An Epiphany

OK OK maybe the word is a little over the top for a realisation of greatness, but here we go.
I've said my TT setup is mediocre in previous posts but the reality was it needed a large slice of maintenance, as I don't think it had been fettled since it was made.
There's a date stamp in the plastic moulding which reads either 08 or 80, it's 1980 for sure.

The TT is a Dual 505, cart is an MP11 with MP10 stylus.

:wow: I now get what you vinyl addicts rave about, the difference is night and day. OK still an entry level on the vinyl stakes but f__k me what a difference.

The rumble has virtually disappeared, everything has tightened up massively, I can now appreciate some of the sibilance on Paul Simons voice on 'The Boxer', as that's what I could hear on Gordons TT when he brought it round last time.

To say I'm buzzing is to put it mildly. I am I suppose a fairly recent convert to the sheer quality that can be enjoyed from vinyl. The rest of the system is not too shabby, ESL57s driven by an outstanding OTL with a valve passive RIAA preamp driving it. The signal from the TT has been the weak link for a ..... well, a long while.

Maintanance done on the 505:
Motor stripped, bearings cleaned and re-oiled, motor start capacitor replaced. By gum that made a difference changing the cap. The start up before was sluggish to say the least, now the platter leaps into motion. Testing the cap showed it was way out of spec.
Main bearing stripped, cleaned and re-oiled. Much smoother spinning.
Phono leads replaced with longer and better quality coax and connectors.

Now the 'headshell' if you can call it that was diabolique. The finger lift acts as a latch to hold a small plastic carrier in place but this was not secure by any means. Apart from the fact that the grub screw that holds the finger lift in the 'locked' position wouldn't come out, it was just too flimsy.
After breaking the carrier off I secured it by inserting a screw into one of the rivets, making a far superior assembly. The cart setup is now as it should be, angles correct and a very solid mounting.

What a difference to the sound. I played one of my favourite tracks and was almost scared of the coherence of the bass drum :eek:

I've got to listen to some more now and enjoy it :D

:cool:

Welcome to the VINYL side :)

No hope for you now :lol::lol:

hehehh welcome to the dark side :D:D:D:D:D

Yup,

Vinyl still does it:) I think it would surprise many of the folk with 'top of the range' TTs, just how good some of the more modest set ups can sound. They wouldn't visit there to find out of course.

The crap Sony I am playing about with, whilst it hummed and rumbled along with the best, actually had a very enjoyable basic sound and I still 'got' the music from it.

Glad the work has paid off. Put the Naim into retirement and get out the vinyl:)

I always did like your cartridge, had one ages ago. Nice.

My new TT set up sounds easily as good as very good CDP, if you know what I mean:cool:

Never thought that vinyl could sound like that, think I mean in a resolution sense .