Sounds light on bass

[webby]

Marco.

Marco, I wonder if you can answer me this....what is the lifetime of a cart such as this?

[MartinT]

Diamond stylii are often quoted with 2-3000 hours life. It partly depends on the shape. See here for more info:

http://www.audioinvest.no/tt_vinyl/ttv_styl.htm

[RobbieGong]

I too have to say like Neal that i didn't find the Achromat an improvement over the stock mat (I have 3.7mm Techy mat). There wasn't a big difference but I definately found the stock mat better in my system. I did read loads about the Achromat before purchasing and found that many liked it but others, like Neal and I prefered the stock mat or another mat over the Achro. I certainly dont experience bloating in the bass and most definately no ponderous delivery of music or the stock mat would have been literally binned if that was the case. The Achromat wasn't awful it just wasn't better for me. I have a very good ear that is sensitive to all things music to the point where if something is even the lightest bit wrong in my system I will not rest til it is sorted (ask my kids and wife who sometimes cannot tell what I'm going on about until I fix it and then they always agree that the music just sounds more right and better) I've been obsessed about music since childhood and recorded one album and four singles in the British reggae charts in the late 80's early nineties) I decided to move on from the label we were signed to simply because i did not like the stiffness of the drum machine programming favoured by the label and wanted to use more live drums, live horns etc - Organic and natural. Anyway... Back to the Achro - When I sold it on the 'bay and I kid you not, the guy who bought it raised a complaint because the difference he decerned was so small he accused me of selling him a counterfeit - Caused me a lot of frustration and annoyance but such is the nature of these things.

[MartinT]

To work properly, the Achromat must be bonded to the platter surface, otherwise you won't hear what it can do. Whether you use the provided double-sided sticky tape or do as I do and use a thin layer of petroleum jelly, it's the sandwich of Achro and platter that creates the magic.

[RobbieGong]

Hi Martin, you could well be right. I just didn't want to go down that road of sticking down or smoothing vaseline on. I also really dont like the stock platter to be honest which I have, due to that horrible ringing when you tap the thing so mine will go at some point, probably for the Mike New Composite platter whenever i can get my hands on £600ish, heaven knows when . One of the 'reviewers' of Mike's Composite platter commented that he did try a number of mats and at that point the stock Techy mat was best. I would never say I wont try the Achro again or that it is rubbish cause I aint that ignorant but it wouldn't be on the stock platter.

[MartinT]

I guess I can only give my experience which is that the Achromat was best of the ones I tried (stock, Herbies, Rega felt, Blue Horizon, no mat) with both the Mike New metal platter and my current Funk platter.

[NRG]

Glad I'm not the only one! Surely vaseline is going a bit too far! I used some double sided sticky tape...

[Stratmangler]

I also really dont like the stock platter to be honest which I have, due to that horrible ringing when you tap the thing

Remove the magnet boss, stuff Blutack into the area underneath, replace magnet boss, tap platter, ringing almost non existant.
Simples

[chris@panteg]

Remove the magnet boss, stuff Blutack into the area underneath, replace magnet boss, tap platter, ringing almost non existant.
Simples

Or some bubble wrap , bit heath Robinson lol .

My VA bonded platter is absolutely fine with no mat required and it sounds excellent .

[RobbieGong]

Remove the magnet boss, stuff Blutack into the area underneath, replace magnet boss, tap platter, ringing almost non existant.
Simples

Loads of us tried this, some liked it some didn't. It was agreed that too much blue tac ie: in all the holes in and around the magnet over cooked the pudding. Some liked the effect in some of the holes ie: a bit less application of blue tac. I tried it in some of the holes and all the holes, prefered the sound without any blue tac. I think blue tac will work for some but as Marco would put it, untimately it's a sticking plaster. If you can, funds permitting of course, go with a Funk or one of Mike New's platters. I've only heard good things about any of these over the stock platter and it's where I'll definately be going in due course