Update: loading down from 100 to 65 ohms on pass labs Xono. using smaller Lyra screws. Did not like the larger ones. |
the phenomena with the battery power is excellent |
Oh no. Is it not sounding good again?
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personally, loading any Lyra down to 65ohms is killing it. It ius supposed to be loaded much higher. |
I will try that. when I load higher I do not have as much control with the volume. I like a gradual increase, not just 1 click. thats one of the reasons I have used lower output moving coils in the past |
"Once you get to know your digital rig I think it’s the quickest, most dependable means of assessing the overall tonality of your analog rig. "
Terrific advice Thom!
"Personally, loading any Lyra down to 65ohms is killing it. It ius supposed to be loaded much higher."
Agree totally downunder.
However, it’s not just the cartridge that determines loading, but the phonostage too! Didn’t like my Lyra Etna loaded any less (numerically) than about 300 ohms or so on my modded Pass Xono. Started to become too thin sounding. On my ARC REF10 phono preamp, 1K is almost perfect. 47K (no loading) is still very listenable.
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you were right. I am at 300 ohms. much better. had it at 475, too bright. might try 320. |
I was not expecting it to sound this way loading it higher. |
I have two Delos and have enjoyed them on a VPI Aries for several years. I have since gravitated to Nagaoka MI cartridges simply because they produce more dynamics and heft. The highs are fine and spacial content is superior to the Delos. I can feel the drums even at low levels. I also had a Benz Glider and Koetsu Urushi for a while but yawn, ultimately got bored. Grados, some vintage Pickering MIs and Nagaokas are now my cartridges of choice. The Ortofon Black I rarely listen to; it is etched sounding and harsh. |
tzh21y,
Heading home from St Paul. Picked up the Technics SL1200G that Ralph modded with a Triplanar Classic SE tonearm and mounted my Lyra Kleos cartridge.
About 4-5 more hours to home.
Can hardly wait to hear it in my system. They did a stunning job. |
@tzh21y you were right. I am at 300 ohms. much better. had it at 475, too bright. might try 320.
Good to hear you tried loading higher. Around 250- 300 range seems to be the sweet spot for Delos. I also found 500ohms a bit high in my ss phono. You can generally load higher in tube phono stages. |
nkonor, I am sure it will sound amazing. the 1200g is amongst very few turntables Ive heard that just does so many things right and gets better after considerable breakin say 200 hours or so. It really is an amazing value. one of the best out there. |
About 50 hours in with fabulous setup by Robert at Stereo Unlimited !
liquid, grace and ease so far..... no desire to mess around with it.....
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The Delos is a "truth teller" in that if you don't like it, in many cases its because its not setup correctly. The truth being you need some help with it.
Delos is super finicky on setup especially VTA and azimuth, it has to be pretty much perfect. Lyra designs their carts for a specific setup and loading.
When I bought the Foz meter that was amazing, but more than anything the loading is key. Too many user rely on 100 ohms, not good for the Delos, and you need to use a low cap cable, preferably under 100pF/mt, so you can load it in the 300-500 ohms range....Once all this is done it will sing like a songbird......and has plenty of low end to shake walls.
Mine took about 30 hours once it was dialed in......Be sure you are at 1.75g also. |
Cool thread, like hearing about all the fun tweaking in and such. Miss those days.
Just thought I might chime in to mention a possible oversight: If you are hearing differences between "old" records and new ones, very likely it's the VTA setup. That is to say, often newer or different pressings like a different VTA. Not so much the thickness of the record, but rather the way the record is pressed.
Back when I had my Clavis DC and Lydian, I found there were certain groups of records that simply called for a different VTA to sound optimal. Also, they were VERY sensitive to the rest of the setup, as in the overhang and such.
They always sounded great, but I found getting them set up really, really well got things into another level- maybe a level nothing else could match. |
I ended up loading at 160 ohms, Boston Audio Mat, 1.75 Grams is where it needs to be, Anti-Skate just above 1. The Orsonic DS-200G disc stabilizer sounds the best with this setup and I had the stillpoints LPI, did not like certain things it did on the 1200G. I also have the project puck, use it once in a while. The Achromat and the Lyra Delos work the best as far as being able to get the VTA right. Its the right height but is resonant at certain frequencies that I do not care for but most of the time sounds fine. The Boston Audio Mat sounds the best, just wish it was a bit thicker and it would be perfect. I am using the Ortofon LH-4000 with the Delos and took the headshell leads off of the LH-6000 and put them on the LH-4000. Sounds great. My cartridge took well over 100 hours to run in which was disappointing. My suggestion to anyone with a Delos is be patient. It is the best tracking cartridge I have ever owned or heard along with other Lyras, just incredible control in grooves. I have the VTA set as low as it will go. YMMV but this has been my experience with the Delos and 1200G. Heard a Ortofon Bronze with the 1200g it sounded very good, not as forward sounding but it definitely has its virtues. I really liked that combination very much. |
basement- the one thing I like most about the Lyra, is the performance on old vinyl, just incredible. I can listen to almost all my older records and thoroughly enjoy them whereas the newer ones sometime sound a bit overdone with this cartridge. I can always put the Glider on on for those records. |
@tzh21y Why would you get the Bronze instead of the legendary amazing incredible 2M Black?
I will have my hand on Delos in the near future for a project, I'll get a chance to really test it.
SME Model 10 finally showed up and is breaking in. Overall better than Gyro SE. But these are just first impressions.
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Cadenza Bronze. Have you ever listened to any of the nagaoka moving magnets? they are supposed to be very good and reasonable.
What are you hearing that you like better that the Gyro SE? The Gyro SE is a great table. I never heard an SME 10 just the 20. |
I bet the Delos would be great on the Gyro SE |
Update: Using Achromat with Delos and Clearaudio silver wires AC008 Headshell cable se. sounds great. |
Back to the Boston audio mat. "The Mat" |
Final configuration lol: Boston audio Mat with Delos and Clearaudio silver wires AC008 Headshell cable se. sounds great. Arche headshell with Lyra screws and nylon washers. Tracking between 1.74 and 1.75. |
I use the Soundsmith EZ screws, comes with different weights so you have to experiment as it will affect mass and the position of your counterweight.
I found the right combination giving me an excellent RF results. I also track at 1.75g as this is where Lyra designed the cart to perform best regarding their New Angle design. |
The arche headshell comes with Brass screws which seem to be too heavy. |
Tzh21y, FWIW, I tried nylon washers with the Delos. (Currently using titanium).
My main gripe with them is that they can be too “squishy” and uncertain. With stainless steel or titanium I can set cartridge position and do the final tightening within seconds. Nylon required a very slow and painstaking tightening procedure which involved tightening each screw alternately by as little as 1 or 2 degrees at a time.
Also found the nylon could easily be displaced off ideal alignment e.g. by removing replacing stylus guards or even by the tightening process itself.
As an example it wasn’t uncommon for the cartridge position to be found to drift by 0.2mm (when routinely tightening screws) when the wand was re-checked on the jig. Very easy to see. This is never the case with steel or other metal washers.
Positive aspects of nylon is that it protects the headshell veneer/finish and may offer some degree of damping (I.e. used strictly on top of the head shell, never between cartridge and head shell ;)
Sonically, there isn’t a world of difference IMO. Overall I prefer metal washers but others may disagree.
Hope this helps... |
After all this I settled on loading at 320ohms. I will try that Moonglum. |
