rello

Responses from rello

Headphone Amps and Portable/Personal Stereo???
I would not recommned the MF for your phones and think it would sound bright. Impedance matching is very important and the grado has a low impedance at 32 ohms. Actually I would listen to the RA-1. I use an RA-1 battery unit with Ultrasone 2500 wi... 
1 piece of audio gear I really regret selling is..
Kef 101s 
Avid Acutus - help with flying belt
For kicks try cleaning the motor pulley with isopropyl alcohol. 
Which NORDOST Cables?
I'll answer the question. I like the Norse line and think the Heimdall is at a nice level because it comes with the WBT nextgen (Baldur does not) and has twice as many more conductors as Baldur. Heimdall is about $200 more for a 1 meter interconne... 
Wall mount TT shelf recommendations
I would go with the Target pro model. It is a little larger and substantial. Also consider the 2 shelf model(which I beleive is the pro size) 
Vinyl sounds a bit thin and slightly strident.
Could be that your cartridge loading is too high...and/or setup..possibly VTA too high. 
Dartzeel 108
Have you considered tube electronics? I too have Micro BEs and using BAT 32se and vk-75se. This set-up gives me everything (SS control with tube depth and texture). Certainly other tube gear can do this as well. 
Two-part headphone question
I am a big fan of Ultrasone Phones. I find them to be detailed without being fatigueing. Headphone output impedance should be low 30-100ohm otherwise they can be bright.I have the Pro 2500 and the I-cans. If you do not need portability the 2500s a... 
Looking for tabletop ideas for VPI 16.5RCM
I put together a nice table w/casters at the Container Store. As always there is very helpful and knowledgeable staff to configure what you need. Not the cheapest solution but a very good one. 
Who was your first
More Jazz Fusion than JAZZ but for me it was Pat Metheny and Jean Luc Ponty back in high school. 
Best high end monitors?
I have had two speakers that I could recommend. Currently I have Focal Micro BE speakers with an Electra sub. These speakers are effortless and have a great sense of space. I thoroughly enjoy this speaker. Footnote: they do take awhile to break in... 
Speaker Stands adapters for Heavy Speakers?
Your top plate is just fine, really. Going to the edge won't make it any better. 1/2 or so around the edge is very normal. 
used subs: $500
I would add the sunfire Super Jr. Small, fast, and deep. 
Recommendations for solid core speaker wiring?
I really like the Audioquest DBS cables. You could pickup Mont Blanc maybe Volcano. Coherent but still detailed. 
Best way to clean Piano Gloss
I use a product called Plexus. Works well on any acrylic finish, aluminum and other finishes. I use it on my Focal Utopias as well as all my gear. Great for TT covers. Use a microfiber sloth as well.