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What does you reference rig do better than your vintage rig or vice versa?

I’ll be spending some time over the next few days with my vintage rig. The Cult Love album, which I bought on CD when it was released, sounded terrible on the main rig after I bought a vinyl copy a few weeks ago. So the album was demoted to the vintage rig discography because I love the album. Here the album has the bass I remember from decades ago. It sounds awesome! 

The vintage rig plays less than stellar vinyl pressings better than the reference rig. I greatly enjoy listening to these albums on this rig! 

However, I noticed that the vintage rig is far behind the reference rig regarding turntable quality. There could be other factors at play regarding the turntable.

I want keep turning up the volume on Love. It sounds so good that I want moreI However, I’ve reached that critical point where flutter can be detected if the combination of phono pre output level and receiver volume are too strong. I don’t have that problem with the reference rig. 

vuch
jsalerno277
376 posts
 

My vintage rig in a vacation home in Vermont (DCM Time Windows 3, Pioneer SX 828, Thorens TD161/Stanton 681 EE, Linn Unidisc SC.  Plays music warm, fulfilling and comforting like mom’s Sunday meatballs and sausage gravy over spaghetti.

My reference rig (see profile) plays music with the fresh clarity to the pallet, dynamic busts of flavor, emotion and elegance of the tasting menus at Le Bernardin in Midtown Manhattan, NY.  

The reference system brings me closer to memories of live, acoustic performances.   Closer, but still distant.  

jsalerno277
376 posts
 

Regarding issues with less than stellar recordings, reference rigs do to lower noise floors, detail retrieval, and extended frequency response are not tolerant of less than stellar recordings.  You hear all of the engineering faults clearly that are masked on vintage systems.  

I agree @dover that vinyl distortion at high playback levels is usually not flutter (speed inaccuracy) but rather acoustic feedback.  I would look first at TT isolation and speaker placement relative to the TT.  If it is flutter, it should be evident at low volume as well as high volume. This does not seem to be the case since you state “it sounds so good” … until you turn it up.  

vuch's avatar
vuch OP
169 posts
 

@dover, @jsalerno277, Yes, my mistake. It definitely was loudness feedback rather than flutter. 

I moved the speakers towards the front wall 1 foot, they're still almost two feet into the room. I’m able to listen now still with great sonics. Now I can turn the volume nob to 12 o’clock where as before I could only get it up to 10 o’clock without noticing the feedback. I’m still getting a nice center image too. 

 

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