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Thread: The “HOLY CRAP!” Moment…

  1. #1
    Join Date: Oct 2014

    Location: SW England

    Posts: 560
    I'm Richie.

    Default The “HOLY CRAP!” Moment…

    Last night I had one of those truly jaw dropping moments in this strange hobby. Partly engineered to happen that way, but also quite unexpected.

    A couple of months ago, I purchased a Technics 1210 from Alcarmichael (a lovely chap), with a MNB and a Timestep PSU. I also later purchased his Micro Seiki MA-202 as he was shifting everything on for a house move. I set it up with my Denon DL-109D (also purchased from a forummer – Montesquieu) and a basic lead and cork mat. The rest of the system was a Firebottle, a Pioneer SA-9500 and Cura CA21.

    Whilst an improvement on the Michell focus One it replaced, I didn’t feel like it was as good as could be and was certainly not up to the ‘hype’ that others’ results had me expecting. It felt like there just wasn’t the detail or depth that I had heard in other good set ups. I tried a new mat – not much change. Also tried an AT95e (my go to cart) with no joy.

    Was it the cart? Maybe, I fiddled and changed and tweaked, until I had a go with the Dr Feickert gadget that Al lent me (I told you he was a nice guy). This showed me that the mount of the arm was 4-5mm out. This lead me to contact Speedy Steve (another nice chap), to try an armboard at the correct mounting distance. I couldn’t quite get my head around the trigonometry of it all, but I figured that it was not a huge amount of money to have peace of mind at the very least.

    Rambling on, but bear with me.

    I split my time between my penthouse apartment* in south London and my massive country estate in the West Country**, so the process of taking the deck apart/ordering the armboard/getting back to fit it/etc etc etc was quite a drawn out process. I have a modest second set up down at the west country abode and purchased Petrat’s Sony PS-6750 to replace the Michell. This was such a simple, yet solid machine. I screwed an AT95e into it, plugged it in and it was singing away for 12 or so hours on Sunday. This really got me thinking – do I need to be tooling around with something that has cost me 3 or 4 times the Sony, for what feels like 20% more performance? I was giving serious consideration to shifting the 1210 and just being happy with the Sony.

    During all of this, I managed to pick up some Tannoy Eatons, as well as some Isonoes, an Achromat and an AO tonearm lead, which was accumulating as I was SW for work. I got back in the afternoon yesterday and had it in my head to put everything back together piece by piece to observe the changes in sound that went with each bit. I then thought – f%&k that, I am just going to put it all together and listen to it.

    Well, I have to say, the change in sound is absolutely incredible. Pretty much everything has improved. I made my way through heavy rock, funk soul, jazz – you name it. I’m crap at describing what I hear, so I won’t bother, but I was properly excited like a schoolboy at the detail and the quality coming out of my fairly modest set up.

    Obviously I can’t tell if there was one crucial element that was the main contributor to the change as I did it all at once, but I am glad I did it that way. The phono/amp is the same, and I can hear the change from the Tannoys, so whether or not it was something as simple as the cart now being properly aligned, or the combination as a whole is now something truly magnificent and I can say that I am genuinely happy with the main rig and will be freezing it all as is and just listening to music.

    I have been swapping mainly turntables (and speakers) a bit (through the main and 2nd system) to try and get it right. Through some helpful forum dudes and some clever used purchases, I am pretty happy with what I have for the amount I have spent. The best bit is that I can probably recoup most of what I have spent on the bits I don’t want, but feeding them back into others that are on the same journey.

    Anyway, that is my ‘cool story bro’. I am happy a pig in poo at the moment and thought I would tell you. And say thanks to a few guys for their assistance.

    *it is on the top floor…
    **an annexe at my in-laws…

  2. #2
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

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    That is the thing with proper Tannoy dual concentrics. Every little change in the system is revealed. The Eatons are as good as any at doing this.
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  3. #3
    Join Date: Oct 2014

    Location: SW England

    Posts: 560
    I'm Richie.

    Default

    They do seem to have pulled everything together.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

    Posts: 1,736
    I'm Russell.

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    I have been wowed by small changes in setup. I've had my record player set up for a long while, and I bought a 200g vinyl, and thought I would try resetting the VTA, and as I adjusted it, suddenly it just opened up! The sky opened and the Angels sang! Just a few degrees, apparently it was never right in the first place? I did not change it back when I put standard vinyl on, and it still has that opened up quality,


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Join Date: Oct 2014

    Location: SW England

    Posts: 560
    I'm Richie.

    Default

    It must happen a lot. Even for experienced folk, there must be a lot of gear that gets sold on without being heard at its potential.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Nov 2016

    Location: North East England

    Posts: 585
    I'm Mick.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by martian sunrise View Post
    It must happen a lot. Even for experienced folk, there must be a lot of gear that gets sold on without being heard at its potential.

    Ortofon 2M Black is a prime example. When set up correctly its amazing but many people don't and sell it on as they don't get on with it. One persons loss is another ones gain.


    Amazing when it all comes together Richie.
    Technics SL1210 MK2 fully rebuilt and repainted. Ortofon 2M Black Cart, Isonoe isolation feet , MN bearing and Funk Firm platter upgrade, Oyaide RCA Tone Arm and speaker cables, Jelco SA-750D Tonearm. Oyaide HS-TF Carbon headshell, MCRU Linear External PSU, High Fidelity Crystal glass turntable matt, Blue LED upgrade, Denon AVR-2808CI Amp, Bowers and Wilkins DM602S3 Speakers,
    Black Rhodium Jazz power cables for amp and turntable, Firebottle mk2 Phono Stage.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,779
    I'm Martin.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by martian sunrise View Post
    It must happen a lot. Even for experienced folk, there must be a lot of gear that gets sold on without being heard at its potential.
    True, I think this is actually quite a big issue, not just with turntables/cartridges.

    I can rarely be arsed to sell anything so I can ocasionally revisit kit that was set aside years ago as being 'not up to much'. Sometimes it surprises me. A lot of the time it is still a bit cack, though.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by martian sunrise View Post
    I am happy a pig in poo at the moment ......
    That is brilliant to hear ('scuse the pun) and I think it is very much fortuitous mating of kit that lets the music through.

    I am becoming more convinced that you need good amplification to give the best connection between 'input' device and the 'output' device.
    It has been said previously that the Firebottle phono stages just seem to let the improving quality signal through and I'm glad you are appreciating the performance.

    Cheers,
    Alan

    PS Like the * references

  9. #9
    Join Date: Sep 2014

    Location: brighton uk.

    Posts: 4,737
    I'm jamie.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dubster68 View Post
    Ortofon 2M Black is a prime example. When set up correctly its amazing but many people don't and sell it on as they don't get on with it. One persons loss is another ones gain.
    thats exactly how i ended up with mine.
    My System
    John Wood KT88 Amp.
    Paradise Phono Stage
    Sony TTS-8000 Turntable.
    PMAT-1010 MK6 Tonearm.
    Ortofon Cadenza Bronze
    Sony X555ES Cd Player
    Yamaha NS1000m Speakers

  10. #10
    Join Date: Oct 2014

    Location: SW England

    Posts: 560
    I'm Richie.

    Default

    Is it just a case of tweak, listen, tweak, listen until it is right and then screw it down - or is there a method to getting a 3m black aligned?

    I fear I just lucked on it after 2-3 goes, sit isn't going anywhere! Just curious.

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