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Post by shuggie on Mar 5, 2020 8:40:24 GMT
www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-34-salt-cellar-systemHerb Reichert always seems to write interesting stuff; and he writes beautifully (UK audio journalists please take note). This article on Stereophile struck a chord with me because last year I was exposed (through a customer) to a full-blown late 1920s Western Electric mono horn system with original WE field coil bass drivers, which together are not exactly 'compact' and not something that my modest little house could ever accommodate. That WE system immerses and envelops the listener in a huge sound, with visceral dynamic contrasts. Herb writes in this article about a similar system enabling him to 'see and hear the musicians' and that is certainly true of my customer's venerable WE system, which I expected to hate but came away with opposite feelings. Herb wonders what we've lost since those early days of simple electronics and high efficiency horns and I think he has a point, even if those old systems rarely have a place in modern homes. The audio industry has, of course, to keep pushing new products and that's why 'lifestyle' stuff is so predominant, but one of the delights of this hobby is being able to exist in the past when music recording and reproduction were simpler and perhaps purer. And mono! Anyway, this article from Herb is a lovely read. I also recommend this latest piece on 'listening' from Art Dudley www.stereophile.com/content/listening-207
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Post by shuggie on Oct 18, 2019 9:50:29 GMT
I have one of these. It’s a really great way to suppress system dynamics, and to suck the musical life from recordings. It does have a use, though - my TV system, with all its noisy switching PSUs, is fed from the Tacima, thus (hopefully) limiting the ‘noise’ that would otherwise be squirted into the mains ring.
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Post by shuggie on Jun 13, 2019 11:58:20 GMT
The Townshend Podiums pretty much always yield significant improvements in all aspects of musical reproduction and certainly challenge established thoughts on the need to always 'hard couple' speakers to the floor for best bass performance. While Townshend do talk about isolating the speakers from the floor/room structure, actually a great part of their benefit is in isolating the room from the speakers. When you do that, you stop transmission of sound vibrations into the floor, walls and into other parts of the house (and to neighbours too). Breaking that transmission path means that the room structure is no longer singing along to the speakers' tune and you then get to better hear what the speakers are doing, without accompaniment, as Martin notes.
Cutting unwelcome sound transmission into other parts of the house and into neighbouring properties is a big plus with the Podiums. You do of course get some isolation from simpler products like Auralex, but not total isolation at the low frequencies that are most troublesome in terms of structural sound transmission. In short, the Townshend Podiums are very expensive but they are by far the best performing and best thought out speaker isolation products available.
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Post by shuggie on Oct 23, 2018 15:02:04 GMT
My first deck was some sort of shitty BSR, followed around 1977 by a Thorens TD-165 (or was it a TD-166?) with a JVC Z1 cartridge. That saw me through to 1983 when I bought my LP12/Ittok/P77 from Malcolm Jones (of KEF/Falcon fame) at Basically Sound. The LP12 stayed for around 20 years and it was a good deck - certainly flawed but the quality and usability was so much better than the Logic/Pink Triangle alternatives that I auditioned before deciding on the Linn. I did much later buy a Logic DM-101 and that was a nightmare in terms of quality, operation, adjustment. Selling the Linn set me on a bit of a wandering path, starting with a Bix turntable kit from DIY HiFi Supply. The platter was a loose fit over the bearing so that was never going to work, and it was not long before I bought a Spacedeck with Spacearm, latterly upgraded with Heavy Kit and Wave Mechanic PSU. The Spacedeck was great in most respects, apart from its rather pedestrian approach to any music with a sense of 'drive' and rhythm, where it rather fell flat. In the meantime, service life took me to Germany, without my audio gear, but I did pick up a Kenwood KD-770D from a chap in a grotty block of flats in Bochum. The arm's lift/lower system did not work so I took the arm off and sold it, rightly or wrongly. It was ages before I put an arm on the KD-770D and much to my surprise it sounded rather like the Spacedeck, but with a sense of drive, rhythm and urgency. I used the KD-770D with a Michell TecnoarmA (nasty, grey, dismal sounding thing) and much more successfuly with a Jelco SA-750D. In parallel, I hopped briefly on the Technics SL-1210 thing, buying a virtually new one from my mate Tony who hated it - I upgraded the PSU, mat, feet and stuck the Jelco one and it pretty much failed to play music, although I can understand why so many people like them. With the same Jelco arm, the KD-770D was much, much better, a truly musical, lyrical performer. I still have the KD-770D but the SL-1210 found a new home in Scotland with Paul Hynes. Fast forward a couple of years and on the basis of loving the KD-770D, I picked up a Kenwood KD-990 in good condition. This is the one with a cast alloy spidery chassis that's hidden by its pretty much cosmetic, shiny black plinth. Even with the stock arm, fitted with an Ortofon Kontrapunkt B cartridge, the KD-990 is a class act, with a much better sense of musical solidity and flow, detail etc. On a whim I decided to liberate the KD-990 from its plinth and fit a 10" Jelco SA-750E, resulting in a magnificent uplift in all aspects of musical replay. I subsequently fitted a Fidelity Research FR-64S arm, then a lovely 12" Reed 3P, and in both cases the sounds were exquisite. the KD-990 may have played second fiddle to the L-07D in its day, but it was more expensive than an LP12 and its pedigree is clear to hear. I still have the KD-990!
On another whim I bought a Thorens TD-124 which I still own. That's a fantastically musical deck - far better than its complex design might suggest. Not exactly silent, as is the case with any idler deck, but so enjoyable to hear. I still have the TD-124!
Business needs dictated that I needed one of the new Technics SL-1200GR turntables to finalise development of my modular machine alloy Technics armboards. Out of the box, the GR is hampered by a tonearm that is quite bad in all respects apart from looks. When Technics make a new turntable in Japan and sell it for £1100 including tax, dealer margins etc, something clearly has to be compromised and the GR tonearm is very compromised. Don't confuse it with the slightly better article fitted to the SL-1200GAE and G. Anyway, when fitted with a decent tonearm, the GR turns out to be a stonking performer and a million miles from the unmusical SL-1200/1210s of old. Technics' new motor design is very good, and you can hear it in the music. I've put a Timestep linear PSU on the GR, which actually lifts it by a significant margin, and replaced the rubber mat with an Achromat. Sometimes it sports a Jelco TK-850S, which is very good and much more 'grown up' than the old Jelco SA-750 arms, but presently my 9" Glanz MH-94S is on the GR, with either Miyajima Saboten L stereo, Miyajima Zero mono, or various Ortofon SPU cartridges. That the GR can do justice to a tonearm costing 5 times as much is all credit to Technics and what they've achieved with the new decks. So, I'm very happy with the SL-1200GR but I'll admit that I love the KD-990 more. I'm fond of the TD-124 but it will be sold in due course because I cannot justify keeping decks that won't frequent use. On the journey, I have owned a Pioneer PL-71 which is lovely, and a totally mint but rumbly PL-12D that I bought purely out of nostalgia.
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Post by shuggie on Jul 14, 2018 12:29:56 GMT
There's no 'should' about it. It's entirely up to the dealer if he wishes to spend his time helping someone who isn't a customer. It will likely depend entirely on their attitude towards their business, their wider understanding of marketing and the value of unseen social interactions. Assuming it wasn't going to take an age, and the old guy could in fact get it to work once back home then I'd help him out and send him out the door with his soundbar in one of my branded shop bags. If it was likely to be a connection issue then i'm send him packing with contact details for the supplier, and a shop bag. I agree and it takes far less effort to be nice to people rather than dismissive. That aside, it would be nice if UK audio enthusiasts accepted the need for dealers to make a profit, if they are to remain in business, and to continue offering any form of customer service. Profit margins are not typically as great as UK punters often assume, particularly when taking into account shipping in and out, payment fees etc, let alone the costs of running a business nowadays.
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Post by shuggie on Mar 18, 2018 11:24:55 GMT
I really don’t mind much where stuff is made, as long as we’re not talking about dodgy and dangerous Chinese stuff. That said, nearly all of the analogue components which have beguiled me recently are Japanese, from Miyajima cartridges to the new (and franky astonishing) Glanz arms; also the humble Technics SL-1200GR is an impressively musical thing, at least when liberated from its nice looking but mediocre tonearm.
For reference, my current system consists of:
Lyngdorf TDAi2170 - Denmark Technics SL-1200GR - Japan Jelco TK-850S tonearm - Japan Miyajima Shilabe/Zero Cartridges - Japan Ortofon Kontrapunkt B, NOS - Denmark KEF LS50 speakers - UK/China Paul Hynes MC2 MC Stepup - UK (Scotland) ANT Kora 3T SE Phono Amp, with Paul Hynes PSU - UK Mutec MC3 +USB Reclocking/Isolating interface - Germany Cables - Ziro Audio, VertexAQ - UK
So, a tie for top place between Japan and the UK!
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Post by shuggie on Oct 24, 2017 17:37:48 GMT
Have you ever heard Fournier's Dvorak Cello Concerto, Hugo? It's sublime. I have, and had a listen this afternoon, but I’ve been somewhat spoilt by Rostropovich!
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Post by shuggie on Oct 24, 2017 12:04:34 GMT
Bach cello suites, Pierre Fournier (DG Archiv). Lovely stuff, ripped from the CD set that I own.
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Post by shuggie on Oct 15, 2017 10:23:18 GMT
Ant - have you restored the Mayware arm at all? I ask because a friend has one on a TD-160B and it’ turning into a bit of a pig to get a good sound out of it. I suspect that I need to clean out its damping chamber and refill it with a suitable grade of silicone fluid. Turntable Basics recommends 600k cst fluid, which seems awfully thick, so if you or anyone else has any thoughts on that, I’m all ears.
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Post by shuggie on Jul 27, 2017 11:30:51 GMT
A little over two weeks to go until the Three Counties HiFi and Music Fair! www.3counties-hifi-fair.com/Taking place at the Phoenix Theatre and Arts Centre, Station Rd, Bordon, Hampshire, GU35 0LR, on Sunday 13th August.
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Post by shuggie on Jul 6, 2017 17:57:16 GMT
www.3counties-hifi-fair.com/Taking place at the Phoenix Theatre and Arts Centre, Station Rd, Bordon, Hampshire, GU35 0LR, on Sunday 13th August. I'll be there! Looks like a good informal event with good food and live entertainment, with all proceeds going to support the Phoenix Theatre and Arts Centre
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Post by shuggie on Jun 29, 2017 13:47:35 GMT
And it was very nice to meet Chris too! The show had a lovely atmosphere and was busy on both days - heck there were even quite a few ladies there too! The Reed arm certainly brought admiring glances and one or two people who had never heard mono played properly with a true mono cartridge were shocked (in a good way) by the Miyajima Mono ZeroB that I had on the old TD-124. I'll definitely be doing the North West Audio Show again next year, perhaps with a dedicated room in which I can preach about the analogue delights of Miyajima to more than one person at a time! I was pleased to finally meet and spend a little time with Hugo, whose Ammonite Audio company is handling some very nice stuff. Reed 3P Tonearm
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Post by shuggie on Jan 1, 2017 19:26:49 GMT
I think jitter is still important. Don't leave all the work to the DAC - feed it a more clock stable signal from the transport and it'll sound better. This reflects my own experience. A couple of months ago I bought a Mutec MC3+USB to use as a high quality USB/SPDIF interface between PC and Naim DAC-V1 and it is clearly (and dramatically) better than the Naim's supposedly super Audiophilleo USB facility, backed up by data re-clocking within the DAC. I have been informed by forum experts that any improvement is impossible - since the DAC-V1 re-clocks, no amount of data manipulation upstream will have any effect. My ears tell me otherwise. A recent revelation has been the realisation that plain old CD, delivered by my old Rega Planet CD player (fitted with a new Tent Labs clock by Chevron Audio) used as a transport to the DAC-V1, can be musically much more rewarding than hearing the same albums played from the PC over USB. The really interesting thing here is that the Mutec will accept an SPDIF input and re-clock it very precisely using its internal super-accurate clock circuitry, so I have been feeding digits from the Planet via the Mutec to the DAC-V1. There is a clearly audible, and signifcant improvement in all aspects of sound quality and in musical flow, when the Mutec is placed between the Planet and the DAC-V1. So, as Martin states above, a DAC does seem to sound better when fed a very high quality and stable signal, even when it does its own re-clocking.
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Post by shuggie on Mar 27, 2016 7:41:51 GMT
I just sold mine. As DSJR says, they are actually very good when liberated from the pretty but grey-sounding 34 preamp. The 306, just like ESL 57, is a true audiophile bargain - bizarrely under-priced.
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Post by shuggie on Mar 21, 2016 17:22:36 GMT
Good luck to Rega, and thank God that a British company has the confidence to invest significantly into proper research and development. The price reflects the cost of that development, and I hope they sell enough to recover those costs. Living Voice have managed to shift many more full sets of Vox Olympian speakers than forum folk generally assume, so there's no reason why this should not do well enough. On the contrary they deserve to fail. Just look at the £20-30K TT market. Equipment needs to look the part as well as provide SQ benefits. I doubt this design will see off the competition on sound alone. Rega should research their market better. I doubt there is much extra R&D in this over the P8/10 as it just replaces the light sandwich material with carbon fibre likely for even further reduction in weight with better rigidity. Carbon fibre constructions of this type are not that expensive to produce these days. This would be similar to a racing bike frame (£600). This Kronos TT sells for a similar price to the Rega. Some think it's as good as the Continuum Caliburn. Deserve to fail? That's a bit strong. I thought that this was a harmless hobby! That aside, I applaud Rega for pushing the boundaries of material science like this. The costs of pursuing this little experiment must be massive, and maybe the benefits will trickle down to more affordable kit. Rega state that they have thrown away loads of ruinously expensive ceramic bearing prototypes trying to get this right and I'm happy to take their word for it. Ultimately this is all about performance, price and value. Someone who can afford the Naiad will have a different notion of value than you do; and there's nothing wrong with that. Just like there's nothing wrong with someone owning, or wanting to own, a £30k wristwatch. I'm happy with a 1963 Omega, but that doesn't stop me from admiring cutting edge design even if I can never afford it. The same might be said of any number of cars. As for the Kronos pictured above, it clearly presents a lot of product to match its price tag (and is presumably intended to look 'expensive'), but I very much doubt that there are any clever, cutting-edge materials in it. Bulk and two platters don't necessarily make a great performing record player. It might actually be very good, but it's not my taste. Neither are the TechDAS turntables to my taste, but they sell and who am I to sneer? How about celebrating a flagship, innovative product from a successful UK manufacturing company that still makes stuff here, and employs people here to do it? You don't have to like it, or buy it, but maybe Rega know a thing or two about their business, and how to remain in business, to the benefit of the UK as a whole.
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Post by shuggie on Mar 21, 2016 7:43:11 GMT
Good luck to Rega, and thank God that a British company has the confidence to invest significantly into proper research and development. The price reflects the cost of that development, and I hope they sell enough to recover those costs. Living Voice have managed to shift many more full sets of Vox Olympian speakers than forum folk generally assume, so there's no reason why this should not do well enough.
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Post by shuggie on Mar 17, 2016 15:35:32 GMT
For general hideousness MBL speakers hit the spot, IME!
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Post by shuggie on Mar 14, 2016 14:48:12 GMT
I've heard Tom's Miyajima cartridge and concluded it had a similar sound, perfect for his choice of classical repertoire. It's understandable, but I think misguided, to think that a cartridge like the Miyajima, which displays no rough edges whatsoever, must necessarily be suitable largely for classical music. Of course, classical music does give the Miyajima a chance to show off the textures of woody instrument resonances etc, but its smoothness is as a result of its very low distortion, not of a boring disposition, as I've just proved to myself listening to a very old and well-used copy of Sheffield Steel. Put one in a system like yours, carefully put together to show power, control and dynamics, and I think the result would be extraordinary.
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Post by shuggie on Mar 14, 2016 12:03:06 GMT
I have bought a Miyajima Takumi, unheard, as an ex-review example from Timestep Distribution. It's the very one that Paul Rigby reviewed here www.theaudiophileman.com/#!miyajima-takumi/c1xbf , and it is has been playing in the 10" Jelco SA-750E mounted on my Kenwood KD-990. I was quite excited about this, having heard some other Miyajima cartridges over at a friend's last year. Miyajima's take on MC cartridge design is different and rather intelligent, doing away with the traditional tie-wire; instead they use a fixed point that supports the cross ring coil assembly very precisely, from behind at its pivot point. The compliant suspension element is thus placed in front of the coil assembly rather than behind, as is usually the case. Anyway, IIRC Rega are the only other MC cartridge maker to eliminate the tie-wire and its inherent limitations. The Takumi sits at the bottom of the Miyajima range, having an elliptical stylus - models further up have Shibata stylii. For those interested in reading more, the authorised UK website is www.miyajima-lab.co.uk . I set up the Takumi in an Oyaide HS-TF headshell , with tracking at the recommended 2.25g and the armtube initially level. I was greeted with a soft, over-blown sound, but raising the arm pillar soon found the optimum VTA that brought a nice balance to the sound. The most striking aspect of this cartridge's sound is the virtual absence of surface noise, but that aside the Takumi does have a very nicely ordered, smooth and natural sound. It's not rolled-off smooth, but rather there are no hard edges to what it does. It's musically adept, and excels at portraying 'air' and natural resonances of instruments. It's all rather captivating. The amazing thing here is that the Takumi sits at the bottom of the Miyajima range, and I shudder to think what the Shilabe would do with its Shibata stylus. I can honestly say that I've never heard a cartridge so 'cultured' and musical as this. It's just lovely. Here's an animation showing how Miyajima cartridges work:
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Post by shuggie on Feb 14, 2016 19:32:14 GMT
I think that the design has now changed, but the internal matrix was constructed from a light coloured hardwood, perhaps ramin or box. So, stiff and light, but definitely not balsa.
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