One of those moments we analog people live for...


Hello all....

Long story short...  I am the sad sack with the '83 Yamaha  M-70 / C-70 Separates, muddy and sloppy Cerwin Vega D-8's (though, sensitivity of 101db), wobbly, ancient but respectable Dual 1219 and the higher/low-end Grado Platinum 1 cart. I have read that the Yamaha C-70 control amp had a good phono section...so that is why I have hung on to them both...sunk some serious money into iboth for a major "service".  re-coned the CV's...and thought about getting a AT VM760 SLC.

My point:

Months ago...I had picked up a Cambridge Phono-Preamp for an old GE 1959 G-7700  integrated amp I resurrected...because I had one when I was a kid... ah nostalgia...ah youth!   The old G.E. was not what I remember and not worth spending any more money on it.  So...I thought for laughs I would connect the Cambridge to my Yamaha C-70 and run it through Aux-1.  I did not expect anything special...because I was plugging the Cambridge into  a Yamaha...I thought it would be a "push".  Well...(insert game show buzzer). I am still stunned!   With $179.00, I just breathed life into my whole system.  The new range is impossible to explain and describe.  Sweet highs...defined bass lines.  I can actually and easily track McCartney's bass though the White Album...that I wasn't hearing before!!   The clarity. Tight bass. Midrange to swoon over.  WIDE OPEN!!  My CV's are reborn!!   The Grado Platinum 1 is a lot better than I thought. ..and the 'ol Dual 1219 doing what it was built to do 50 years ago.  This is tasting the sweet magic of vinyl.  The humble  tones of the sonic purity...only had with the clunk, wonderful format of vinyl.  This was a step up.  It is that moment.  The upgrade moment that cannot happen  with the little silver discs.

I think you all can relate to my epic change in ear-candy here (hear).   I know there are Ferrari and Maserati systems out there...Rolls Royce and Jaguars,  full tilt and built Cameros...Boss Mustangs...etc.  But, I just found a way to make my 1963 Galaxy 2-door get up and move!! 
Have a good week all!!
vinylspin.
vinylspin
Thank you all for responding...

IMHO, I always heard in my own ears my Yamaha separates M-70, C-70 as very neutral...hence the "Natural Sound"...which, I would suspect would lead someone to be careful about which speakers and cartridge to use...  I have never been an enthusiastic fan of Yamaha's sound; but, i technically...i will admit that I do not have the knowledge to know what i am hearing.  Yet...as it is said many times in these forums..."my-own-ears-will-guidith me", so to speak. It surely didn't help that I was using the Cerwin Vega's D-8's. Back when I bought the system in '83 I think my seller could have steered me away from the CV's to something else.  The "service" I had done a few years back "seemingly" didn't require recapping...but that doesn't mean it wasn't actually needed.

But...with the added and very modest $179.00 Cambridge "Solo" phono-preamp run through the Aux-1, I am still stunned, overjoyed and pleased by the clarity and fullness of the "new" sound I now have.  Which would lead me to believe that I do indeed need a recapping, or...the phono-stage was 1983 technology; then brought forward into the 21st century.  Yet, I am not quite sure if bad dying caps would allow the "new" sound to happen as it has; all speculation on my part. 

This is a hobby like no other.  The money saving/watching tweaks are part of the adventure and fun.  And the payoffs are indeed worth it. I can be confident that the little silver discs would not allow the kind of issues and conversation to happen. :) 

The sound was so improved by the Cambridge Solo...that I think the larger dynamic(s) were causing skipping. Wow...what a great problem.  I have since placed a thicker-than-normal towel under the TT to dampen any other possible issues.  None so far. I have been prompted to revisit set-up aspects of my humble and modest system...to recheck the tracking grams for the Grado Platinum 1 to be a true 1.5...using the Shure SFG-2 weight gauge.  Making sure the Dual 1219 is level and true with "bubble" rulers.  I have invested in vibration absorbing "feet" for the Dual and...I even bought an acrylic platter mat.  The mat may start its own thread. :) I have head pro and con for the acrylic aspects...more pro...so i will give it a try.

It was suggested by the helpful in this forom that there are even better phono preamp out there...one that would even allow the warmth of tubes. I have saved myself some serious loot here as I chase the sound with modest changes.  Right now I am content with what I have. Though it is nice to know that I can only go up.  I can only imagine what the Shiit or RGR preamps will do...coupled with the AT VM760SLC.

Thank you for reading and helping.  I will let you all know what the acrylic platter mat will do....along with the vibration absorbing "feet".

Thanks again!!

vinylspin
I was using Yamaha separates, an mx-1000U and a cx-1000u. I bought a schiit freya plus and it's 100% better in every way than the cx, I couldn't believe the difference and what muddy horrible sound I've been listening to for two years, I say get away from that Yamaha gear. I've sold the amp and pre and have another cx I'm selling or taking a hammer too. Make the switch. 
+1 vinylspin! You have discovered that all phono stages are not created equal. My favorite is the RGR 4 (phono and line stage). I have an ARC SP6 for that "tube sound". No need to spend four or five figures on a preamp!