stylus to sort of fake it, but If I try to play these on the Str8-80, the stylus gets way too far off the axis as it gets closer to the center. One of the main reasons I have the Stanton is for playing (and archiving) 78s and other old records going back 100+ years. The default "500" cartridge it comes with is the defacto standard for playing 78s (and even cylinders). There are also a wide range of stylii for playing different groove widths for archaic shellacs, aluminum, lacquer, and Edison discs... The "500" has also been used for DJ'ing use, but the frequency response is too limited for modern records, and should be switched out for these. How far closer to the center can an S-shaped arm track? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 You will only get optimum tracking with a tracking angle of 18 degrees which you can only really achieve with an angled headshell or an S shaped arm as they are both different ways of achieving the same goal. you can angle your cart in using one screw but it's not exactly accurate and I doubt you will get the correct tracking angle all the way across which is the problem you are having with your straight arm, you will just improve it a bit. Download one of the free alignment protractors on the web and you can use that to see how close you can get but make sure you get a 2 point one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I've got these speakers: http://www.upload.ee/image/2481822/2012-07-03-190.jpg Somebody elses pictures, that's why it's sideways. Hope that's alright and that you can understand from the right column what the left column means. Bass speaker 20 cm, treble 7 cm. I know nothing about speakers... How do I know if these speakers are objectively good or not? I've inherited them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 I've got these speakers: http://www.upload.ee/image/2481822/2012-07-03-190.jpg Somebody elses pictures, that's why it's sideways. Hope that's alright and that you can understand from the right column what the left column means. Bass speaker 20 cm, treble 7 cm. I know nothing about speakers... How do I know if these speakers are objectively good or not? I've inherited them. If google doesn't help with the exact model then search similar from the same maker. The bad news is that Ferguson were not known for their quality equipment and to be honest quite the opposite so I doubt very much they are any good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Thanks man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I now have a Technics SA-EX100 amp and bought a matching CD-player, SL-PG380A. I read that placing the CD-player on top of the amp might cause overheating and damage. My questions are: a. Can I place the amp on top of the CD-player, or is that an idea just as bad? Would it still cause overheating? b. Googling, I read some people saying the amp might disturb the CD-player with signals, causing it to sound worse, any truth in that? c. Some people also said that placing a weight on the CD-player would be good and some said that's a bad idea. What's right and wrong here? and bonus question: Why in the world do they make them look so good on top of each other if that's a no-no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 I now have a Technics SA-EX100 amp and bought a matching CD-player, SL-PG380A. I read that placing the CD-player on top of the amp might cause overheating and damage. My questions are: a. Can I place the amp on top of the CD-player, or is that an idea just as bad? Would it still cause overheating? Most hifi components are designed to sit on shelves in racks so ideally you have a wooden or metal rack with usually glass shelves all stacked above each other vertically so that all the components sit on a shelf each with air flow room around them and also isolated from each other so that any vibrations or stray signals are not transmitted between them. Anything that produces heat is the main reason why you shouldn't really stack them where airflow is needed which basically means power amplifiers (or the power amplifier inside an integrated amplifier or receiver) and then conversely these shouldn't be stacked on other components as they are usually the heaviest component. b. Googling, I read some people saying the amp might disturb the CD-player with signals, causing it to sound worse, any truth in that? The usual problem is when you have the volume up which can cause things like CD lasers and more specifically turntable needles to skip but yes if a hifi component isn't sufficiently screened it can leak emc that can be picked up by other close by components. Another reason for a decent rack as above. c. Some people also said that placing a weight on the CD-player would be good and some said that's a bad idea. What's right and wrong here? I can't really see what that would gain and it's more likely a bad fix for a bad design or manufacturing fault that is just covering up the problem and not actually fixing it. and bonus question: Why in the world do they make them look so good on top of each other if that's a no-no? See the first answer they look a lot better in a proper rack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Thanks! I'm playing around with the equipment and if I connect anything to the Tape In, it plays on all inputs BUT the "Tape Monitor" button, even though the manual says it should play on the Tape Monitor one... So it plays on VCR, CD, and even Tuner and Phono (but with bad sound), but NOT on the Tape one, isn't that weird? It's not really problem though. I wouldn't play a tape and CD at the same time, and this means I don't have to switch input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 sounds like you have the in and out the wrong way round Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 sounds like you have the in and out the wrong way round Ha! You were right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 I have my TV, CD player, and turntable connected to my Technics amp which has a manual volume control. Since the different players produce different volumes, I have to turn the knob every time I change input, to avoid the volume being too high or too low. Are the amplifiers for which you can set the volume for a specific input? Any recommendations on a good one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 Do I need to oil the motor of my TT? What could happen if I don't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aarondltd Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 Not sure about the motor but wherever the manual suggest is probably a good idea. Like most things that need oil, it will keep it running at the right speed and make it last longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 some motors have sealed for life bearings but not very many. Find the manual for your turntable on vinyl engine (you will need to set up an account to download if you don'r already have one). see what the manual says and make sure you use the right oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donlombardo Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 I've got a Thorens and got the right oil from a dude who used to work there (Joel). The thing is, the motor makes no noise and runs at the correct speed. I just wonder if I need to oil it anyway. The manuals (I've found 3) mentions nothing about oiling the motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney Crosley Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Quick question for those who have a digital scale/stylus force gauge or whatever they're called: the $20 scale on Amazon is $30+ on the Canadian site, so I've looked around a bit for something a bit cheaper. This one is available on eBay: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/NEW-Vesion-Professional-LP-Digital-Turntable-Stylus-Force-Scale-Gauge-MC-MM-dzr-/351077969757?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51bde0af5d ($11.50 US/ $15 CAD) Anyone have this particular one, or would anyone see a reason why this one would be noticeably inferior to any others? I'm guessing a scale is a scale to most extents (unless your system starts to cost more than my house...) In case anyone's wondering, I bought this. Took a month to get here. Used it yesterday. Seems to work pretty well - came with a 5g weight for calibration, and the scale seemed accurate (I had previously set my counterweight around 1.75-1.8, and I measured a weight of 1.79). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcllnsn Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Hello. Just thinking about putting a set up together. I'm a musician and I already have some nice powered monitors (a pair of Adam A7Xs), so I was thinking of using them as part of it. I was then thinking of getting a Rega RP1 also (although maybe the Pro-Ject Elemental with the preamp built-in). I started looking at phono preamps to put between them, and saw that most aren't adjustable. Is a phono preamp the thing I should be looking at, or is there some other bit of gear which is adjustable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxsilence Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Hello. Just thinking about putting a set up together. I'm a musician and I already have some nice powered monitors (a pair of Adam A7Xs), so I was thinking of using them as part of it. I was then thinking of getting a Rega RP1 also (although maybe the Pro-Ject Elemental with the preamp built-in). I started looking at phono preamps to put between them, and saw that most aren't adjustable. Is a phono preamp the thing I should be looking at, or is there some other bit of gear which is adjustable? What do you mean by adjustable? What are you trying to adjust? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcllnsn Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Volume. Sorry, didn't make that clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.