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Thread: I should have known better

  1. #1
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

    Posts: 1,629
    I'm Ian.

    Default I should have known better

    Had a really good afternoon last Saturday when Simon (SiT4 ) came over for a sort of mini bake off, great music and chat and his excellent upgraded Naim nait 2. Bit of a dodgy start to the proceedings when my turntable sounded very distorted, did the usual stylus clean but no better and then it lost the right channel. Thinking the cartridge might have died I had visions of great expense but after some poking and jiggling the socket on the base of the SME was found to be at fault. I decided to change it from the SME socket to RCA sockets to allow for cable upgrades so the kit was ordered. When it arrived I swapped them over but was left with a nasty hum so thinking I'd missed an earth I checked through but couldn't find anything amiss, took it apart again but still no better. I've had a good think about it and decided to send it off for a wiring upgrade and a service, let someone who knows what they are doing sort it out.
    So the lesson learned from this episode, keep my sausage fingers out of things in future. At least I'll have a nicely upgraded SME at the end of it all lol.
    Looking forward to Simon's next visit when he brings over his Shahinian Arcs to compare with my Harbeth Compact 7s.
    Turntable
    Toshiba SR-370/Mission 774/Van Damme cable with MS Starline plugs/Ortofon Quintet Black
    CD
    Cambridge CXC transport/modified Musical Fidelity X-DAC/modified Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 tube buffer
    Network Player
    Cambridge NP30
    Amplifier
    Denon HA-500 head amp/Nakamichi CA-5E pre-amp/Chinese passive RVC/Proton AA-1150 DMC power amp
    Speakers
    Mordaunt Short Signifer on original factory stands
    Cables
    Mogami with Rean Neutrik plugs/NVA LS5
    Headphones
    Sennheiser HD600/Sennheiser HD650/Koss Pro4 AA

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,853
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ian7633 View Post
    Had a really good afternoon last Saturday when Simon (SiT4 ) came over for a sort of mini bake off, great music and chat and his excellent upgraded Naim nait 2. Bit of a dodgy start to the proceedings when my turntable sounded very distorted, did the usual stylus clean but no better and then it lost the right channel. Thinking the cartridge might have died I had visions of great expense but after some poking and jiggling the socket on the base of the SME was found to be at fault. I decided to change it from the SME socket to RCA sockets to allow for cable upgrades so the kit was ordered. When it arrived I swapped them over but was left with a nasty hum so thinking I'd missed an earth I checked through but couldn't find anything amiss, took it apart again but still no better. I've had a good think about it and decided to send it off for a wiring upgrade and a service, let someone who knows what they are doing sort it out.
    So the lesson learned from this episode, keep my sausage fingers out of things in future. At least I'll have a nicely upgraded SME at the end of it all lol.
    Looking forward to Simon's next visit when he brings over his Shahinian Arcs to compare with my Harbeth Compact 7s.
    Although you have now decided to have the RCA conversion done for you, the hum problem was probably caused by the arm not being earthed. The arm earth is quite separate to the two signal returns, which is why the original SME arm connector has 5 pins.
    Barry

  3. #3
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

    Posts: 1,629
    I'm Ian.

    Default

    I was thinking the arm earth was off but the connector only has 4 pins with the earth screwed to one of the mounting screws on the end. I've since done some research and found that the internal wire for the earth is tiny and very easily damaged so that might be what has happened. I've sent it off to audio origami now so it's too late to check doh. Thanks for the thoughts though.
    [IMG][/IMG]
    Turntable
    Toshiba SR-370/Mission 774/Van Damme cable with MS Starline plugs/Ortofon Quintet Black
    CD
    Cambridge CXC transport/modified Musical Fidelity X-DAC/modified Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 tube buffer
    Network Player
    Cambridge NP30
    Amplifier
    Denon HA-500 head amp/Nakamichi CA-5E pre-amp/Chinese passive RVC/Proton AA-1150 DMC power amp
    Speakers
    Mordaunt Short Signifer on original factory stands
    Cables
    Mogami with Rean Neutrik plugs/NVA LS5
    Headphones
    Sennheiser HD600/Sennheiser HD650/Koss Pro4 AA

  4. #4
    Join Date: Feb 2017

    Location: Poole

    Posts: 27
    I'm Colin.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ian7633 View Post
    So the lesson learned from this episode, keep my sausage fingers out of things in future.
    Absolute story of my life, I've taken numerous things to bits only to not be able to put them back together 100% and end up needing external help to solve it!

  5. #5
    Join Date: Feb 2017

    Location: Sussex

    Posts: 324
    I'm Simon.

    Default

    Hi ian,
    I'm interested in visiting people to check out there kit and am in Sussex myself. Do these bake offs happen a lot?
    Regards Simon

  6. #6
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

    Posts: 1,736
    I'm Russell.

    Default

    Even though your handy work prompted the upgrade, I'm sure the new work will make you very happy! Small differences in tone arm wires can make great improvements.

    I'm here in central Virginia in the US, you guys are more than welcome to drop in any time! I'll buy the beer!


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

    Posts: 1,629
    I'm Ian.

    Default

    Time for an update on the SME. It arrived back from it's rewire and service at Audio Origami this morning and after the usual 2M Black setting up issues the Toshiba is back on song, only with quite a noticeable improvement. Before there was a slight " step " between mid and high frequencies, it wasn't much to speak of and only became apparent on certain songs. Now the progression from low, smooth bass up to high, strident cymbals is seamless. Female vocals are so natural and clear, Carol King's Tapestry sounds very open while Diana Ross on 1976 is full of soul but sweet too. Handsworth Revolution, The Wall, Night and Day by Joe Jackson, Deceptive Bends by 10CC and Another Time Another Place by Bryan Ferry are a fairly wide selection and have all been good to hear.
    John's work at Audio Origami is a great improvement and he is a friendly, helpful chap, highly recommended.
    I must also mention that Brian has made me up an excellent tonearm cable which when fully run in will be even better.
    In a nutshell although I made a pigs ear of things ultimately getting the right people for the job has paid dividends.
    Turntable
    Toshiba SR-370/Mission 774/Van Damme cable with MS Starline plugs/Ortofon Quintet Black
    CD
    Cambridge CXC transport/modified Musical Fidelity X-DAC/modified Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 tube buffer
    Network Player
    Cambridge NP30
    Amplifier
    Denon HA-500 head amp/Nakamichi CA-5E pre-amp/Chinese passive RVC/Proton AA-1150 DMC power amp
    Speakers
    Mordaunt Short Signifer on original factory stands
    Cables
    Mogami with Rean Neutrik plugs/NVA LS5
    Headphones
    Sennheiser HD600/Sennheiser HD650/Koss Pro4 AA

  8. #8
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

    Posts: 1,629
    I'm Ian.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Dynamics View Post
    Hi ian,
    I'm interested in visiting people to check out there kit and am in Sussex myself. Do these bake offs happen a lot?
    Regards Simon
    Hi Simon,
    You are very welcome to come over for a listen and no doubt discussion. Just let me know when you fancy visiting.
    Turntable
    Toshiba SR-370/Mission 774/Van Damme cable with MS Starline plugs/Ortofon Quintet Black
    CD
    Cambridge CXC transport/modified Musical Fidelity X-DAC/modified Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 tube buffer
    Network Player
    Cambridge NP30
    Amplifier
    Denon HA-500 head amp/Nakamichi CA-5E pre-amp/Chinese passive RVC/Proton AA-1150 DMC power amp
    Speakers
    Mordaunt Short Signifer on original factory stands
    Cables
    Mogami with Rean Neutrik plugs/NVA LS5
    Headphones
    Sennheiser HD600/Sennheiser HD650/Koss Pro4 AA

  9. #9
    Join Date: Mar 2017

    Location: Seaford UK

    Posts: 1,861
    I'm Dennis.

    Default

    Pulborough, not too far from Seaford!

  10. #10
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

    Posts: 1,629
    I'm Ian.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Pharos View Post
    Pulborough, not too far from Seaford!
    Yer, it's about 8 miles north of Littlehampton. I know Seaford very well, a misspent youth.....I had a very exciting experience with a young lady in the Crouch gardens
    Turntable
    Toshiba SR-370/Mission 774/Van Damme cable with MS Starline plugs/Ortofon Quintet Black
    CD
    Cambridge CXC transport/modified Musical Fidelity X-DAC/modified Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 tube buffer
    Network Player
    Cambridge NP30
    Amplifier
    Denon HA-500 head amp/Nakamichi CA-5E pre-amp/Chinese passive RVC/Proton AA-1150 DMC power amp
    Speakers
    Mordaunt Short Signifer on original factory stands
    Cables
    Mogami with Rean Neutrik plugs/NVA LS5
    Headphones
    Sennheiser HD600/Sennheiser HD650/Koss Pro4 AA

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