Little Vinyl Rant
- Thread starter Pure_Brew
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Did some things with this today. I finally put the AT440mla on this TT. The basic Rega arm in combination with either the Shure or the AT has been the best at tracking compared to anything else I have tried before. Also it's been the best set-up vs footfalls etc. So that's a couple of good things.
I've been spinning a ton of vinyl today because of the cart change. Worked on the cart from about 9-11am, been playing from then until 6pm. (Last day of vacation so wtf).
I started with the Sutherland. I tried a little resistive loading, but I'll need more values to experiment. Overall, just to bright. I could pull a few recordings out where it could shine, but I'm giving a rest for now.
You know, for what I paid for the PH3D, I guess I expected A LOT. There's been a few shining moments, and honestly the first record I put on, Coleman Hawkins/At Ease, sounded really smooth and detailed. But it's already one of the most mellow records I own. Other stuff just sounded too "treble up" and "bass down". That's when I started parallel resistive loading & then just pulled the PH3D right out. Mr S. Was kind enough to send some daughter boards with some resistors on them to change values to whatever I need. Very nice of him, but I requested the wrong values as I misunderstood the function of the boards. I thought I was going to use them to parallel to the 47k to create a new value, but the value you solder onto the boards is the ACTUAL value that you want. Oh well. Useless at the moment, but I'll get some more values and try messing with it. Later.
I still have the Bellari VP130, with a Tung-Sol 12ax7 & power supply upgrade. Glad I kept it... Been using it all day...
So I've back-tracked to this cart, and this preamp. The AT was always the clear winner in the detail dept. Although it can appear bright in some regards, it really shows it's quality when things get very busy acoustically in the upper registers. That's not something that I could get the Shure M97xe/SAS to do generally. Could be at this point I killed the diamond. However, the loudspeaker change really showed all ills of a cascading problem. The Snells being kinda boomy on the bottom and a bit dead on top made the PH3D sound like a winner. Not so much on the 901's. So the seemingly hot balance of the PH3D + 901's + garbage highs on the Shure = Hulk Smash!
This AT440/Bellari has been really nice all day. Some winners have been Steely Dan - Gaucho, (which SHOULD sound good as it's a great recording. But it wasn't sounding good! )Nat King Cole, Chick Corea - Return To Forever, Chet Baker - Chet, Dexter Gordon - One flight up, Horowitz in Moscow ( as a tracking/inner groove test).
I've got a few more things to try, some more modern & pop stuff etc, etc. However, listening to this today does make me want to go back to the record store. Mmmm.... Nahhh.
I've been spinning a ton of vinyl today because of the cart change. Worked on the cart from about 9-11am, been playing from then until 6pm. (Last day of vacation so wtf).
I started with the Sutherland. I tried a little resistive loading, but I'll need more values to experiment. Overall, just to bright. I could pull a few recordings out where it could shine, but I'm giving a rest for now.
You know, for what I paid for the PH3D, I guess I expected A LOT. There's been a few shining moments, and honestly the first record I put on, Coleman Hawkins/At Ease, sounded really smooth and detailed. But it's already one of the most mellow records I own. Other stuff just sounded too "treble up" and "bass down". That's when I started parallel resistive loading & then just pulled the PH3D right out. Mr S. Was kind enough to send some daughter boards with some resistors on them to change values to whatever I need. Very nice of him, but I requested the wrong values as I misunderstood the function of the boards. I thought I was going to use them to parallel to the 47k to create a new value, but the value you solder onto the boards is the ACTUAL value that you want. Oh well. Useless at the moment, but I'll get some more values and try messing with it. Later.
I still have the Bellari VP130, with a Tung-Sol 12ax7 & power supply upgrade. Glad I kept it... Been using it all day...
So I've back-tracked to this cart, and this preamp. The AT was always the clear winner in the detail dept. Although it can appear bright in some regards, it really shows it's quality when things get very busy acoustically in the upper registers. That's not something that I could get the Shure M97xe/SAS to do generally. Could be at this point I killed the diamond. However, the loudspeaker change really showed all ills of a cascading problem. The Snells being kinda boomy on the bottom and a bit dead on top made the PH3D sound like a winner. Not so much on the 901's. So the seemingly hot balance of the PH3D + 901's + garbage highs on the Shure = Hulk Smash!
This AT440/Bellari has been really nice all day. Some winners have been Steely Dan - Gaucho, (which SHOULD sound good as it's a great recording. But it wasn't sounding good! )Nat King Cole, Chick Corea - Return To Forever, Chet Baker - Chet, Dexter Gordon - One flight up, Horowitz in Moscow ( as a tracking/inner groove test).
I've got a few more things to try, some more modern & pop stuff etc, etc. However, listening to this today does make me want to go back to the record store. Mmmm.... Nahhh.
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Not a bad way to spend your day off, Joe. It appears you were quite thorough with your experimentation to discover what you liked for sound. I'm a bit surprised the Shure M97xe and SAS stylus didn't pony up against the AT440mla cartridge in all-around sonic performance. The AT440mla is a cartridge I considered using, based on its specs. You seem to have found the right recipe.
Nando.
Nando.
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Nando, it's the right recipe-for now. Did you ever see close-ups of the JICO/SAS & the AT Microline? Take a peek online... The SAS looks like a chunk of coal peeking out of a pile of trash. Something that looks like instant solder trace repair. How it sounds is all that matters, I know.
I enjoyed the SAS on the Shure for awhile. But I doubt I'll go back to it.
The downside is this AT has always exhibited some hum. On this TT, not so bad, until you get toward the spindle... oh well, always something...
Spinning The Clash - London Calling. Sounds great!
Rock on.
I enjoyed the SAS on the Shure for awhile. But I doubt I'll go back to it.
The downside is this AT has always exhibited some hum. On this TT, not so bad, until you get toward the spindle... oh well, always something...
Spinning The Clash - London Calling. Sounds great!
Rock on.
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I did swap it. Wasn't better, worse in fact. I then swapped the technics over with the AT on it. Sounded better in some ways, notably high frequency detail. So then I wanted to try the AT on this TT.
What set this in motion was listening to Gary Wright/The Dream Weaver. It's an old pressing I found sealed. Sounded soooo bad. I'm going try it in a minute, I expect it will still not sound wonderful.... Perhaps better.
@Nando: while I do listen to a lot of "chill" music, I like quite a bit of stuff. Might spin some country Joe and the fish in a bit LOL. Sabbath, Black Keys. Who knows?
What set this in motion was listening to Gary Wright/The Dream Weaver. It's an old pressing I found sealed. Sounded soooo bad. I'm going try it in a minute, I expect it will still not sound wonderful.... Perhaps better.
@Nando: while I do listen to a lot of "chill" music, I like quite a bit of stuff. Might spin some country Joe and the fish in a bit LOL. Sabbath, Black Keys. Who knows?
Thanks for the tip Nando, I'll check that out. Meanwhile, back at Rant Laboratories...
Spun Dreamweaver... The tune that started this Rant...
I got goosebumps. So... Much better!
Still a bit bright, but it's this album. The fond memories of this song are from only being in a car, bass cranked. Different experience.
Spun Dreamweaver... The tune that started this Rant...
I got goosebumps. So... Much better!
Still a bit bright, but it's this album. The fond memories of this song are from only being in a car, bass cranked. Different experience.
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I'm so blind without lenses. Hidden benefit is I can take out a contact and use an eye as a magnifying glass. I think my left eye is around the 20/1200 range. Started with contacts when I was 15. Had glasses starting at 5yrs. Been eyeballing the Goldrings Larry. Maybe someday. This year I hope to fix things before I buy anything.
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The Goldring is very revealing. Midnight Oil we shall see why. It would either drive you nuts or you would be in love. It is not forgiving on a bad pressing. The guy I bought it from thought it was to bright. Till he bought another. I was the only bidder at 65.00 no reserve. it isn't bright it is accurite. 1 bit of dust and you know instantly with distortion. You want to borrow the pickering? Stanton Just got it out.
Which Stanton is this? 681 what?
Which Stanton is this? 681 what?
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People say similar things about this AT440mla. Either bright, or not bright but detailed. Seems like there are other criteria to make it sound either way. And, taste. Personally, I did miss the detail and dynamics that I experienced before with this cart. It seems nice at the moment. A friend came over and we listened to a few things on iTunes, CD & I tossed a record on. Gaucho again. I asked him if he didn't know I was playing a record right now, would he even know if this was playing from this or some other source instead? Sounded just a good to him as the other sources. While he's not an afficianado, to me, it's a decent sign. On speed, on recordings where it might be noticed, maybe I should just try a speed box on this TT at some point.
I don't know about that cart in your pic Larry, but I really like Tommy Emmanuel!
I don't know about that cart in your pic Larry, but I really like Tommy Emmanuel!
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