buying a Ferrari doesn't make you a better driver if you know what I mean but the quality is there for you to exploit.
Right. Buying a Ferrari makes you a worse driver. Duh. https://youtu.be/2lF3AcZjdTg?t=21
Turntables.....A point of diminishing returns?
This post is sure to elicit many opinions. Everyone knows that a good audio system is a series of building blocks. Amps, speakers, cables, etc. To find the weakest block in any system can be a challenge to make a particular system sound as good as possible given the funds on hand. Almost anything can be improved upon. But, where does it end? There seems to be a point that an audio system, thru improvements, is about as good as it will sound. At least to the owner.
No end to opinions about analog sound. Tables, carts, cables, amps, setup, and others. With all the renewed interest in vinyl, many are looking to optimize their current setup and others are content with what they have. Congrats to those. Other than looking at this as just a hobby, at what point does one just say...that's all my system is capable?
I say this because in the audio world there is almost no limit as to how much money can be spent on equipment. If you fit into that category, I am envious. "Oh..Look at what this costs". But, as far as sound goes, is there really any tremendous benefit to spending mega dollars on equipment? I single out turntables because it's one of pieces that can demand those big dollars. One who can afford expensive tables probably has the funds for other expensive components.
Look at this table. For $650k I wonder if it sounds many times better than the one I have.....
http://www.dj-rooms.com/avdesignhaus-dereneville-vpm2010/
No end to opinions about analog sound. Tables, carts, cables, amps, setup, and others. With all the renewed interest in vinyl, many are looking to optimize their current setup and others are content with what they have. Congrats to those. Other than looking at this as just a hobby, at what point does one just say...that's all my system is capable?
I say this because in the audio world there is almost no limit as to how much money can be spent on equipment. If you fit into that category, I am envious. "Oh..Look at what this costs". But, as far as sound goes, is there really any tremendous benefit to spending mega dollars on equipment? I single out turntables because it's one of pieces that can demand those big dollars. One who can afford expensive tables probably has the funds for other expensive components.
Look at this table. For $650k I wonder if it sounds many times better than the one I have.....
http://www.dj-rooms.com/avdesignhaus-dereneville-vpm2010/
Showing 2 responses by millercarbon
There seems to be a point that an audio system, thru improvements, is about as good as it will sound. At least to the owner. True. In the sense that wherever you decide to stop, that is about as good as it will be. The idea of diminishing returns however I have to say is bunk. And I know it is bunk because I have been doing this a very long time. My system is tweaked to the max. Find another one out there doing everything I am. Go ahead. I really want you to do this. NOT to show off how good I am but because I relish the opportunity to find someone else with some ideas I haven’t thought of that will make my already incredible system better still. This is no idle boast. I am currently talking with several different guys about crossover upgrades. There’s guys out there with way more experience who know these subjects way better than me, and I am smart enough to seek them out and pay attention when they speak. Which caps, resistors, and inductors will work the best for me? I’ve done this enough to know even the great builders like Eric leave a whole lot on the table. Same for amps. Same for turntables. You asked specifically about turntables so here goes. I started with a Basis. Upgraded it by hardwiring a better power cord to it. At this point I didn’t really know what if anything to expect. Just thought I would try it. This cheap $75 power cord made a real improvement. That’s $75 for improvement on a $2500 turntable. Are you with me here? Where are the diminishing returns? Next I upgraded the whole motor to the Teres motor pod. Greater cost, greater improvement. Hard to quantify these things let’s just say I got more than made me happy. Nowhere near diminishing returns on the motor. Skip ahead to where I have made the Miller Carbon turntable. https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367 The first iteration of this cost not much more than I got from selling the Basis. Diminishing? Ha! Increasing is more like it! Am I done? No way! Let’s take just one tiny little part: the bearing. Inside the stock $250 or whatever it is bearing are a brass thrust plate and stainless steel ball bearing. After noticing a lot of wear I did some R&D came up with what I thought were better materials replaced the factory bits and heard a really nice improvement- much lower noise floor, greater detail, improved dynamics. Not bad for $10 worth of ball bearings. I could go on and on all day with examples like this. Let’s cut to the chase. Anyone says there are diminishing returns, there are only two real possibilities. One, it means they are tired or spent and looking for an excuse to stop. Well if that’s your story knock it off. What you should be doing instead of making up excuses is sitting back enjoying what you have accomplished! Enjoy what you have, relish it, don’t go knocking the other guy who by the way probably also happens to be enjoying it, he just continues to go for more. Or two, and this is the big one: you’re doing it wrong! A system is only as good as the sum of its parts. There are a LOT of parts! The turntable you are focused on right now is made up of a whole lot of parts. Bearing, platter, plinth, you know the drill. Each and every one of those is just sitting there waiting for you to come along and figure out how to unleash its potential for improved sound. If you think there are diminshing returns it is probably because you have spent your money on the hamster wheel of perpetually chasing the next component. When instead of spending thousands on an amp you learn to spend tens on caps, or hundreds on Townshend Pods, Synergistic Fuses and ECT, fO.Q tape, things like that, then you will understand why I say diminishing returns are bunk. Go and try it, you will see. |