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Post by Barrington on Dec 7, 2015 21:58:01 GMT
Just goes to show how people's experiences can differ and be equally valid. In 2009 I had a Systemdek IIX 900 with RB250. I tried an achromat and had a "who stole the bass" experience. I later tried the Achromat on an Axis/Akito, and LP12 and a Xerxes. Every time I found a big lack of bass and also rhythm. Despite its really classy looks and feel, I sold it in the end and bought an Origin Live mat. I still have that mat and it's been a significant improvement over any mat on any deck I have tried. Ah hold on you may have something , I do not like bass .
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Post by MartinT on Dec 8, 2015 7:08:17 GMT
That's interesting, Andrew. My experience with the Achromat was more akin to "who stole the midrange"! I found it all a little recessed. When I switched to the ETP platter, voice and mid detail all came back and I wondered at what I had been missing.
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Post by jandl100 on Dec 8, 2015 7:52:48 GMT
Yes, interesting. But touching another point, I could never get on with acrylic platters - to me they give the sound a ringy hollow 'boinggggg' sort of colouration. This can be reduced by one of the rubber platter damping rings that are available for just this purpose! But the best cure is just to get rid of the damn acrylic platter, ime.
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Post by MartinT on Dec 8, 2015 8:21:05 GMT
Yep - ETP is another material altogether and very neutral in sound quality.
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Post by Barrington on Dec 10, 2015 9:29:13 GMT
Just when everything is hunky dory something comes along and tempts you , after getting my previous RB301 modded I decided my current RB250 would remain standard (bar an underslung c/weight) , anyway I've boughta s/h Origin Live Silver MKI Tonearm which was about the same price it would cost to get the RB250 modded , couldn't miss it really Hasn't arrived yet but I'll update with pics later.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2015 19:40:25 GMT
I love the OL arms. I've had two Silvers and thought they were epic. YMMV but I'd be eager to hear your thoughts either way
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Post by Barrington on Dec 10, 2015 20:31:40 GMT
The OL is fitted but it doesn't sound right , I've set it up ok and even the distortion tracks 6,7,8 on the Hi-Fi news test record are great and for the first time 9 is almost ok. But somethings wrong , I'll listen again tomorrow then swap back to the RB 250 to see which way it goes , everything is a bit flat at the moment.
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Post by MartinT on Dec 10, 2015 21:17:00 GMT
It could be like the Technics, which doesn't like metal arm boards. My Speedy Steve ebony one transformed the sound with the Dynavector arm.
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Post by Barrington on Dec 11, 2015 12:51:14 GMT
Played a few tracks this morning with the OL Silver and it sounded ok , it occured to me that because I'd been playing a lot of CD's lately my brain was comparing the two. Anyway I decided to put the RB250 back on just to be sure , oh blimey ! the sparkle , clarity ,whatever , was back , I can't believe it could make so much difference . That OL Silver MkI got fabulous reviews everywhere , it just didn't work on my Systemdek , last night listening I was actually thinking about maybe getting a new T/T , right now listening to an early Donovan LP no chance . Here is a pic of the upgrade ? And back to the upgrade
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Post by MartinT on Dec 11, 2015 13:32:17 GMT
Could it be the drop-hang counterweight? Was that standard on an RB250?
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Post by Barrington on Dec 11, 2015 14:35:27 GMT
Could it be the drop-hang counterweight? Was that standard on an RB250? Not standard. That did occur to me Martin , I thought I would be putting it on the OL because the original Rega weight fouled on the lid and yet the OL didn't which is strange as I'm sure the diameter is the same . Anyway the OL is going , currently listening to Rumours and I can't imagine how I can better this vinyl playback it sounds wonderful .
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Post by Barrington on Dec 11, 2015 19:05:29 GMT
I can't imagine how I can better this vinyl playback it sounds wonderful . Of course it can be bettered but I mean for what I have spent to SQ ratio , you know what I mean
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Post by Barrington on Mar 23, 2016 9:42:39 GMT
As I delved deeper into digital disc playback a couple of changes had to be made . Blu-ray players are limited to 48khz through spdif outputs and SACDs are converted to PCM , so the Arcam D33 DAC was changed for a NAD M51 which has HDMI input and allows full res with BD-Audio , and the Toshiba has been replaced by a Sony SACD player.
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Post by MartinT on Mar 25, 2016 8:11:32 GMT
Nice! No wonder you like hi-res.
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Post by Greg on Mar 27, 2016 21:59:36 GMT
In my personal view, OL products are seriously lacking in fidelity having heard their expensive arms in others kit and having owned several of their products myself, my personal belief is they benefitted greatly when David Price was editor of Hi-Fi World who appeared to build a rather unhealthy relationship with Mark Baker of OL. The positive reviews were a reflection of that association and probably not the true facts. It was a role back to the style of magazine association with the flat earthers such as Linn and Naim.
I have visited the OL factory and I was dismayed with what I saw. Admittedly this was several years ago, but having been there I have never considered an OL product since. Having said that, Mark Baker is a very fair man to deal with and considering my TT problem at the time, having replaced all parts on my OL TT to not fix the fault, acknowledged he like me did not have an answer and completely refunded me for return beyond the guarantee period. This was the earlier days before he produced skeletal designs and actually in addition, payed me £50 to buy from me the plinth I had made to fit his TT kit, as his offering at the time was so sub standard. Interestingly, I subsequently witnessed him using my plinth for show purposes.
In my view, OL products are not all they are cracked up to be. I'd avoid like the plague, but it's always your choice.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2016 22:16:56 GMT
I can't speak for the turntables or motor kits, but I have loved the OL arms I've had. One man's meat I guess, but there you go,
I remember in particular replacing an RB 300 with an OL silver mk 2 and finding it one of the most profound improvements I'd had for vinyl. The OL stub and counterweight mods for Rega arms make a heck of a difference too AFAIC. Pete Riggle's CCM is every bit as good, but then again it's an identical concept, so it should be.
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Post by Greg on Mar 27, 2016 23:07:10 GMT
In your circumstance, you might well be right. Mine was very different. Yes, I did have one of the early OL DC motor conversions and it was dire. Absolutely no torque whatsoever making it impossible even to pass a dust lifter over the fitted LP before playing. As said, this was all several years ago and OL products might well have improved but nothing will change my personal view on this, particularly after I visited the factory. I was at the time absolutely gob smacked by the inadequacy of it all, not to mention the lack of work place discipline. I really do believe OL products are very over hyped in he media.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2016 23:23:44 GMT
Those OL motor kits look cheap to me. I would only really consider the tonearms personally. Some turntables have low torque motors as part of the design (eg Tom Fletcher) but their build quality is a world apart from the OL jobbies.
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Post by Barrington on Apr 10, 2016 18:17:54 GMT
As I delved deeper into digital disc playback a couple of changes had to be made . Blu-ray players are limited to 48khz through spdif outputs and SACDs are converted to PCM , so the Arcam D33 DAC was changed for a NAD M51 which has HDMI input and allows full res with BD-Audio , and the Toshiba has been replaced by a Sony SACD player. The Tosh has been re-instated its too good to be in the loft , so I now have the Sony for SACD , the Tosh for CD via the NAD Dac and the Cambridge for Blu-Ray Audio and DVD-A , also via the NAD . NB. I could use the Tosh for DVD-A but it has no HDMI so the disc menus are difficult to sort out on its display. PS. All I want for Christmas is a Primare BD32
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Post by MartinT on Apr 13, 2016 15:56:51 GMT
Some of the Oppo universal players are really nice. However, I required a region 1/2/A/B player for my collection.
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