I get those comments for my heavily modified 1970's Kenwood KT-8300 tuner. My wife cannot believe that it is the radio playing, and not a CD. If she comes into the room, she reacts in surprise every time at the end of a piece of music when the announcer starts talking. |
Yeah, but did she put out later? |
|
I have the Dynavector 10X4 mk II, a very nice mc for the price. It may sound like a $450 cartridge, but the actual MSRP is $350. I also prefer Dynavector over Clearaudio. As for the 'table, you may also want to check out the VPI Aries Scout. Some dealers are throwing in a free Dynavector 10X4 mk II with the purchase of the Scout/JMW-9 arm.
John |
I know I'll get alot of flak for this, but I am not a fan of the Clearaudio cartridge line. I think the Dynavector beats it hands down. I generally prefer the Japanese MC cartridge sound. |
TWL, what do you think of the Clearaudio Aurum series, specifically the Beta S? 3mv output MM. It's kind of heavy at 10 grams, but would work in my ProJect arm. Too bad the Denon 103 has such a low output...I used a Denon 300 MC for a while in the 1980s and loved the way it sounded. |
Slipknot, If you are looking for a good high-output MC for a reasonable sum, go for a Dynavector 10x4 MK II. It retails about $450, and sometimes you can get them for less. It is a really good high-output MC for the money. It will definitely stomp the BPS. Medium compliance and weight, it matches most tonearms well. Below that price there is nothing in a high-output MC that I feel is worth looking at, except maybe the Ortofon X5-MC which has a 2mv output, that might work in your phono stage, depending on the gain it has. The Dynavector has a little more, with 2.5mv. It your phono stage is weak on gain, less than 40db gain, then stick with a MM with 4mv or greater output.
For a MM cart under $400, I have always liked the Goldring 1042. Linn and Audio Note have versions of this cartridge made for them on an OEM basis by Goldring. It's a good MM for the money. |
TWL-
If I decide to keep the ProJect and upgrade the cart, I might be looking at something on the order of a relatively HO moving coil or a high quality MM. You had answered my thread earlier on the output voltage of the Denon 103. I have followed your responses in the past on turntable threads and respect your opinion. The ProJect 6.1 I currently have was near the top of their line a few years ago and is a good table, with a great arm (for the $ anyway). Any replacement opinions for the Blue Point? I don't want to send my wife into sticker shock, and I'm afraid I might if I spent the money required to get a large jump in performance over what I have now... |
Slipknot, if you want to look at 2 other TTs that are in the same league as the Teres, and are actually "spin-offs" of the Teres Project, look at the Redpoint Audio TTs, and the Progressive Engineering TT. They use the same bearing and motor as the Teres, and the PE even uses the same motor controller. Redpoint has a different controller. I think the Redpoint is ugly, but sounds good. The PE is very nice looking, but has too light of a platter, as far as I am concerned. Teres is still best overall, in my book. They also have a new model out called the 150 that has the shot-filled wood base, that is not as expensive because it's birch instead of Cocobolo. Sounds better than the acrylic, and cost is only slightly more. |
A further update to the story: This afternoon she mentioned (without my prompting), "I remember you saying you were thinking about a new turntable. How much are we talking about? As much as the new kitchen?" It's true that I have been thinking about upgrading from my current ProJect 6.1/Blue Point setup. Help me out here guys: What do you recommend I look at? Including the Teres I know TWL will suggest. (It's on my shortlist) ;) |
I had the same sense of pride the first time my wife heard my vacuum tube setup. She remarked how much better it sounded. She didn't know the difference between a tube and a transistor, but she knew what she liked... |
Hi Slipknot1, Makes all your efforts seem worthwhile.
Nice to hear stories like yours. Never had a women who gave 2 cents in my audio setup. I am always asked, could you please turn it down. Happy for you. Hope it continues. |
Congratulations indeed! One small step for man....one giant leap for audiophiles! My wife was trained as a classical violinist and comes from a family of musicians. You would think that they'd all be overly critical about the reproduction of their art through an audio system. Quite the opposite, it is most definitely NOT a priority for any of them. Suggestions that a good system enhances one's enjoyment of the experience of music meets more often with rolled eyes, shrugged shoulders and knowing grins, elbowing and laughter among them. That is until I switched my home system to a SET (going from SS and push/pull). Once those magical 8 watts of SET sound filled the room, my wife FINALLY took notice, and conceded that, "...WOW, it sounds like the performer is right there in our living room!" Since then, I've heard her even boast to her mom that she likes the stereo system now, and that she finds it very unrewarding to listen on her boom box! I'm sure if she knew the price it all comes at she'd have a cow, so I keep that part of the equation discreet (and my system is pretty modest as those things go here on A'gon). Anytime I mention the price of an interconnect, or of premium NOS tubes it is met with astonishment and sometimes outright mockery! "..I can't believe you pay that much for a 'light bulb'!!" Oh well, ...small victories! |
You're all ahead of the game. My wife of 12 yrs. has very good hearing in one ear only(w/virtually nada in the other ear.) So you image when Santa brings a new boom-boom toy (as my younger daughter calls it) into our home. She's really a good sport and she realizes what music means to me
in my life. My kids really enjoy music which is really great and I'm so grateful for so many blessings in our lives. Enjoy the moment in time always. Happy Holidays! Bill |
Congratulations my friend. What a joy that must be. I've been with my wife for 20 years and I haven't gotten past the 'eye rolling' stage yet. I was beginning to think that I never would. Your story gives me new hope, if I just keep on buying new gear, maybe someday a light will click on for her. Maybe she will discover the joy that music brings me. Maybe we will finally be able to share the enjoyment of recorded music..............................NAH!!!
Congrats again,
John |
When I first got married my wife was always shocked over the price tags. My Martin Logan SL3 speakers were first in a large 5.1 audio/video system in a small beach duplex where she would move the speakers parallel to the HDTV. Now that we are in a large 2 story house the room acoustics are so much better & the 5.1 audio/video system is now just a stereo with mono block amps. The Martin Logan speakers are were they should be, alway from the back wall with no HDTV in the middle. My wife now saids that she can no longer listen to a boom-box |
Slipknot,
My compliments to you and your wife. IMHO this is a rather important event. Women (mothers & wives) are genetically and culturaly different form us men, usually. I wouldn't hope for much more out of her than this. I might suggest that if she is "busy aroung the house" and you would like her to sit and really experience this with you then invest some of your spare time in helping with the chores. Take away any excuse she might have for not joining you. If she joins in and makes a habit of it, you are better off as a couple. If she doesn't, then just be happy with what happened last night. You're way ahead of most audiophiles.
Happy listening,
Patrick |
Your wife has an "ear". That was an interesting story. I'd venture a guess that many other wives, and indeed, audiophiles would say the same thing, if they heard some good vinyl on a good playback deck. The key statements in your story were playing an LP, and her saying,"That sounded better than any CD." Any questions? |
Hmmmm, good for you Slip...you better watch out/you better not pout/'cause Santa Claus is coming to town. |
Congratulations, my friend. Maybe there's no such thing as a perfect marriage, but it sounds like you and your wife took a dramatic step--she now loves something that you love! In many marriages, two people never take that step; they simply tolerate (at best) one another's hobbies.
Now...is there something SHE loves that maybe YOU can see the true, overarching, unabiding wisdom in? Imagine where your marriage could go then! |
