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Beginner’s Guide to Turntables & Hi–Fi *READ 1st PAGE BEFORE POSTING NEW THREADS / BASIC QUESTIONS*


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I need new cart for my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, can anyone recommend one at about $100? T^3 recommended this one but I figured I'd get a few different opinions and see what I want to to

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT120EB-Biradial-Cartridge/dp/B00OQUJ3JY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1449891326&sr=8-2&keywords=at120e

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I need new cart for my Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, can anyone recommend one at about $100? T^3 recommended this one but I figured I'd get a few different opinions and see what I want to to

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT120EB-Biradial-Cartridge/dp/B00OQUJ3JY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1449891326&sr=8-2&keywords=at120e

I will second that AT120EB, those carts sound great

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Finally have all the pieces to my new set up:

 

Music Hall MMF-2.2 (got for $300 instead of $450)

Marantz PM5005 ($500)

Klipsch RB-61 II's (got for $350 instead of $550)

 

Just want to say thanks to everyone on here for all of the help! I really appreciate it. I'm getting the speakers as a Christmas gift and can't wait to finally listen to the new setup.

 

Last thing I need are some speaker cables. Does anyone have a recommendation for where I can find some good cables that are crazy expensive? Or brand suggestions? Do you guys typically buy pre-built cables or buy speaker wire and connectors separately and build the cables yourselves?

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Last thing I need are some speaker cables. Does anyone have a recommendation for where I can find some good cables that are crazy expensive?

You sure about the crazy expensive part? ;-) I don't have them, but many people on here have been praising the blue jeans speaker cables, which might suit your needs.

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You sure about the crazy expensive part? ;-) I don't have them, but many people on here have been praising the blue jeans speaker cables, which might suit your needs.

 

Thanks for the suggestion! But are they really that expensive? It looks like I can get a 10' run for $36 from blue jeans. Whereas when I'm looking at Crutchfield and MusicDirect those cables are $125 for a 10' cable. I had a feeling CF and MD had really high prices/higher quality cables than I need and that I could find quality cables for cheaper. I went to this site and built a terminated cable:

 

https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

 

are these the ones everyone has been referring to? I'm looking at getting the BJC Twelve White or Belden 5000UE 12. Does anyone have experience with those?

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I am wholly confused by your post. are you actually asking for recommendations for EXPENSIVE cables?  

 

is this a flammable/inflammable thing?

 

If you want good quality, INEXPENSIVE cables, then go with the BJC cables.  I have sets of Twelve White and Ten White that are great.

 

If you are actually looking for crazy expensive cables as stated in your original post...idunno...these start at $5.5k.

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I am wholly confused by your post. are you actually asking for recommendations for EXPENSIVE cables?  

 

is this a flammable/inflammable thing?

 

If you want good quality, INEXPENSIVE cables, then go with the BJC cables.  I have sets of Twelve White and Ten White that are great.

 

If you are actually looking for crazy expensive cables as stated in your original post...idunno...these start at $5.5k.

 

haha no, definitely not looking for crazy expensive cables. Sorry for the confusing post, I just realized that I said 'are expensive' instead of 'aren't expensive' in my original post and then I didn't catch that he was messing with me in his post. So I thought he was saying BJCs were expensive, when in reality he was cueing me that I made a mistake. Sorry, I completely messed that up and then missed the joke haha Definitely confusing. But your confirmation that you're using Twelve White and Ten White and are happy with them is what I was looking for. Thanks!

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Someone needs to buy this. Marantz TT15S1 with Clearaudio Virtuoso cartridge for $1100 CAD ($800 US). I would if I didn't have a child due any week now...

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649243621-marantz-tt15s1-acrylic-turntable-with-clearaudio-virtuoso-cartridge/

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Someone needs to buy this. Marantz TT15S1 with Clearaudio Virtuoso cartridge for $1100 CAD ($800 US). I would if I didn't have a child due any week now...

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649243621-marantz-tt15s1-acrylic-turntable-with-clearaudio-virtuoso-cartridge/

Deal of the century, damn, local pickup only....

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I'm a bit of a hi-fi novice and have a query regarding my speakers... I've recently updated from some Polk Audio RTiA1 bookshelves to some Monitor Audio Bronze 5 floor standers, I'm happy with the sound of the new speakers, but have noticed I have to turn the amp up about 4-5 notches more from before when playing vinyl to get the same amount of volume out of them. Is this because it takes more to power them from the amp compared to the old, smaller speakers? Probably a dumb question, but I'd like to know whats going on there.. Cheers.

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both speakers have pretty similar sensitivity ratings,  89 db @ 8 ohms vs 90 db @ 8 ohms, but the floorstanders are pushing more air and I would expect them to require a bit more juice.  it's pretty normal.  if it gets to the point that you have to push your amp really hard to drive your speakers, it may be time to look for a more powerful amplifer to avoid distortion.

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Thanks Tardcore that makes sense, the amp is fairly new (6 months), its an integrated Cambridge Audio Topaz SR20 and does 100watts power out, so supposedly can handle things fine. I am thinking of upgrading to the Cambridge CXA80 though as I like their gear. https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/products/cx/cxa80But, it doesn't have phono input..

 

Any thoughts are welcome.

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I mean, it's undoubtedly a step up, but if you like the current sound and you'd only want to upgrade because you have to turn the dial up a bit now, it might be a bit rushed. If you can sell the topaz without a big loss though, then why not. It's always better to buy better gear :D

 

And don't let the numbers fool you, even though the rated output power is lower, it's very likely that it actually packs more punch than the topaz. Official specs tell very little in audio, unfortunately.

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Yeah the fella I brought the Topaz off in-store said that too, he said don't go off watts output, some of the lower watts stuff packs more punch apparently. I really like that CXA80 or I could go the one below that, the CXA60, its a little cheaper and buy a seperate phono stage..? I have the Polk's and Topaz to sell...

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My music hall is rated pretty low watt wise, but it lacks a huge punch on my vandersteens. I only need it at about a quarter to shack the house for digital, and just a few clicks more for vinyl with my current preamp settings.

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And don't let the numbers fool you, even though the rated output power is lower, it's very likely that it actually packs more punch than the topaz. Official specs tell very little in audio, unfortunately.

 

Very true it's all to do with how that power is measured, for how long and into what. Amplifier manufacturers and car makers have been massaging the figures regarding power output in this way for as long as it's been possible to do so but the simple truth is that it's only those that don't need to lie that don't

 

both speakers have pretty similar sensitivity ratings,  89 db @ 8 ohms vs 90 db @ 8 ohms, but the floorstanders are pushing more air and I would expect them to require a bit more juice.  it's pretty normal.  if it gets to the point that you have to push your amp really hard to drive your speakers, it may be time to look for a more powerful amplifer to avoid distortion.

 

I like the logic but the amount of air they push has very little to do with it, it's all about the speakers sensitivity which is how easy or difficult they are to drive at a given impedance from a given power and that impedance is the load in ohms the amplifier sees across it's output. At 90db if everything else is equal it should mean the Monitor Audio's should be easier to drive than the Polks especially because its a logarithmic scale, problem is not everything is equal so it's more likely that those figures aren't taken the same way, you may find the value given with the MA's is taken with a much higher voltage than the Polks which means driven from the same amp they need more current to drive them and the amplifiers output into them cannot sustain the current needed for long enough.

 

Power is a simple equation regarding voltage and current, 1 watt is 1 watt but can be produced by having a high voltage with low current or vice versa, generally harder to drive speakers require more current to drive them because the voltage available stays pretty much the same in a transistor amps, the speakers impedance because of a little ohms law and how long that amplifier can produce that current for dictates how well this works.

 

Valve (tube) amps work with much higher DC voltages so need much less current to produce 1 watt which is why a very low wattage valve amplifier can make your ears bleed.

 

Simple answer give them more grunt so if the Topaz has a pre out get a power amplifier of similar output to the Topaz and bi amp your Monitor Audio's, that will cheer them up no end.

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