lewm
Responses from lewm
| dumb down an LP-12 Here’s the thing about the ARXA hammer test and all similar brags about the resistance of a spring suspended TT to banging on the plinth: Who cares? Why is that relevant to playing a record? It was good advertising. Period. (ARXA was my first TT t... | |
| Am I a hopeless audio snob? Technics may (or may not) have made a colossal error in designing the latest G series to resemble so closely their most popular ever but mundane looking SL 1200 series, but if you turn up your nose because of that, are you aware of the SP10R? And ... | |
| I need help describing the sound of a SET to a friend in English. SET aficionados tend to look down on SETs that (1) use many output tubes in parallel and/or (2) use triode connected pentodes or tetrodes. The Golden Tube amp is guilty on both counts. | |
| I believe I experienced great PRAT for the first time In vinyl reproduction, timing of the music is entirely dependent upon the speed accuracy and constancy of the platter. The platter thereby recreates what the musicians laid down. To make an extreme point, if the platter doesn’t move there’s nothin... | |
| Vinyl Newbie - So Many Questions! Goofy, I don’t get the impression that some LPs play fine, just that some are less objectionable than others. I reviewed the Marantz TT user manual. Since Marantz sells the TT, the phono cables, and the Virtuoso cartridge as a package deal, it se... | |
| Vinyl Newbie - So Many Questions! First, get the possible bugs out. Then, if you still feel there’s a problem, think about a phono stage upgrade. But I still say you ought to be getting better results with what you have. IF the cause is an excessive capacitance load, the effect mi... | |
| Vinyl Newbie - So Many Questions! Let’s forget about the quality or lack there of of new vinyl issues for the moment. You actually have a system there that ought to be capable of very nice better than mediocre phono reproduction. So it is worthwhile to analyze that system first be... | |
| Vinyl Newbie - So Many Questions! Recommended load capacitance for your Virtuoso is 100 pF. MM input C for the Zen is 110pF. So even before adding C due to your phono cables, you are at the outer edge of the C your cartridge “likes”. Cables can easily add another 100pF even if sho... | |
| Vinyl Newbie - So Many Questions! Phono cables? input capacitance at the iFi MM inputs? (Input stage also adds capacitance. We need to figure out the total capacitance seen by your cartridge.) | |
| Vinyl Newbie - So Many Questions! The CJ apparently is a “control” amplifier, aka an integrated amplifier. You definitely should connect the iFi direct to the CJ, only. Leave the Naim out of the vinyl pathway. Now you may be able to ameliorate the ticks and pops by proper loading ... | |
| Vinyl Newbie - So Many Questions! Doodle, I’ve scanned this thread to find out what MM cartridge you’re using. I don’t find that info. Can you supply it? Also does the Zen provide adjustments for MM gain, and loading of the cartridge? Incorrect loading can exacerbate ticks and pop... | |
| Vinyl Newbie - So Many Questions! The iFi Zen is decent at its price point, and I strongly doubt it’s making some LPs sound bad but not other LPs. The belt squeak seems like an unrelated issue, as you don’t complain of any symptoms associated with speed irregularities. | |
| I need help describing the sound of a SET to a friend in English. If you’re asking me, I have my own audio passions, convictions, and biases, and they don’t include SET-based systems. Although I do respect the concepts, I am not knowledgeable when it comes to the current market. | |
| I need help describing the sound of a SET to a friend in English. I once listened for an afternoon to two of the very expensive SET amplifiers made by Audio Note, original Kondo designs from Japan, not the UK imitations. One was the Ongaku (around $70,000) the other was a Kegon (more than $100K) up- and downstr... | |
| I need help describing the sound of a SET to a friend in English. Music comes out of a speaker, not an amplifier. If an SET is properly mated to a great speaker (high efficiency, high impedance), then you will have great music. |