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.
Trans Temp W, Magic Diamond cartridges - comments
Thanks to these forums, I feel like I know everything there is to know about ZYX's, but has anyone anything to say about the new Transfiguration Temper W? How about this year's cult fave, the Bluelectric Magic Diamond (Lloyd Walker's current favorite.)
74 responses Add your response
Mine never held a charge that long. That was my major complaint. It was always dead when you wanted to spot check VTF and it took 8 hours to recharge. Also, being significantly more expensive ($275 vs $70) than the other options out there doesn't help. I'll stick with my assesment of POC and keep the Durascale. Regards, Scott |
The battery in the Cartridge Man gauge will last indefinitely if charged on a regular basis. A 6-8 hour charge once a month is more than enough if the gauge is not used. The battery is not particulary expensive at $4.50. I think your assertion that it is a "POC" is also very unfair; there are thousands of very satisfied users. Perhaps you had a faulty unit. It does occur albeit infrequently. Bill Feil |
Speedy, I had/have a Cartridge man that I hate - it was and is a total POC. The batteries are no good in those things - they refuse to hold a charge for any length of time. And if low usability isn't bad enough, they're also expensive. I solved my problems with the link below. Add a couple of bucks to pay for a large plastic triangle and a couple of brass screws from Home Depot to build a Wally type platform and your in business. I think this scale is also more accurate and I get repeatable measurements which I never did with the POC. http://www.saveonscales.com/durascale.html |
Speedy, it sure sounds like you're getting a handle on this stuff. I'm glad this thread is turning out to be so helpful. I started it 'cause I was trying to figure out what kind of cartridge to buy, (which I did,) but then it sort of took on a life of its own. I hope everyone will continue to add experiences here so we can all learn from them. Neil . |
Nsgarch,as a follow up to your request,I spent Saturday dialing in the "V",as to your recommended specs.Yes,the sound was SIGNIFICANTLY better.I did the same to my friend's "V",with same result.Unfortunately,for me,when I went to check downforce,my guage lost battery power,so I could not make final adjustments,as I wanted to stay below 2 gms.I'm probably about1.9,but can't confirm yet.I also wanted to adjust my Graham's damping fluid to the new set-up parameters,but had do go by ear.Since my guage is the Cartridge man rechargeable model,I'll have to have the internal battery replaced(I hope,not from England,where it's made).I'm putting out a thread asking if there is a US based dealer who could change this type of battery.Can't make final adjustments 'til I know Exact parameters!Thanks for your great input. |
Lohanimal, if you want to keep your EF1 (which you should!) I suggest you trade your Temper V in on a Temper W. It has 0.2mV more output than the V, which is not enough to render it less refined IMO, but enough to do the trick with your EF1 (and make sure your cartridge loading is correct, around 150 ohms +/- 75 ohms. Call Bob Clarke at Profundo, he might be able to arrange a trade with one of his dealers: email: info@profundo.us phone: 510.375.8651 fax: 510.525.8942 As for the Koetsu, IMO they represent old technology pushed to the limit. People say they have great midrange. Perhaps that's because that's ALL they have. The Transfigs and Titans, and yes, the Colibris too, have great midrange plus the stuff that goes above and below it. It's interesting to me that the people who work in the "profession" (especially many musicians) have mediocre audio systems. It may just be that they don't expect a lot from reproduced sound because they're immersed in the real thing so much of the time :~) |
I use a temper V which I interchange with my Conrad EF1 phono stage. The EF1 can't handle the lower output, so I am using the Shelter currently. On my system, the Amazon turtable was voiced with Transfiguration cartridges, and I must say it is fantastic. The Temper V, even with the EF1, is just so right. I've heard VDH cartridges, which I find have great finesse, but are a bit thin and gold (at least in the guise I heard it and I know they have infinite variations). I found the Lyra helikon a bit hard at the top as well. I must say that Les at Walrus Systems is also a big fan of the Temper. On top of that Hi Fi news are big fans. Vinyl Asylum still rates it as the best sounding cartridge too. I do wish to have a proper listen to a Koetsu though. The reason being that most of the people I speak to who work in the proffesion of music reproduction have a Koetsu at home to listen to. |
I wanted to mention something about the issue of MC cartridge output. Manufacturers use one of two different test records to measure cartridge output. The JVC (TRS-1007) at 3.54 cm/sec, and the CBS (STR-100) at 5 cm/sec. Make sure, when you are assessing output figures, that you take the cm/sec figure into account. For example, the Lyra Titan is rated at 0.5mV, and so is the Transfig W. But the Titan's output was measured using the CBS record (at 5 cm/sec) while the W's was measured using the JVC record (at 3.54 cm/sec). Had the Transfig W also been measured using the CBS record, its output would be well over 0.6mV |
Before this thread dies off into the archives. I just wanted to say that I'm absolutely thrilled with the Temper V. If there is one thing I learned in high-end audio that can't be disbuted IMO. It's the fact that it all starts at the source. So, the source in vinyl replay is the cartridge. I find nothing...zero...nada...to criticize about the performance of the Temper V. The sound, true to the source as well. What do I mean by this?? Analog tape, the Temper V sounds like analog tape is playing in my room. What more could one ask for. |
Reb -- I could only find an internal impedance spec for the .3mV version of the Ruby 2. It is 45 ohms (the .34mV might be a little higher.) Its loading range is spec'd at >400 ohms, and our "formula" (25 x internal impedance) predicts an optimum load at 1125 ohms, with a high-optimum of 50% more, which would equal 1700 ohms. So you can see that, unless you did an A-B and listened carefully, you might not hear that much difference between 1700 ohms and 22k ohms. But make no mistake, there is a difference! I'm not that familiar with Benz, but if they have a rolled-off high end like you say, running them into a higher load might compensate somewhat, but you'd also be "throwing away" some low end output. How much would depend on the cartridge/arm's low end response. |
Hmmm, now I have to try a 100ohm resistor pair shunted to ground. If the signal gets louder, well then I have learned something new. I have owned a cartridge with an output of .36mv with this same pre and it did play slightly louder than the "V". Load was the same 22k. Sometimes these specs can be off though on a given sample. Sounds like I'm hearing more like .35mv. The "v" instruction manuel does indeed say .38mv/3.54cm. I'll report back later. I respect your knowledge, you were right about the VTA set-up....saved me lots of time. |
Hi Reb -- well what I know about cartridge loading, I know mostly from experimenting with my vdH's over the years. The required load impedance (or preamp input impedance) for any given MC cartridge is generally a function of its internal coil resistance. The 0.5mV Colibri, for instance, with a coil resistance of approx. 30 ohms has a required load impedance of "greater than 200 ohms" (which presumably means 200 ohms up to infinity!?) but then, they do specify an "optimum" load of 500 to 1000 ohms (which is why I always used the 825 ohm setting on my Levinson phono preamp.) Now, the Transfiguration folks are even less specific than vdH, (greater than 9 ohms? duh!) but after looking at the specs for a lot of MC cartridges, I've come to realize that the specs for cartridge loading vs. coil resistance are pretty much proportional across the board, for example: The average optimum load for the Colibri described above would be 750 ohms (halfway between 500 and 1000) If you divide 750 by the coil resistance (30 ohms) you come out with a multiple of 25. OK the internal resistance of my W is 6 ohms (Isn't it amazing how the Temper W gets about the same output as a Colibri with what appears to be only 20% the number of coil windings!) OK, so if you multiply 6 ohms times our multiple of 25, you come out with 150 ohms as the optimum loading for the Transfig W. For a V, at an internal resistance of 3 ohms, the optimum load would be around 75 ohms. Now none of these numbers are cast in concrete, however, they do represent a fairly solid point of reference, and will apply to any step-up device, whether ss, tube, or transformer. Assuming the cartridge is set up so the stylus is in reasonably correct relation to the groove modulations, and taking into account some other minor sonic variables (like your speakers) you shouldn't have to deviate more than, oh I'd say 50% up or down from the theoretical mid-point to find the best response. In the case of the Temper V, that works out to somewhere between 40 ohms and 120 ohms. There's something else I've noticed sonically in loading MC cartridges. Let's use the Temper V as an example. There is never a huge difference, sonically, between the top end of optimum (120 ohms) and infinity (lets say 47K ohms) so it's sometimes easy to miss that high optimum point because everything above it sounds about the same. But not below the low optimum however! That sounds like crap! This is why it's best I think to start at the low end of optimum and slowly go up until things start to sparkle, bass tightens up, and then stop! That is the point where you will get the most output and flattest response across the frequency spectrum. Right now, I have my Temper W looking at a 100 ohm load which is one of the preset loads in my phono preamp. It's probably a little low, but I'll leave it that way for now. Maybe in a couple hundred hours, I'll get off my ass and try 150 - 200 ohms using some really good Vishay resistors. But no higher. I already tried 825 ohms when I first installed the cartridge because that's where my preamp had been set for my vdH Frog, and it sounded pretty screetchy, almost unlistenable. A long time ago, I had a vdH TWO cartridge. It had an output of 2.25mV! I had an ARC SP-14 preamp. It had a really great tube (lo-gain moving magnet) phonostage with a built in standard MM load impedance of 47K ohms. The internal resistance of the TWO was 96 ohms, so the optimum load should have been about 2400 ohms. I put in some shunt resistors to drop the impedance down (I didn't solder them) Well, it did get just a tad louder, but it didn't sound that different (to my ear at that time.) I decided not to mess with it. But had I known then what I know now, I would have dialed it in! I guess my main advice, based on what I've learned over time, is don't paint all MC cartridges with the same brush when setting them up. How your previous one worked best is not necessarily how your new one will work best, even though they may have similar outputs, VTF, etc. In my opinion, the most important things to set properly before attempting any fine tuning, are VTF, SRA, anti-skate, and load impedance in that order. Once those parameters are correctly set for a specific cartridge's electrical and physical properties, I believe very little additional fine tuning will be required to reach the very best performance. In fact, I would suggest listening for a 100 hours at the initial settings, until the cartridge is broken in and you are really used to it's performance as is. Then, at least, you'll be able to better tell what effect any changes you make are having, better or worse. |
Nsgarch, I'm some what puzzled by your comment about loading at 80-100ohms. You state amazement at the air and ambience. My experience is the exact opposite with a mc loaded to this level. Loading below 1k IMO significantly reduces air and ambience. It also reduces output and therefore dynamics. The only benefit that I ever heard was improved stylus resonance control. But I'll try it again anyway......... |
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!! |
Reb -- thank God! The Cardas record is all you need for "cooking" those little coils! And I'm not sure you even have to do that more than once, but it can't hurt them and it also conditions the rest of the system if you have it turned on. Think about trying a lower load impedance at some point if it's not too much trouble. Somewhere between 80 and 120 ohms. I think you'll be amazed at the air and ambience you'll find lurking in those grooves. Speedy, if you are looking at the cartridge from the side, the top of the stylus (where it attaches to the cantilever) should be closer to the front of the cartridge, and the bottom of the stylus (where it fits in the groove) should be closer to the rear of the cartridge. So too with the cutter head, and so that's the same position the stylus must take also. The exact wording of the instructions I received with my cartridge is: "When viewed from the side, a stylus does not sit vertically in the groove but 'points backward' slightly." Now, I admit that's somewhat ambiguous -- however, if one reflects on how a record is cut, there can be no question that what they mean is that the TIP of the stylus (the business end -- the BOTTOM end!) points backward. What has to happen, if one is going to be scientific about cartridge setup, is to establish the known Stylus Rake Angle at a specific tonearm/cartridge position. The easiest position for me to establish (over and over again if necessary) is setting the top of the cartridge body parallel to the record (or platter) surface. There are probably a lot of ways to do this, but here's how I do it: 1.) Tape the platter down in at least two places using masking tape, or something easily removable, but so it won't rotate. 2.) Make sure the platter is level. Place the level next to the spindle, first parallel to the tonearm, and then perpendicular to the tonearm. I use an 8"plastic torpedo level. It doesn't weigh much, but if you have a sprung TT, you might need to use a very short bubble level so its weight won't affect your measurements. They're about the size of a pencil with flat sides like a pencil so they won't roll and about 1.5 to 2 inches long. When using any kind of spirit level, always switch the ends around to make sure the bubble reads the same both ways -- nothing worse than a faulty level! 3.) With the platter levelled, and the tonarm in its rest, place the little spirit level across the top of the headshell parallel to the front face of the cartridge. (I'm assuming here that the top your tonearm's headshell is flat and even with the bottom surface where the cartridge joins it.) Adjust the headshell, or the tonearm base/pillar or the cartridge itself until it is level to match the platter. 4.) Now comes the fun part: Remove any anti-skating force. Make sure the stylus guard is on the cartridge -- better safe than sorry! With the tonearm still in its rest, place the little spirit level on top of the headshell pointing front to back along the centerline of the cartridge (in other words 90 degrees to how it was before) Make sure it lays flat and parallel to the top surface of the cartridge. You can use a little piece of double sided foam tape to stick it in place and dodge any irregularities on the top of the headshell if you have to -- otherwise just let it sit there. 5.) Lift the tonearm and set the cartridge (with the stylus guard in place) on the platter. Read the level. Start adjusting the tonearm pillar up or down until the level reads true. Your cartridge will now be (for all practical purposes) parallel (front to back and sideways) with the surface of a record. The big question now is, with the cartridge body set up this way, what is the stylus doing relative to the groove? With vdH, no problem. It's vertical. That's the way they're made. You want the bottom of the stylus to point backward one degree? That's easy. With a typical 23 cm tonearm (from pivot point to stylus tip) the geometry works out that you raise the pillar 4mm (from the level setting) for each degree of stylus rake angle you want. With a vdH on an SME V, I started with 5mm and teased it up till the image snapped in, right around 7mm, equal to about 1.5 degrees of SRA. So what about the Transfiguration? Well they designed it with a stylus that is already raked when the cartridge is level and parallel to the record surface. I wanted to know just how much they'd raked it however (although I had a pretty good idea!) So, I levelled mine as described above, and with my pocket microscope, I could see it was clearly raked (with the bottom of the stylus pointing backward.) So I started dropping the tonearm pillar (keeping careful track of how far) until the stylus was vertical (I do this by checking the stylus with a 50x scope while it's sitting on a front surface mirror on the platter, until it lines up with its mirror image -- you might not want to try this, but I've had a lot of experience!) Anyway, I had to drop the pillar about 6mm to get the stylus vertical, which means it had a preset rake of a bit under 1.5 degrees when level and parallel to the record, and at a tracking force of 1.8g. Now that's really good information to know, don't you think? You now know, for instance, that if you do want to lower the back of the tonearm, you don't want to go further than 2 or 3 mm down from level, or you can be sure the edges of that micro-ridge stylus are going to clip the tops of those groove undulations -- and ditto in the other direction. So what I'm saying, is that somewhere in that 6mm range, 3mm up or down from level, you should be able to find that magic spot. Having done so, you can then fine tune it even further if you want, with minor adjustments in VTF, which will micro-adjust the SRA as well as VTA. I'm leaving mine as is for now (meaning level, at the factory preset SRA) and 100 ohms loading. It's apparently breaking in quickly, as Reb observed. It seems to get better with every record (or am I just over-enthusiastic?) Anyway, I'll need time to really get used to it with many records I know well, before I would be able to judge if additional adjustments produce better results. When it stops blowing my mind the way it is, I'll consider it! |
Hi, the only type of demagnetizing I have ever done or plan to do, is with the Cardas sweep record. Not to worry, I don't own an electronic demag device. I am loading at the factory "fixed" setting of 22k. I used this setting as well with the recent Shelter 901 I had. To add resistance, I have to introduce resistors. Part of the reason the Lukaschek phono stage performs beyond it's price range is the lack of gain/resistor switches. I have experienced first hand how that type of set-up degrades transparency. When I had the Klyne, I ran that at 47k with the Benz Ruby and Shelter, so I am one of those that can tolerate the extra zip. And until breakin, I'll just leave the load as is because the sound will definitely change. If I hear a detached vocal and top end from the midrange, then I will go right to a 1k load. I run into a tube linestage, so benign loading has worked great for me in the past. VTF is about 1.85g and anti-skate is approx the same using the Rega magnetic force. Thanks for the good wishes. And I hope my rambling was clear. |
Reb, I want to respond to your post first, (because it's easy :~) First of all congratulations! I agree with all the wonderful things you discovered as you began using this little gem -- especially the lack of noise and grain.(What is your preamp load setting and anti skate setting?) Second, please, PLEASE, don't even think about demagnetizing it! I don't know what son of Satan started that idea, but just think about it for a moment: 1.) Only ferrous (iron-bearing) materials can become magnetized. 2.) They haven't used ferrous formers on which to wind the coils in MC cartridges for years -- so that just leaves the pole pieces (in conventional designs like vdH), and you wouldn't want to demagnetize them or you'd ruin the cartridge! 3.) The coil former (the little square or cross-shaped thing the coils are wound on) in the Transfiguration is made of this snazzy new SS mu metal which is totally impervious to magnetism, so it can't get magnetized in the first place. 4.) The other parts: boron, diamond, and copper also cannot become magnetized. So what the hell are we talking about here?! 5.) On the other hand, the innovative Transfiguration design employs double "ring magnets" -- literally magnetic rings fore and aft of the coils which sit right inside of them. If you apply an AC demagnetizing current to the coils, you will weaken the ring magnets and reduce the sensitivity of your cartridge. DON'T DO IT! You have absolutely nothing to gain and a whole lot to lose! If you want to "tune-up" or "break-in" the coil wires, get the Cardas sweep record and leave the cartridge over night tracking the "locked" white noise groove. It won't hurt the cartridge, and the record is, as stated, made with a particularly hard vinyl for just that purpose. I did it for a couple nights and my Transfig was ready to go in no time. I'm going to leave another post later for Speedy in which I'll attempt to explain this whole "stylus rake" thing and how to do a "reference setup" from which you can experiment, but always return to if desired. Neil |
Temper 'v' is in the house, arrived today! Took me about two hours to set-up and dial in. Already listened and the first thing that I noticed is LOW groove noise. This is one one quiet in the groove transducer. The next thing that is readily apparent is the lack of grain, grit, glare, gross colorations and frequency imbalance. I also hear precise db balance between channels. Given the vinyl is encoded, the bass goes deep with a high level of control and damping. That tiny stylus at the end of the cantilever will point straight down at the vinyl of your arm is tilted back at all. I heard some etch that way. Just kept lowering VTA until the stylus did indeed point backwards. To my eye this is when the flat undernearth of the cartridge body is level with the record surface. Even looks like it might be a fraction of a mm nose down. I would like to add that on paper the Temper is a perfect match for the RB1000. With my pair of ported speakers that are flat to 28hz, I have no woofer pumping problems that haunted me in the past. Also, I am noticing that this MC sounds good out of the box. A first in my experience. I just hope that the top end stays open(highs) and the Temper will not be subject to frequent need of de-magnetizing. |
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! |
RE: cartridge loading and stylus rake angle: Maybe the reason some of you are getting seemingly better response with the cartridge/arm at a negative angle is because that would compensate for the kind of non-linear response created when the cartridge load is set way too high (like 47K ohms) The recommended load for the W is >9 ohms (>3 ohms for a V) so I think it behooves one to start at the lower end of the scale and work one's way up. I tried 30 ohms (the lowest preset on my preamp) and the response was great in terms of information retrieval, but not much focus, no "sparkle" and bass was a little "wooley." A friend who tried 50 ohms said that 50 ohms wasn't quite enough either, and that I should try a little bit higher setting. Well, my next two higher presets are 100 ohms and 825 ohms. I had already tried 825 ohms when I installed the Temper W because that's where the preamp had been set for my vdH Frog. But that had sounded very bright and lacked bass and body. So this time I only went up to the 100 ohm setting, and it was magic -- HOWEVER -- please bear in mind that all this was with the arm/cartridge parallel to the record, meaning the stylus was raked back (from the side it looks like it's leaning forward) the standard 1+ degree or so that the cutter heads are set for. Groove undulations not only wiggle from side to side, they also angle forward, because a cutter head has to point backward (at 1 degree) like a chisel, so the wax cuttings will fly away as it's making the goove. If you have a spherical or elliptical stylus, it doesn't matter a lot if the stylus is vertical, or leaning a little forward or backward, because it fits in the groove more or less the same (inaccurate) way in all three cases. BUT, with the new generation of micro-ridge styli, vdH being one of the first in the early 1990's, (if not THE first) it's a whole 'nother matter. These styli are chisel or "spade" shaped, almost like the cutter head itself. If they sit vertically in the groove (or -yikes!- tilted backward) then their sharp side edges actually scrape over, or "clip" the tops of the forward-slanting groove undulations! Paradoxically, even "mis-set" that way, they still sound better than conventional (old-type) styli because their very tip (at the bottom of the groove) can still "see" information that elliptical styli miss. To extract all the information in the groove, these new styli must "see" the groove from top to bottom, and the only way they can do that is if they can lock into the groove by leaning forward at exactly the same angle as the cutter head. Now, one can go on and on expounding on the vagaries of different systems and components and tubes and rooms ad nauseum -- however, there are certain scientifically proven mechanical and electronic rules that must apply "across the board" regardless of the equipment or the room. I have just described a couple of them. Happy listening. |
My V will be delivered on Tuesday. I plan to start with VTA alignment by ignoring the body and taper of the armtube. Concentrating on the angle the stylus is at when VTF is at 1.9gm. I have the ability to infinitely adujust VTA with my set-up. From there, I'll spin the tunes and not be too picky until break-in occurs. I tend to prefer minimal cartridge loading. In my case, the phonostage I'm using allows 22k and down. My experience with loading down MC's has not been very positive. |
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!! |
I'm loving this thread, everybody is being so civil and informative! Thanks Raul, Reb, Speedy, et al. I'd like to know what everyone has found to be the best loading for the Transfiguration series. I'm using 100 ohms with my W right now. It's a convenient preset on my (ML 25s) phono preamp. Perhaps I should customize it up or down? What are the rest of you using? |
Nsgarch: +++ " From the foregoing, you can understand how I came to the conclusion that the cartridge (and arm) should be parallel to the record surface, and that I should expect to see the stylus "point ..." +++++ You are right. But as you know this position can change with a different audio system/ears/music priorities. Regards and enjoy the music. Raul. |
Dear Nsgarch: I really don't have compliants about the W but I like a little more the Colibri ( very low output ). I own both and test bis-bis ( hard choice ). +++++ " If the quality music/sound reproduction is a proof of the design, then you have to hear a Colibri ( low output ) with the right analog rig in your home system after the Colibri returns for the tune up. " +++++ When I buy my Colibri I was very disappointed: to bright, bass shy, detailed/fast but uninvolving, etc...after 100 hours my first Colibri accident: cantilever-bend. When I receive the Colibri already fixed, things stay in more or less the same stage like the first time, another 50 hours and my second bend cantilever. Then return my third Colibri and after 200 hours things begin to change for good: no more bright, fuller bass, very good tonal balance, etc.... then I decided that it is time for the tune up, I send it to Van denHul, three weeks later I receive it, mounted and play my first record with it: what a surprise, I swear I receive other Colibri than mine, but no was the same, but now sounds marvelous, it had something that the W and some other cartridges can't give: " you can see through and you can " feel " everything is on place ...". As you know I own several cartridges and never buy one of them because its design, except the Stax CP-Y that I already sold. ++++ "and the main differences are in the designer music/sound reproduction priorities, the voicing of the cartridge and the execution of the design. " ++++++ I think that the design( per se ) can't tell you the " whole history ". Regards and enjoy the music. Raul. |
Speedy, luuuvved your post! You can go on as long as you like, on any subject you please! I'll give the vertical setting a try once my W (or is that DUBya?) is broken in and let you know what I think. You implied that the instructions that came with your V state the arm should be tilted back or that the stylus should be vertical? I wasn't clear on that. For comparison, the instructions that came with my W are as follows: "As a final point, run a few records with which you are very familiar, and experiment with VTA - vertical tracking angle. (When viewed from the side, a stylus does not sit vertically in the groove but 'points backward' slightly.)" "Check with your arm handbook for recommended arm angle; most are designed to provide correct VTA when the arm is parallel to the record (not turntable) surface." From the foregoing, you can understand how I came to the conclusion that the cartridge (and arm) should be parallel to the record surface, and that I should expect to see the stylus "point backward slightly" when viewed from the side, which it did. I must say it sounds terrific, focused and alive, strong controlled bass, etc. FWIW, my instruction sheet also goes on to say: "When VTA is 'spot-on', instrumental location, dimensionality, and other important detail will should move into optimum 3-dimensional focus and away from the immediate surfaces of the loudspeakers. Despite the accuracy of setting up, still use your ear to fine-tune optimum tracking pressure, lateral angle, vertical angle, and vertical tracking angle. Such adjustments allow for subtle individual variations from cartridge, and for any setting-up instruction compromises made by the arm or alignment device manufacturer. Ultimate alignment is based on the cantilever -- NOT on the cartridge body." I wondered if the instructions that came with your V contain the same language? BTW, in an earlier post, Reb mentioned that the V he was about to receive had a 0.38mV output. I thought V's were 0.25mV? The W is actually only 0.48mV, so have they made changes in the specifications they've not yet published? |
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! |
Raul, I will take your response as a "no." You can find descriptions of the Transfiguration generating system online. It is new and innovative. Based upon my understanding of electromechanical physics, it represents a more efficient way of producing a current in a moving coil cartridge. I suggest you do some research and then perhaps you will understand the reason for my comment. I could have got a new Colibri XCP for the same price as the Temper W. In fact, the Temper W is my first non-vdH cartridge in some time. I could only afford to buy one cartridge of course, but I'm very happy with my decision to leave the conventional van den Hul design for something new that I consider more intelligent. |
Hi Nsgarch: +++++ " But I think that the Transfig Temper is simply a better design (and build) than the vdH's. " ++++ I wonder: who in the world can say that. Btw, why the Transfig is " simply a better design than the vdH's " ? If the quality music/sound reproduction is a proof of the design, then you have to hear a Colibri ( low output ) with the right analog rig in your home system after the Colibri returns for the tune up. Before this I think that your risky statement about has no validity at all. I think that when we are talking of these high performance level all the cartridge designs are great ones and the main differences are in the designer music/sound reproduction priorities, the voicing of the cartridge and the execution of the design. I can tell you which cartridge is better than other, but ( till now ) I can't tell you which is a better design and why it is. Can you? Regards and enjoy the music. Raul. |
Hi speedy, I know all about vdH's customizing service, and I think it's great (he reconfigured my Frog Gold for my arm and phono preamp.) But I think that the Transfig Temper is simply a better design (and build) than the vdH's. Just the diamond on a Transfig is a thing to behold (compared to a vdH stylus) I'm having trouble understanding why you would want to get the stylus vertical in the groove (when viewed from the side as you say) when all cutter heads are raked. (An average of 1-2 degrees from vertical.) To get the stylus to "lock" into the groove undulations, and thus extract the most information, wouldn't you want it raked at the same angle as the cutter head was? It seems to me, especially with these new micro-ridge styli, that one would want the stylus rake angle to approximate the rake angle of the cutter head as closely as possible, no? |
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. |
Reb -- sounds like you have (and will have) good support components. Why don't you post your system here when you get a little further? Just for your and Speedy's info, I checked my Transfig W stylus position (in the groove) under high power magnification, with the cartridge body (actually the top surface of the cartridge body) absolutely parallel to the record surface. The stylus is raked at approx. 1.25 degrees (with no down force applied) which is the average cutter rake angle. So it makes sense that the Transfig instructions say to start with the tonearm parallel to the record before fine-tuning VTA (really SRA as far as I'm concerned :~) I'm not saying you should keep it that way, but it will give you a point of reference. vdH cartridges, by comparison, have zero stylus rake angle when the body is parallel to the record. So to get a 1 degree rake angle on a vdH stylus, you need to raise the back end of the tonearm between 4 and 8 mm from a parallel setting. Further info on my initial settings for the TTW (please let me know what you come up with) are: downforce= 1.90g anti-skate= 1.4g. SME V arm parallel to record (for now). BTW, here's a tip for setting anti-skate force that is absolutely infallible, but which takes a little observational practice (and you do need an arm with a lifting lever like the SME) It is very effective with the Transfiguration V or W because the stylus is so easy to see from the front: With the arm up and positioned midway over the first track, with a strong light pointed at the front of the cartridge and (if your eyesight's like mine, a big reading magnifier as big a your face!) watch very carefully from the front, the position of the stylus/cantilever as you lower the arm. Just as the stylus goes into the groove, (and with no anti-skate applied) it will appear to move closer to the outside of the cartridge body (because the arm is trying to pull in toward the center of the record.) It's a lot more obvious than it sounds like it would be. Begin applying anti-skate until you can no longer perceive this movement and the stylus appears to stay in the same place in or out of the groove. No need for perfection here, your ears are for that. Better though to err a little on the side of too little rather than too much, and then you can increase it a little, if necessary, as your hearing dictates. |
Sirspeedy, can you confirm that the most recent batches of "v" does indeed have the same advances as the "W". Thanks for the tip, not unusual for a MC to be configured with the arm down at the rear. Nsgarch, I'm in the process of upgrading my system to higher level components(after a temporary cut-back) So, most of what I own right now is around the 3k per component level. Nothing here right now that is at your level. But my system is set-up to deliver a flat frequency response aka-neutrality. The arm however is a modified Rega RB1000 and that will never change. Phonostage is a modified Lukaschek T-9 with custom external power supply. That also will not change as I have not heard a more transparent phonostage- even in stock form. I recently had a Klyne 7PX3.5 and sold it because I prefer the Lukaschek. |
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!! |
Reb -- congrats, another new Temper owner! Please stay in touch and give us your imprerssions. What kind of arm/tt/phono preamp? And current cart? Higher vs. lower output was an issue I wrestled with a bit. My system (it's posted here) is up to either. My decision to go with the W was based on better volume matching to other sources (primarily CD) and also some technological changes. I'm glad you quoted the ENTIRE output spec. It is important for folks to note that they are not all alike. Van den hul, for instance, specifies their outputs at 5.5 cm/s. |
Well, I went with a Transfiguration Temper W. Other candidates were: Allaerts, Colibri, Airy 3, Magic Diamond, and Shelter 90x. My decision was based on four points: 1.) It appeared to have the best build quality. And the fit and finish turned out to be absolutely stunning in the flesh. 2.) It employs the newest design thinking and technology -- a yokeless design using double ring magnets and a special mu metal coil former which increases sensitivity by 30dB. 3.) It had reasonable output voltage (0.5 mV), good compliance (not too high or too low) and nominal loading requirements. There is nothing about this cartridge that is non-standard or requires special accomodation in tonearm or electronics. 4.) I could obtain one new for a very attractive price. In addition, it requires only a short (30 hour specified) break-in period, due no doubt to the new generation rubber suspension material, which is unaffected by temperature. So far (one afternoon/evening-worth) , it's performance is astounding compared to my Frog Gold, but I was expecting as much. I'll write a proper review after 50 or 60 hours. Thanks for all the input -- Raul, Rushton, and Speedy. Neil |
Actually, the the name is "MicroMagic" (I keep turning the name around, too :) ) Here's a clickable version of Nsgarch's link to the Swiss web site: http://www.dietiker-humbel.ch/micromag.htm And with English translation: dietiker-humbel, as above And link to a page with photos of the Magic Diamond cartridge: Photos  http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/walker4/headshell.jpg . |
FYI Magic Diamond cartridges are a product of MagicMicro, a division of the Swiss company Bluelectric. They are distributed in the US by AXISS Distribution Inc. Copy and paste this long link into your browser to go to their website: http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.dietiker-humbel.ch/micromag.htm&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dbluelectric%26num%3D50%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26newwindow%3D1%26safe%3Doff%26rls%3DGGLD,GGLD:2003-39,GGLD:en |
