Does it really weigh 30kg!
And what has happened to the SPUGTE Marco?
Does it really weigh 30kg!
And what has happened to the SPUGTE Marco?
Barry
Just under, Barry. I think the last time it was weighed, it rolled in at 28.7kg... It's got multiple MASSIVE PSUs inside (individually regulated), which are large enough to grace most amplifiers! But that's one of the main reasons why it sounds so good.
I'm a great believer in quality (properly implemented) over-specced, fully-regulated, linear PSUs powering almost any piece of hi-fi equipment (digital or analogue), as opposed to something inferior, as for me it always produces the goods
The SPU was sold a long time ago, as it was somewhat of a superfluous luxury, and really best suited to jazz and classical music, which it positively excelled with. I need more of an 'all-rounder', so it went for a good price to someone who will appreciate it.
Also, and this doesn't apply to the SPU, but I'm just not really into very expensive MC cartridges, especially modern ones, as to my ears the vast majority of them disappoint and lack 'a certain something' that the best vintage ones deliver in spades, and also dislike the fear of snapping off a cantilever or damaging the stylus, when a replacement would be so expensive!
I'm much more into using cartridges that sound fantastic for the money (offer high SPPV), especially when sympathetically partnered and meticulously set-up on a good arm and T/T, and which are also relatively 'disposable', should the worst happen... Plus, and this is also key, my ears seem to be attuned to the sound of cartridges used for broadcasting purposes, and that's why I've always stuck with some form of Denon DL-103, and also why this Shure SC35C is hitting the spot.
You won't believe how good I've got this one sounding, having now 'nailed' how it likes being used [no amount of mass is too much mass, well, kind of], and having heard the HUGE difference a NOS Shure stylus makes to the sound of this cartridge. To be brutally honest, the sound I'm getting now from the Shure is arguably better than any SPU I've had, and for a mere fraction of the price... I kid you not!
The sheer 'fun/boogie factor' and rock-solid stability it delivers, in terms of never distorting or breaking up, no matter how demanding the music, the 'physicality' of the bass, beautifully open and fluid midrange and (surprisingly for a conical-tipped MM) sparkly and detailed highs (achieved as a result of the 0.6mm NOS stylus - the newer Shure ones are 0.7mm, which makes all the difference), I've rarely heard from almost ANY cartridge, never mind one that, until it was recently discontinued, sold for £60!!!
However, of course, I've shelled out for a NOS body and three NOS styli, which should see me out, and cost a few quid, but nothing like the investment required for a high-end MC. That said, at some point I would like to try to get an EMT XSD-15 working optimally on my arm, as that ticks the box in terms of having the requisite broadcasting heritage and associated rock-solid 'radio-friendly sound' that I love, so watch this space!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
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It's all still looking mega, Marco.
That totally enveloping sound is mega addictive isn't it?
Brilliant stuff.
Ultrafide U500DC power amplifier - Croft Vitale )highly modified) - TRIO L-07D Turntable - Denon DL103C1 - Funk Firm Houdini - Lentek MC head amp - 15" Tannoy Monitor Gold Loudspeakers in Lockwood Major cabinets (From Trident Studios) - Tannoyista SPEC 3 Custom Crossovers - VanDamme Black Speaker Cable
Tannoyista.com - Audio Equipment Reviews
Churz... The transport (or rather CDP I've turned into a transport) is none to shabby either, lol. I haven't posted any pics, as they came out way too dark. The player is black, with rosewood cheeks and sits right at the bottom of my rack, and yesterday the light was pretty bad, so here are a few pics from the web of ones exactly the same as mine:
More info here: http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-CDP-X777ES.html
And here it is featured as part of a 'stack system':
What a collection of components, eh? Just pant-wettingly gorgeous!! All Sony ES, from the days when they put every ounce of their money and know-how into designing 'cost no object' equipment - and yes my X-777ES, shown third from the bottom, was part of that. I can't imagine what that system would've cost new!
But yes, in conjunction with my DAS-R1 DAC *really* does show what CD can do, and I suspect few have heard.
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!
Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!
Hi Jo,
Cheers, yup. "Totally enveloping sound" is spot on. And yes, as you know, a big part of that comes from the sheer effortlessness of the copper amp/Lockwoods combo!
But, that's also what this SC35C cartridge is doing on my T/T, and making listening to vinyl more of a joy than ever... You know that feeling when you put on record after record, good recording or bad, and just simply sit back and relax into the music, knowing that the sound will always remain solid and stable and never 'break up'? Well, that's what I'm getting.
And that sense of consummate 'assuredness' just makes you want to rifle through all your records, regardless, rather than selecting ones that you know will sound good, which for me is what it's all about, and not always easily achieved!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!
Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!
Sorry Marcy boy, been up to mi pretty little neck in work - soz man.
Yeah, SP10, serviced and fine tuned by Angus,
It's a lovely thing. Doesn't have a sound if i am totally honest which is how it should be.
What you get is the perfect platform for which to showcase your cart/system, so neutrality in itself and of course that thing that really matters to you and I which is pin point timing - The music drives along with such great rhythm, pace and timing.
When I have nailed the cart/set up sweet-spot, I can only describe it is as the sheer delight of '*accurate' vinyl replay. *accurate as in the only true sense we can evaluate/determine which is when you here the individuality of each track, album, recording.... when your system resolves what is being played, properly...
That's probably the best way I can put it
My System:
Amplification - Sansui AU-alpha 707 DR
Turntable - Technics SP10 MK2-Technics EPA-250 Tonearm-Yannis Tome 423.5Plus tonearm cable-Eichmann KLEI Absolute Harmony plugs.
Ortofon Cadenza Black moving coil cartridge-Fritz Gyger S re-tip. Panzerholz plinth.
CDP - Pioneer PD-91
Speakers - Spendor D7 on Soundcare SuperSpikes
QED Silver Spiral speaker cable-airloc banana plugs
Mains - Ultra Pure silver plated un-switched socket-Missing link EPS 500 silver plated plugs-Hi-Fi Tuning gold plated silver ceramic 13 amp fuses
Nice one. Yeah, I know *exactly* what you mean, as it's fundamentally how any well-sorted direct-drive T/T reproduces music!
So how would you say your SP10 (which arm and cartridge do you have on it, and also plinth?) compares in that respect, and musically overall, with your heavily-modded Techy, which I think was pretty much identical to mine, certainly in terms of the MN bearing/base plate, ETP platter and all the Paul Hynes stuff?
We'll need to have a little shoot-out/bake-off when this Covid shite is over!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!
Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!
A great looking system Marco, bet it sounds great.
Listening is the act of aural discrimination and dissemination of sound, and accepting you get it wrong sometimes.
Analog Inputs: Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT & arm, Benz Micro LP-S, Michel Cusis MC, Goldring 2500 and Ortofon Rondo Blue cartridges, Hitachi FT5500 mk2 Tuner
Digital:- Marantz SA-KI Pearl CD player, RaspberryPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro, Buffalo NAS Drive
Amplification:- AudioValve Sunilda phono stage, Krell KSP-7B pre-amp, Krell KSA-80 power amp
Output: Wilson Benesch Vector speakers, KLH Ultimate One Headphones
Cables: Tellurium Q Ultra Black II RCA & Chord Epic 2 RCA, various speaker leads, & links
I think I am nearing audio nirvana, but don’t tell anyone.
Hanging?? In this heat it's all generally stuck to the side of my leg! Eff'd up weather aside I'm good thanks.
Apart from the addition of a 4K disc spinner / streamer (which is a considerable step up) the only real change to the system was something you could hear last time you were round. Namely, reattaching the broken solder on a cap to the tweeter, I must have broken it in my rush to get everything in place! It certainly offers an explanation as to why you could hear the balance was off.
Electrical and networking should be sorted in the next couple of weeks, then all I've really got to do is install a screen and wait for the dark nights to roll in.
Nothings happened in the listening room, it's all still in storage, been making the most of the weather, even though I don't really like it.
I'll be in touch.
Darren.
Listening Room.UNDER CONSTRUCTIONTurn Table. Garrard 401, Reso Mat, 2 Tier Slate Plinth, DIY Hadcock GH242, Nick G modded Lentek, Denon DL-103.
Pre Amp. Croft Super Micro2. Power Amps Quad 405 Mono Blocks.
Speakers. TBC
Home Cinema.UNDER CONSTRUCTIONDAC/Pre Amp. Denon AVC X3700H.BDP/Streamer. Panasonic DP-UB820EB / Apple TV4K.Display. Optoma UHD51 / DIY False Black Window Screen.
Power Amps. 2 x Nakamichi AVP1.
Front Speakers. DIY Baby Celestion Ditton 66. Surround Speakers. Celestion Ditton 11. Subwoofer. BK Electronics P12 300SB PR.
Old Gallery. http://theartofsound.net/forum/showt...-of-the-70%92s
Funny your using the SC35C I thought you'd stick with your SPU. Funnily enough I'm in the middle of modding my SC35C with a JICO top end jobbie. I've plonked it into a aluminium body and magnesium headshell. I'm still waiting for a few parts. I'll be trying it out on my 401.
SS
CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10
VALVE
PRE Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker