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New analog system disappoints, please help

Hi,

I recently decided to get back into analog after a long break. Being on a budget I bought a used system from a local seller. The system consists of a J A Michell Gyro SE with DC motor, SME 309 tonearm and Transfiguration Spirit cart. I also bought a new old stock, factory sealed Plinius Jarrah phono stage. The Gyro, 309 and spirit where all purchased new in 2002 from a L.A. area high-end dealer and set up for the original owner in his home. They have remained there undisturbed and virtually unused since (maybe 15 to 20 hours total use)

After getting it all home I set up the turntable on a carefully leveled rack and tried the bounce test for the suspension. What I got was more like the Jello jiggle than a nice verticle bounce. I followed the instructions I found online for adjusting the suspension (several times) and although not perfect the bounce is much better. I have not touched the tonearm/cart alignment as I know little about this. I left the Jarrah set to factory default high output and adjusted the loading to 100ohms (recomended for the spirit)

After a 24hr burn in for the Jarrah I started to listen to some LP's. The sound is not bad, there is nothing obviously wrong but it sounds slightly recessed, flat and lifeless. I guess I was expecting more even from a relatively modest system like this. It doesn't "blow away" my digital source.

The rest of my system consist of Art Audio VPS DM pre, Art Audio Diavolo amp, Lector CDP-7T-MKIII and Spendor sp100 speakers. Cables are a mix of Nordost Valkyra and Quattro fil.

Any suggestions, incite or setup help would be greatly appreciated.

Emilio
emiliop

Showing 1 response by audphile1

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audphile1
4,355 posts
 
unless the entire set up is fully broken in there is nothing really to adjust I think. 15-20 hours on the cart is nothing. 24 hours on the phono stage is nothing.
Give the system 200 hours and periodically check VTF to make sure it is in the ballpark.
Took my Benz cartridge over 75 hours to break in and more than twice that time for the phono stage.
Just wait and see. Nobody can guarantee it will sound better than your cd player or if you'll like it better than your cd player, and I don't really think that it should, but it should definitely sound good.
I don't have a large record collection but some things do sound better on cd and some sound better on vinyl. Generally, to me, classical sounds better on vinyl for the most part if I am to compare same recording on CD and on vinyl(although lots of things come into play there too, not just the media), especially the strings have more of a natural tone and intonation. Good luck.
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