The analog thread.

[CarlSeibert]

I don't think the P1 has a glass platter (or I keep seeing places advertising the glass platter upgrade for it). The acrylic platter moves away from the "Rega sound" (which I like) to more bass and slower attack.

Ah. I think you're right. A friend of mine has a P3/24. His platter is like mine. I know Oswaldo sells the P1, but I've never touched, or even looked that hard at, the platter. It could well be acrylic.

Hmmm. I just looked on Rega's site. (a little slow moving on the keen investigator thing) Says the P3's platter is glass and the P1's is MDF. Most interesting.

[deepak]

I just set up the DL-103 with the Cinemag SUT. Though overhang with the stock headshell doesn't seem to be working. I'm either in front of the first null point and dead on the second null point or vice versa.

edit: this is with Baerwald.

Edited March 18, 2010 by deepak

[nikongod]

Use Stevenson.

I have never found a head shell that will allow a 103 to align to baerwald null points on a technics 1200 arm. If anyone knows of a head shell that does I would love to know too.

I have been thinking of the best way to modify the 103 to align to "not stephenson" with the head shells I have. So far gluing the body to a piece of metal with threaded holes at the stock mounting points, and 3mm further back is my best idea.

[deepak]

Ahh my resident DL-103 fan

I will give Stevenson a try tomorrow.

[luvdunhill]

Use Stevenson.

I have never found a head shell that will allow a 103 to align to baerwald null points on a technics 1200 arm. If anyone knows of a head shell that does I would love to know too.

I have been thinking of the best way to modify the 103 to align to "not stephenson" with the head shells I have. So far gluing the body to a piece of metal with threaded holes at the stock mounting points, and 3mm further back is my best idea.

How much wiggle room do you have in the spindle to pivot measurement?

[deepak]

I have never found a head shell that will allow a 103 to align to baerwald null points on a technics 1200 arm. If anyone knows of a head shell that does I would love to know too.

.

Have you tried Zupreme or Sumiko HS-12?

[Asr]

So I'm seriously contemplating buying a turntable now. (Well not "now" per se but at some point in the future.) Already have some vinyl and it's likely I might add some more eventually. As I know next to nothing about turntables, been doing some preliminary research and it looks like I'll need a turntable w/ tonearm, cartridge, and phono pre-amp - any parts I'm missing? I'm also confused about MM vs MC cartridges, what's the benefit to each? The brand I'm considering is Clearaudio if that matters, for no reason other than aesthetics. (The aesthetics of every other turntable brand don't really appeal to me for one reason or another - I've looked at VPI, SME, SOTA, Pro-Ject/Music Hall, Rega, JA Michell, et al.) Trying to decide between the Performance SE, Emotion SE, and the new Concept but the variety of cartridges available is throwing me for a loop here....

[HeadphoneAddict]

So I'm seriously contemplating buying a turntable now. (Well not "now" per se but at some point in the future.) Already have some vinyl and it's likely I might add some more eventually. As I know next to nothing about turntables, been doing some preliminary research and it looks like I'll need a turntable w/ tonearm, cartridge, and phono pre-amp - any parts I'm missing? I'm also confused about MM vs MC cartridges, what's the benefit to each? The brand I'm considering is Clearaudio if that matters, for no reason other than aesthetics. (The aesthetics of every other turntable brand don't really appeal to me for one reason or another - I've looked at VPI, SME, SOTA, Pro-Ject/Music Hall, Rega, JA Michell, et al.) Trying to decide between the Performance SE, Emotion SE, and the new Concept but the variety of cartridges available is throwing me for a loop here....

I agree the emotion SE is beautiful, in terms of aesthetics. I know nothing else about it.

In a MM cartridge the magnet moves with the stylus while the coils are stationary, and the magnets usually have more mass than the coils; so in a moving coil cartridge the lighter weight coils are moving with the stylus. Some people feel that gives the MC better transient response, at the cost of lower output levels and needing a higher gain preamp. But many MM carts are quite good because a lot depends on the diamond needle's geometry as well as the internal engine that pulls the vibratory sound from the stylus and converts it into electrical energy.

This is what I learned back in the 70's, so things may have changed a lot. Even back then there were some high-out put MC cartridges available which I owned. Otherwise I am still in the learning phase as well.

[deepak]

I found this neat tool that generates an arc protractor for your tonearm once you specify spindle to pivot distance. Does Loefgren A/B and Stevenson.

http://home.comcast.net/~drnath/e/1.exe

[dreamwhisper]

I'd like to set up a vinyl rig for $1000 before shipping.

Only catch is it would need to be serviceable, so if bought used, have the manufacture support repairs.

it doesn't need to be under warranty though or anything.

another consideration... it would be nice if the table had a lot of youtube videos about it: people fixing/tweaking it etc

[mulveling]

Ok - it's time for me to look at phono stage again. The Benz PP-1 T9 I've been using for a year (and the T8 before that) has stayed because it's musical and more resolving than the Dynavector P75 Mk I, Aragon 47K, and Rogue Stealth. The Aragon was smooth but too dark, and the Stealth had great overall voicing but was not as resolving, was more 2D, and had a bit of buzz. The PP-1 does have an extremely low noise floor for 62dB of gain.

HOWEVER, after auditioning the modest PS Audio GCPH in my system this weekend, it's clear that:

1) The GCPH is at least as resolving as the PP-1

2) The PP-1 is rendering a bit of a nasty treble spike/peak/resonance/harshness somewhere in the upper frequencies, that the other stages DON'T. I thought this was a side effect of the resolution, and that it might be revealing my cart, my table setup, or the nature of the recordings, but then the GCPH is very resolving and yet utterly smooth through the whole range.

3) The benz has a warmer midrange and projects a slightly more 3D stage, but the GCPH is tonally very neutral and has slightly tighter, punchier bass.

4) the GCPH unit had a hum, but that was correctable by rotating the toroid transformer.

5) Goddamn, now that I've heard the treble anomaly gone, it's almost impossible to go back to the PP-1.

To be fair I was using nice silver XLR cables with the GCPH, and good copper RCA cables with the PP-1, but the difference was substantial enough that I don't think ICs were the cause. Now, my DIY 100-ohm loading box for the PP-1 could be suspect, but there's not a whole lot of other options with the PP-1 (hardwired to 22K loading, which is TERRIBLE for many low-MC carts)

So my options are:

1) Buy a GCPH

2) Wait for Rogue to release their new "Ares" tube/SS hybrid stage, positioned higher than the Stealth, since I love the voicing of their tube products and they might send me a unit to audition (since I have their flagship Apollo monoblocks on order).

3) Some combination thereof

4) The new Eddie-Current stage looks interesting, wish I knew about it sooner...

[Hopstretch]

Ok - it's time for me to look at phono stage again. The Benz PP-1 T9 I've been using for a year (and the T8 before that) has stayed because it's musical and more resolving than the Dynavector P75 Mk I, Aragon 47K, and Rogue Stealth. The Aragon was smooth but too dark, and the Stealth had great overall voicing but was not as resolving, was more 2D, and had a bit of buzz. The PP-1 does have an extremely low noise floor for 62dB of gain.

HOWEVER, after auditioning the modest PS Audio GCPH in my system this weekend, it's clear that:

1) The GCPH is at least as resolving as the PP-1

2) The PP-1 is rendering a bit of a nasty treble spike/peak/resonance/harshness somewhere in the upper frequencies, that the other stages DON'T. I thought this was a side effect of the resolution, and that it might be revealing my cart, my table setup, or the nature of the recordings, but then the GCPH is very resolving and yet utterly smooth through the whole range.

3) The benz has a warmer midrange and projects a slightly more 3D stage, but the GCPH is tonally very neutral and has slightly tighter, punchier bass.

4) the GCPH unit had a hum, but that was correctable by rotating the toroid transformer.

5) Goddamn, now that I've heard the treble anomaly gone, it's almost impossible to go back to the PP-1.

To be fair I was using nice silver XLR cables with the GCPH, and good copper RCA cables with the PP-1, but the difference was substantial enough that I don't think ICs were the cause. Now, my DIY 100-ohm loading box for the PP-1 could be suspect, but there's not a whole lot of other options with the PP-1 (hardwired to 22K loading, which is TERRIBLE for many low-MC carts)

So my options are:

1) Buy a GCPH

2) Wait for Rogue to release their new "Ares" tube/SS hybrid stage, positioned higher than the Stealth, since I love the voicing of their tube products and they might send me a unit to audition (since I have their flagship Apollo monoblocks on order).

3) Some combination thereof

4) The new Eddie-Current stage looks interesting, wish I knew about it sooner...

ECTA! There's probably one available from the first batch as I canceled my order after getting the xono.

[tom_hankins]

ECTA! There's probably one available from the first batch as I canceled my order after getting the xono.

Anyone know how much gain is the EC phono going to offer? Also loading options and balanced inputs/outputs?

Looked it up. Wish it was a little more flexible with settings.

[jp11801]

The Craig's phono has sounded wonderful every time I have heard it. Phono stages are one product that manufactures generally make a killing on Craig's stage is crazy cheap considering that is it MC and MM with the MC including cinemag transformers.

[deepak]

Bleh I'm getting crazy hum with postjack's Cinemag SUT no matter where I place it, with various cables and with the ground lift on and off. Did anyone else that had this on loan have problems? I think it's a "commercially" built one and I think it worked fine for postjack.

[jp11801]

I need to send the shielded BJC to you it makes a huge difference, sorry for the delay work has been kicking my ass.

[tyrion]

Anyone know how much gain is the EC phono going to offer? Also loading options and balanced inputs/outputs?

Looked it up. Wish it was a little more flexible with settings.

From the website:

Transcription Amplifier specifications:

- Tube complement: 2 Mullard 12AX7, 1 Mullard 6SN7

- 48dB of gain moving magnet

- 72dB moving coil set for 150 ohm loading

- Cinemag input transformers for moving coil can be set for 37.5, or 150 ohm loading

- 0.5% tolerance silver mica in oil capacitors for the critical mid-range EQ

- RIAA accuracy plus minus .25dB 20-20kHz.

MM loading comes with 47K, 100pF but can be user set to anything via barrier strips

- Power supply connector cable uses 5 pin XLR

- The amp is available in 100V - 240V, 50 - 60 Hz

- Dimensions: Approx 6.25” W by 10.5” L by 5” H

Price: $1,200.00

I received an email a couple of days ago letting me know they are going to be shipping soon.

[nikongod]

Bleh I'm getting crazy hum with postjack's Cinemag SUT no matter where I place it, with various cables and with the ground lift on and off. Did anyone else that had this on loan have problems? I think it's a "commercially" built one and I think it worked fine for postjack.

did you ground the SUT to the ground lug on the phono-stage?

[tom_hankins]

I've been using the VPI 17F cleaner for a week now and it is SOTA, cleans as good as a hard scrubbing with the 16.5 and is much faster, quieter, and easier to use. Still waiting for VPI to get my XLR junction box to my dealer.

[mulveling]

ECTA! There's probably one available from the first batch as I canceled my order after getting the xono.

Gosh, I'd almost like to get 'em all at once for a real comparison. But that would be very bad behavior on my part, very bad...

The Ortofon cart I use specifies 100 ohm loading as "optimal", but 150 ohms is tantalizingly close...

[Voltron]

I cannot see why anyone in his right mind would buy anything other than the

[deepak]

did you ground the SUT to the ground lug on the phono-stage?

No, but I will try that. On the SUT there is only a ground lug on the input side.

[tom_hankins]

Anyone had a chance to try or hear the newer Grado "The Statement 1" After talking to Todd, (TTVJ) and the people at VPI, and reading this review it looks like Grado really nailed it on this one.

grado statement

[tom_hankins]

Pick up the XLR junction box for the VPI today. Hopefully have it up and running this weekend.

[mulveling]

Anybody ever try the DB Systems resistive loading kit? I've got one on loan from my dealer (didn't even know he HAD the damn things). My Ortofon (5 ohm coil) into my old phono stage sounds MUCH better at 50 ohms than 100. Better bass response, and takes the slight bright edge that was there off a number of recordings, without sounding dull. It costs $50 which is clearly a high markup, but still nice for guys like me that suck at soldering. The included y-Adapter cables are cheap & crappy - not confidence instilling, but I had some Radioshack RCA splitters on hand so I could toss the cables (I'd recommend that route to others). The resistive plugs themselves seem nice enough - kit comes included with pairs of 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 ohm values. Use Ohm's law and your phono stage's input loading to figure out how to get the loading you want (they could have at least MENTIONED Ohm's law in the manual/leaflet).

A lot of the active MC stages seem to stop at 100 ohm loading, so this kit is nice for trying values below that. It's a must for an MC phono stage like my Benz with fixed 22K loading (why did they DO that??). My dealer said that many low MC carts just keep getting more linear into lower loading - the tradeoff being that you eventually start to lose noticeable gain and signal/noise ratio. Still this should be negligible if the loading/coil factor is at least 5x (even less might be fine). I might try 20 ohm loading later, but to be honest the 50 ohm plug is a really, really nice balance so far. I might be able to hold off on phono stage upgrade a bit more, yet.