I have to assume(a guess)that the only diff. between the V and the W are the number of coil windings.I and a friend,both,bought the V together.We chose it over the W due to our experience in low vs high output.Low,usually a bit more revealing.In any case,High Fi News and Record Review has chosen this as their top performer,in moving coils.I purchased long after this,BTW.Also,I have to emphasize,again,that best performance is obtained with the body tilted BACK.Viewed from the side(if you have good eyes)the stylus tip should be vertical to the record,in play.Obviously,listening and adjusting,on the fly,will give best results.I spent too much time not really believing this,and wasted alot of listening.
I will not go on,as many have, of their own purchases,about it's superiority over the competition,however, it is an incredible performer.VERY low level detail/dynamics/true timbre of instruments,etc.
As a matter of fact,as I have heard quite a few of the elite cartridges in friends' systems,there really is a fantastic quantity of ABSOLUTE TOP performers out there now.I'll just bet that if there ever was a real cartridge SHOOT OUT,like the old days(of TAS,long gone,sadly),there really would NOT be a clear winner.So many are really GREAT!!
As a point of interest,hopefully,to some of you fellow hobbyists,The latest issue of Hi FI Plus has a fantastic interview with Mr van den Hul.,as well as a review of his latest designs.This interview,in particular,BLEW me away.There is a service to all customers that allows one to indicate what arm,table and general equipment we use,as well as our musical tastes.He then designs each cartridge,through the use of differing materials(platinum/silver/gold/copper coils,as well as body materials and cantilever length)to hand match out with,both the hobbyist's taste as well as arm and table.WOW!!I love this guy.Also,he is the ONLY person that touches your cartridge.No other employees.You can then send the cartridge back,after 200 hrs,for a tune up.No additional charge(though they are not cheap)for any of this hand design.I'm not affiliated,here,and don't own one,but if I were buying new,I'd really seriously consider a COLIBRI/custom.I don't care how good my Tranny is!
He blew me away,by stating that if one owns a large collection of original DECCA's (I DO),he can actually voice the cartridge for these.MAN O MAN!!I have to declare him the Viceroy of Vinyl!!Good luck everyone,and have a great weekend. |
As a very happy owner of a "V",let me emphasize that the body MUST tilt backwards at quite a large degree.You must actually view the stylus tip from the side,and make sure(as best as you can) that it is(the actual diamond,which is small,so good luck here)vertical to the record.This is indicated in the instructions,though a good listen,over a few sessions is best.Good luck!! |
Nsgarsh,you are a GOD.Thanks for prodding me into a bit more experimentation!As I have just(last week)gotten my SOTA COSMOS back,from the latest update,and added a Symposium Ultra Shelf as a support,I did some more experimentation last night.Stayed up 'til 3:00am.Well guess what?You are right.My tip sounds best a WEE BIT tilted back.Unbelieveable!!That does mean my 2.2 is tilted down,in the rear.AND my instructions print,as your's do.Thanks for questioning me.
One thing I've learned here,is NOT to take myself too seriously,as I can always learn new stuff,about "The art of music reproduction in the home",by being open minded!
As for loading,I am at 47k,but there could be a better setting,for all I know.I have tried all the settings on my phono's outside switch,and the 47k sounds best to me,but,what do I know?I'm not about to start sodering resistors,inside the unit,unless I had real confirmation,about optimum,in my own gear!I did find 100 to be slow,on my set-up,but all set-ups are different.Thanks,and good luck to all,who have replied to this interesting topic!
By the way,I have a BEAUTIFUL LP,of a handbell concert,recorded in a Church(in Princeton NJ)using bells weighing up to 17lbs.Incredibly detailed an dynamic,with multiple bells adding to a true room filling,and floor to ceiling perspective.This has been a FABULOUS disc,to dial parameters into,due to the fact that it is really easy to "get off" on the incredible open, lilting and almost vaulting sound.However if the cartridge parameters are not perfect,you lose the metallic sound,and the bells begin to sound glassy.Especially the tiny bells.If you have all set correctly,and this is where I MUST thank you,Ngarch,the final vta,yields some of the LOWEST distortion,sweet and airy bell tones(one really must hear this disc to believe how great it is)imagineable.So STUNNING,in fact,that I laughed,last night,at the thought that I did not own diamond tweeters,and only had "lowly" titanium drivers,that were ONLY ruler flat to 25k!
The name of this treasure is-The Pealing Bells Of The Westminster Handbell Choir!Cost me a buck,at the Princeton Record Exchange.Finding gems like this,to me,is what this hobby is all about.Not, how much technical knowledge I have picked up over the years.The knowledge we obtain,should only serve the "accuracy"of our systems.Being open to questioning,of our own practices and experiences,only furthers our understanding and ultimate enjoyment!!
PS-If anyone could add experiences as to the subject of phonostage tube rolling,I would be very interested.As my amp is a modded Rowland(2 chasis)8t,with switch mode power supply in second chasis,I only have 3 tubes to deal with,which are in the phono section of my Pre.Thanks to all!! |
Nsgarch,are you tellig Transfiguration owners that,when the cartridge instructions indicate one should view the stylus tip as "leaning slightly back",when viewed from the side,that the stylus is actually leaning forward,with the tip angling towards the rear?Wouldn't the instructions have said,"tip raked back",as this would then more closely follow your choice.I'm asking,not questioning.In my case I have the arm leaning back(cart. body too),because I understood the instructions to mean tip backward slightly,as lowering the body towards rear!
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Nsgarch,just had a really great breakfast,with the EGG THAT I PEELED OFF MY FACE.You are correct in your description/advice,and(well the instructions were a bit ambiguous to me)the tip now rests as you describe it,with better sound,obviously.Too bad I already named my kids,or I'd be obligated to name one after you!Thanks!! |
Everyone's assessment of quality is different.Though I do appreciate all comments,I must admit that I have had my guage for about 6 or 7 years of trouble free service.The manual indicates the expected performance,and maintenance,and other than the fact that the unit's battery went on me during a very crucial time (I have just had my SOTA COSMOS updated,and was re-dialing parameters)it,to me,is a very good unit,if one follows the instruction manual.It is one of the few units that give accurate readings in the hundreths of a gram.I checked it against my pal's 700 dollar WINDS guage,and it was dead on.So,the hastle of replacing a battery every 6 years is no big deal,to me.In terms of differing readings,you MUST have the stylus tip hit the EXACT center of the indented area,otherwise readings aren't precise.Thanks for the well intended input. |
I own a Temper-v(low output),as does a friend.Usually,the lower output designs are superior in low level resolution.Only if you have enough gain in your phonostage.
Take a look at the latest issue of Hi-Fi News and Record Review,for a full review!!The results found are what I hear,but,there is a TON of REALLY GREAT cartridges on the market today!!Who knows which is best?I don't think you can go wrong with many of the top choices. |
Raul!!WHEW,did you close a movie deal,or maybe develope a new reality based TV series,in order to afford(even if used)that stable of thoroughbreds?? |
Nsgarsh,my instruction manual(that came with my cartridge)indicates this stylus angle as preferred.I,in the beginning, had the BODY fairly parallel,but found myself tilting backwards,as I played more and more records,over numerous listening sessions.I fully understand your trepidation with this,as I never would have thought the body needed this degree of back tilt.However,as time went on it became obvious to me.What I find hardest to obtain,in analog,is TRUE timbre in instruments.Too many hobbyists get off on bass.To me,dialing in the cartridge using various records,showing off timbre, results in ALL ELSE falling into place.I have a friend with the exact cartridge(vintage of about 18 months old),and his tilt back,is virtually identical.Once done,when one looks at the stylus tip from the side,the diamond seems to be about vertical in the groove.Obviously this is not written in stone,and some slight variation can be preferred.But,all in all,close to vertical is close to correct,in my set-up.As for the "W" I don't know.
Please understand,I'm not trying to get into any kind of an arguement.It's just that on my set-up,what my instructions(coming with my Temper-V)state,is in fact what my results came to be.I will admit that I overlooked the instruction recommended angle,for a long time,since I set up by ear.The only reason I went back,and took a hard look at the instructions,was because I,myself,could not believe that I had to go back on the arm,as I did.A paralel body,or even close to parallel,will be off sonically.When I noticed that the instruction manual said to check for stylus tip vertical,I did so,and found that my ears were not far off.The tip was,just about vertical,as stated.As for cutter rake,etc.,I could care less.I'm only concerned as to what sounds best,to me.
As an aside,what happened at my friend's home was very interesting,and aided my own set-up.We had numerous fellow audio-buffs over,One was my friend Sid(who is obsessed with Decca's,Mercury's etc).He will not,under any circumstances,let any of us off the hook,if something is off.You can KILL him sometimes,but,he's usually(actually,always)right.He wrote the Mercury column,for TAS years ago,and is now retired.I was the set-up man,unfortuneately,that night(actually several nights,under same circumstances)and after all was done,and Sid was FINALLY happy,with how voices sounded etc.,we checked tip angle,and it WAS just about vertical,from side.
In an effort to try to push the envelope,a bit farther along,we are now in the process of tube rolling,in the phono stage.We,both,have the same Great Northern Sound modded,Audio Research SP-15's.A three tube phono section affords us the ability to try out several of the leading 6dj8 types,without going bankrupt.The results have been REAL EYE-OPENERS.Virtually every type we tried,from Tele/Mullard/Ediswan 5358/Amperex 6922 vs 7308 etc.,have been completey different sounding.I was sworn to secrecy,as to the results,due to the rediculously overpriced nature of dealers,but,since I've been bloviating here,you deserve a result.We find the Joe's Tube Lore statements,to be DEAD ON.The winner,so far(we're still not done)is the early 60's Amperex 6922.Now if I can only get my hands on some nice "Pinched Waist" sets.Maybe Larry(Cello)or Dougdeacon has some lying around.Well that's it.Sorry for going on so long.Hope it wasn't a waste,to anyone! |
I'm not indicating that the Temper-v I own is THE top tier performer in analog,these days,as seems to be the case everytime some folks upgrade to a new cartridge,but it is on a short list.However,what is beginning to be obvious to the "NOT TOO MANY" remaining,and loyal analog lovers,who have been at this for a long time,is the simple fact that the ENVELOPE has been pushed REALLY,REALLY far.This with the latest,and ALL superb tables/arms,and IMO UNBELIEVEABLY high performance cartridge designs currently available,to the "STILL LOYAL" crowd.I have no problem with digital,and own a fine player,for the newer music,but I can't remember a time when there were so many incredible analog designs available.
Thank God I have continued to collect LP's.I'll be reaping their rewards for a long time,God willing!! |
