upgrading systemdek iix worth it?....

Is the basic turntable good enough to warrant installing the Originlive Encounter tonearm?

No. It is a midfi TT similar in performance to something like a Rega P6 or P8.

If you are going to spend a couple of thousand - buy a better TT.

Having said that something like an Audiomods tonearm, which is exceptional value for money ( well under $1k ), would give you a decent upgrade with a cost commensurate with the TT.

In the UK Systemdecks were usually bundled with Rega arms.

Audiomods isn't that much less than the Originlive Encounter.  The current price is 1085 UK pounds.

Origin Live Encounter UK$1550 ( US$1983 )

Audiomods 6 UK$1085 ( US1388 )

Audiomods Classic UK$695 ( US$889 )

Audiomods Classic would upgrade the Systemdek substantially.

I owned a IIXE when they were new, and was quite pleased with it. The tables are still quite good and I would take them over a mid tier Project, and Fluance, and lower end Rega. 

The Profile II was a decent arm, but you could do better with one of the Audiomods or even the last generation Jelco. 

The only other thing I would do is use a dampening mat in place of the felt one. I used a Platter Matter with good results. I am sure there is a  current day  version of it. 

On my list of things to get from Oirginlive are the Plattermat and the Gravity One.

@dover, thank you very much for the info on Audiomods.  The classic looks very much like what I want in that I'll be able to upgrade my IIX to the level of turntable that I want to get for much less $$.  The money I save will turn into more LP's!

@dlewkor

Your welcome. I put an older model Audiomods on a $15k Platine Verdier TT that I sold to a friend and it was excellent - fantastic value for money and punches well above its weight. The classic will be even better with the updated bearings - I'm sure you will be very happy.

I will say that Jeff at Audiomods is one of the best folks out there in this hobby. What you get is worth every dollar, pound, or euro you give him. Actually Jeff just agreed to build me a 10.5 inch arm for my MC2000 cartridge that will be in the single digits of mass. A one off build from his inventory of parts and his fabrication skills. No one else will do this. 

I would say the Classic is a great choice for an affordable arm, and the Systemdeck is a better table than its given cedit for. If I recall Audionote bought the rights to the Systemdeck and was their first table offering. The following excerpt is from an Audionote dealer site. 

The Audio Note TT1 is based on the award winning Dunlop Systemdeck IIX. Audio Note have taken its basic design and improved on it in a number of areas.

The Audio Note TT1 has a fully floating, three point, level-adjustable suspended sub-chassis that isolates the platter and arm from the outer chassis, motor, and shelf or support.

The Audio Note TT1 platter and sub-platter are individually machined from a single block of acrylic. The platter has a label-sized recess on its top to accommodate the record’s label and a wider recess on the bottom, providing clearance for the pulley system. One of the reasons that acrylic is used is that it has some similar properties to vinyl itself so that when a record is placed on top of it, it acts like a mechanical extension of the record. Therefore, with this kind of platter, no mat should be used.

I have two of the Audiomods arms on my turntable. A 9 inch and the 10 inch.

Both arms are very good. Jeff is excellent to work with. 

@dover, I have one question about the Classic III.  Is the VTA adjusted via a threaded ring and fixed with the set screw we see in the photos?  How is the VTA adjusted and also where is the azimuth adjusted?

@lewkor

http://www.image99.net/blog/files/f233eea773cbc47d311b80d32702da48-40.html

The standard classic, I'm not sure.

You need to contact Audiomods and ask the following -

VTA - I can order VTA Micrometer Adjuster on the new Classic ? cost ?

There is no azimuth adjust on the Classic, only on the 6.

If you want all options you probably need the 6, but the classic has the same bearings etc of the 6 with fixed armature - VTA adj but no azimuth.

If you can afford it go for the 6 and you are set.

Keep your old arm so that if you ever upgrade your TT you can move the Audiomods to the new table and sell the old with its original arm.

@dover

I emailed Jeff with the questions you posed:

Q: Can I order the VTA Micrometer Adjustment on the Classic?  and can I get azimuth adjustment on the Classic?

Jeff: I think the best suggestion for you is a new model, the Classic Six, the Classic base with the Series Six carbon fibre arm tube, like the attached pictures. Performance will be identical to the full Series Six and includes built-in vta and azimuth adjustment and the Series Six silver litz loom, so a very big improvement and could work with any level of future upgrades.  Price is 895GBP.  The fully polished finish adds 40GBP.

Q: What do I do for an arm board?

Jeff: If you get a Rega RB300 arm board the Classic 6 would drop straight on.

If your original arm was a Linn-geometry one (Systemdeks also often shipped with the Basik) I can make a Classic Six in Linn geometry, though a new arm board still available or are simple to make.
I have customers with both the Project and Rega P6/P8 right up to P10 and they have needed to change the arms to get the best out of them. A Rega deck with the arm changed still needs an upgrade sub-platter like the Groovetracer one to give of its best so I'd advise staying with the Systemdek.  The other advantage of the Classic decks is that their prices are still rising, so a good long-term investment that will hold its value and it will easily out perform your other choices unless you spend quite a lot on upgrading them.

Sorry couldn't paste the images here - I tried

BTW. Jeff also wrote: I’ve been doing a very soft launch of it (the Classic 6) this year but it is proving extremely successful, with nearly fifty made.

I think it will be in big demand as it provides very top performance at a realistic price.  It’s capable of partnering the same level of cartridge as the full series Six, right up to 10k ones. You lose the calibrated vta of the full version but that’s OK if you don’t change cartridges a lot.  I have converted a number of potential Classic III customers because the leap in performance really is worth the extra.

The website will be updated next month to include it and also a 12” arm and price rises for the Series Six, though the Classic Six remains the same.

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Given the above, since the Originlive motor/controller and the Audiomods Series 6 Arm  is only 11.5% more expensive than the same upgrade with the Classic 6 arm I think I will get the Series 6.  One reason for spending the extra money is that I know I'll be experimenting with various platter mats, so it'll be useful to be able to adjust for the varying thicknesses.

PS.  Jeff responded to my query quickly with great information.  My overall impression is he is a great guy to do business with.