Frontend upgrade path

[Svend N]

Are there any suspension springs that will need adjusting if you add weight to the subchassis?

Alex - thanks for clarifying. I will attend to similar tweaks to my Heybrook when I have some free time (swamped with work at present). Not sure where you can get a headshell shim/weight for a Rega arm. Your local audio shop might be able to set that up for you. I'm sure a web search will turn up something. First step would be to figure out how much weight to actually add, so here is a good place to start: https://www.vinylengine.com/cartridg..._evaluator.php
It's the cartridge resonance evaluator -- plug in your tonearm effective mass (11.5g for the RB300), then cross-reference cart. compliance value and cart. mass (with fasteners) for the Denon, and see where you land. If in the yellow or orange zones, then a tweak would be in order. Calculate from there how much extra mass will bump you into the green. Easy-peasy. Any questions, let me know...

Best,
Svend

[alphaGT]

Back on the preamp, I just did a search in eBay from under a grand, and there are just so many great phono preamps to choose from. I saw the Bellari and the Pro-Ject tube box for under 400. And a Graham Slee Special Edition for 660. Even my Phonomena two box units around $750. And of course the Jolida in around those prices too. Once you’ve got your ‘table all tweaked out, you may wish to work your way back to the preamp. Make your upgrades to the arm, re wire, or adding the weight shim to the head? As noted previously, if you get a pre that does MM/MC, you can experiment with and without the SUT.

Your path to greater vinyl playback has many possibilities. Now you’ve got me wanting to experiment with better footing for my ‘table! My Scout has spike feet from the factory, I’ve given thought to making my own Cloud 9 platform for it. They must be good, I have never seen one used.

Russell

[Svend N]

+1 Good advice Russell. Alex is on the right path -- getting the fundamentals sorted with the deck itself, and then working out from there. Vinyl is a tweaker's delight , esp. these suspended belt drive decks. Gotta love 'em!

[walpurgis]

I owned the Bellari and the TubeBox SE at the same time. The TubeBox sounded dull next to the Bellari.

[magiccarpetride]

I owned the Bellari and the TubeBox SE at the same time. The TubeBox sounded dull next to the Bellari.

My only concern with Bellari is that its MM output is lower than other phono preamps.

[magiccarpetride]

+1 Good advice Russell. Alex is on the right path -- getting the fundamentals sorted with the deck itself, and then working out from there. Vinyl is a tweaker's delight , esp. these suspended belt drive decks. Gotta love 'em!

Next thing is I'm thinking ordering these: https://www.amazon.ca/Sorbothane-Hem.../dp/B003IMJ3S2

Phono preamps make my head hurt. What do you guys think about Nobsound Little Bear T11 6N2/12AX7 (https://www.amazon.ca/Nobsound-Littl...phono+preamp)?

[Svend N]

Not sure that Sorbothane feet are a good idea under a suspended deck. We've talked about that earlier in this thread. You've gone to the trouble of reducing vibration in the deck itself, but now you might put some jiggle back in by having it fight against the suspension. But hey, try a set and then try some cones and see which you like better. Whichever you don't end up using can go under another component - a CD player will benefit from either of these.

[walpurgis]

But hey, try a set and then try some cones and see which you like better

Yes. Sensible approach.

[Stratmangler]

you might put some jiggle back in by having it fight against the suspension

It's sorbethane, not jelly (jello to our cousins across the pond).
You're not going to get the sub-chassis rolling like a ship on the ocean.

The other things to bear in mind is vibration is generated by the TT, and softening its arrival in the supporting structure is not necessarily a bad thing.
The things is, personal taste comes into play with stuff like this, and you need to explore the various avenues for yourself and choose the options that work best for you.

Don't overthink things, just try the options and decide which ones you like best.

[magiccarpetride]

It's sorbethane, not jelly (jello to our cousins across the pond).
You're not going to get the sub-chassis rolling like a ship on the ocean.

The other things to bear in mind is vibration is generated by the TT, and softening its arrival in the supporting structure is not necessarily a bad thing.
The things is, personal taste comes into play with stuff like this, and you need to explore the various avenues for yourself and choose the options that work best for you.

Don't overthink things, just try the options and decide which ones you like best.

Quick update: I placed Systemdek on metal spikes and to be honest couldn't hear any notable difference in sound. Maybe, just maybe a bit more refined details, but I may be easily just imagining this.

Nothing like yesterday's full blown transformation after dampening with dynamate. But at least I didn't notice that the sound worsened, not even a little bit.

Time to try the sorbothane feet?