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JohnM
28-05-2011, 15:10
Hi folks!

Thanks to Duo-phonic got a replacement for me original SA-750D arm which had an armtube which was slightly off centre. Thankfully the new one is perfect.

Finally got it all set up and aligned properly yesterday afternoon and I have to say I am stunned how good it all sounds, not least because the AT95HE is a budget cartridge. It's really shockingly good for the price - It's tracked EVERYthing I've thrown at it so far. Female voices? Tried some Kate Bush - No problem! Massed orchestral crecendos? Mercury's 1812 played with no problem at all - not even a hint of strain or mistracking. Here's yer canon fire - no problem! Got anything else to sink my stylus into?! Rock - Bowie, Black Sabbath and Queen just rock out as they should. Each intrument easy to follow - no muddle. Orchestral, vocal AND rock?! The Moody Blues sounded sublime - in fact I played it through twice in a row I was so taken by the performance. Very natural (but not boring or clinical) sound. A real sense of unfettered power behind the performances (undoubtedly due to the idler drive). Extreme toe-tapping musicality.

Whilst I've never owned a mega high-end cartridge (and to be honest probably never will short of winning the lottery or discovering a rich relative!) I have had a Goldring G1042 (the most over-rated cartridge of all time in my humble opinion - never could get used to that caustic treble!), and a Denon 103R - which I loved - though I suspect it wasn't giving of its best as it was used in an Audio Origami fettled RB250 at the time, and I really don't think the Rega arms are ideal for this cartridge no matter how well modded they are **

The humble AT95HE has had me enjoying music from LP again far more than I did with those previous two cartridges. I used to find my attention wondering with the Goldring cartridge, and I'd inwardly tense towards the end of an LP and the dreaded IGD! (yes both were aligned properly too). The HE stylus on the AT95E just seems to sail through it with no problems at all. I was even listening to LPs with my headphones last night AND enjoying them from start to finish, something I've never done in the past. I just can't fault it - perhaps it lacks the 9th degree of ultimate detail, but it's just such good fun to listen to. That hyper-eliptical stylus really tracks nicely too. It has me wondering just how good it could sound with the Shibata LP Gear stylus :eek: The AT95HE seems to have a particularly good synergy with the Jelco arm.

VERY pleased I went for the Jelco and not another Rega - really is a superb tonearm and I'm extremely happy with it. It compliments the looks of the 401 and the cherry vineered plinth too. I've owned several Garrards in the past, and if I had a criticism of them it would be - as others have noted - that they can sound a little 'dark' and not quite so hot in the treble regions as they are in the mids and the bass (oh that lovely bass!!!). That being the case I decided not to use the fluid damping in the SA-750D arm as I thought it might accentuate that Garrard characteristic, and run the risk of 'over-damping' the sound. Seems to have been a good choice the Jelco and 401 seem like they were made for one another :cool:

So, I'm a very VERY happy chappy indeed - I've finally got a turntable system I am genuinely proud of! Once Image Shack is working again I'll post some pics of it in action.

- John



** That wasn't a slur on Audio Origami by the way who did an absolutely superb job with my Rega arm - I just don't think it was an ideal match for the 103R. J7 is a legend and an extremely helpful chap.

Wakefield Turntables
28-05-2011, 17:14
just had a read of your post mate, this put a smile on my face :), its nice when you get your system sorted!!

Marco
28-05-2011, 17:45
Hi John,


VERY pleased I went for the Jelco and not another Rega - really is a superb tonearm and I'm extremely happy with it. It compliments the looks of the 401 and the cherry vineered plinth too.


I've just one thing to say....... :worthless:

;)

I'm pleased for ya, though - all's well that ends well!

Marco.

JohnM
28-05-2011, 17:53
I knoowwww I knowwww! Image shite appears to be down though :steam:

Rest assured I'll have pics up as soon as possible.

Cheers - very happy with it indeed :lol:

- J

JohnM
28-05-2011, 17:55
just had a read of your post mate, this put a smile on my face :), its nice when you get your system sorted!!

Cheers - yep often you end up happy with an upgrade but there's usually something that you feel could be better (at least that's usually what happens with me) but I really am chuffed with how its sounding.

Will be hitting garage sales and charity shops for my vinyl fix with a vengeance now :lol:

Audioman
28-05-2011, 18:18
Whilst I've never owned a mega high-end cartridge (and to be honest probably never will short of winning the lottery or discovering a rich relative!) I have had a Goldring G1042 (the most over-rated cartridge of all time in my humble opinion - never could get used to that caustic treble!),
The humble AT95HE has had me enjoying music from LP again far more than I did with those previous two cartridges. I used to find my attention wondering, particularly with the Goldring cartridge, and I'd inwardly tense towards the end of an LP and the dreaded IGD! (yes both were aligned properly too). The HE stylus on the AT95E just seems to sail through it with no problems at all.

John. Having used the earlier AT95 as a long term stop gap some years ago I concur it is great value and surprisingly able. However it is rather unrefined when compared to better cartridges. I replaced it with a 1042 which I found to be a revelation in comparison. This realy is a good cartridge in the right context. It was used with a Linn Axis and Basic+ arm to which it was very well suited. I did not suffer from harsh treble or IGD. Frankly it was an excellent tracker. I wonder if recent production is as good. Also when I purchased it the price was £90. At its current price maybe it does not meet expectations so well.

JohnM
28-05-2011, 18:43
When I purchased the 1042 it was £200, and that was about 6 years back now I'd guess. I agree it was good at tracking, but that strident treble seemed - in my setup(s) at least - to accentuate any groove damage that had been done in the past by other users/carts particularly on the inner grooves. Perhaps if I'd had nothing but perfect condition vinyl I wouldn't have noticed so much? As it is both the 103R and the AT95HE made music far more enjoyable to me across a wide variety of different quality vinyl.

I only used the 1042 in my modified Rega arm, so perhaps I am not being entirely fair to the Goldring. Perhaps it would have sounded better in my current Jelco arm.

I'm very familiar with how the AT95E sounds with the stock stylus - a lot of fun, but a tad 'plasticy' sounding at times. Good with Rock but not so hot on classical. The HE stylus really has improved it immensely - it really shouldn't sound this good!!! :lolsign:

I can see myself staying with it to be honest just to see what can be squeezed out of it with the LP Gear Shibata stylus. It's also nice knowing that when time comes to replace the stylus it won't cost an arm & a leg. There's also something nice and subversive about using a cart that many audiophiles would turn their noses up at too due to the cheap nature of the cart ;)

Listening to a Decca pressing of Solti conducting Bartok's Mandarin suite as I type this, and I'm having a hard time believing it's the AT95 producing these fantastic sounds :)

chris@panteg
28-05-2011, 20:22
John , are you out of your mind , using such a cheapskate cart ! I mean i wouldn't dream of using myself, oh balls i do use one , it is good ! Enjoy ,

DSJR
28-05-2011, 20:30
Many thanks, a modern cartridge/stylus combo which should show a Goldring G800 a clean pair of heels :D

The 1042 worked well in a Planar 3/RB300 and I suspect having the arm appear slightly tail down at the rear may have helped this. Having the arm slightly up may have emphasised that "over-etched" treble I heard with the 1042 in other decks.

Marco
28-05-2011, 20:44
Many thanks, a modern cartridge/stylus combo which should show a Goldring G800 a clean pair of heels :D


Erm...not the ones I've listened to (save the top Nagaokas, costing plenty!) ;)

It depends whether you can put up with the over-emphasised treble and thin tone of most modern cartridges - count me out!! :spew:

Marco.

DSJR
28-05-2011, 20:48
Your Tannoys have too much treble, not modern cartridges methinks ;)

Marco
28-05-2011, 20:58
BULL! :lol:

;)

In actuality, the Lockwood (Tannoys) are extremely neutral and revealing monitors (and have been voiced that way in purpose with the modern hi-grade crossovers I'm using) - that's why I love them! The fact is, they let the music speak for itself and add very little character of their own. Ask anyone here who's heard them in my system...

Marco.

P.S Regarding cartridges, results are also the same in other systems I've heard. I just can't stand the thin, toppy, sound of most modern cartridges. We've been here before, mate.

kcc123
28-05-2011, 21:16
Many thanks, a modern cartridge/stylus combo which should show a Goldring G800 a clean pair of heels :D

The 1042 worked well in a Planar 3/RB300 and I suspect having the arm appear slightly tail down at the rear may have helped this. Having the arm slightly up may have emphasised that "over-etched" treble I heard with the 1042 in other decks.

I think the opposite is true, some of my vintage MM/MI cartridges, for examples, the Sonus Gold Blue, Technics 205 mk3/mk4, Empire 2000 mk4, ADC TRX2, Ortofon M20FL Super and Signet TK7E etc. are simply better than most of the modern competitors. :lol:

Marco
28-05-2011, 21:24
You tell him, mate - modern is most certainly not always best in MANY areas of audio! ;)

Marco.

kcc123
28-05-2011, 21:31
Well, I concur, but does Dave? :)

Marco
28-05-2011, 21:37
Who cares? He's just a big dafteeee! :lol:

Marco.

Moko
28-05-2011, 22:14
How come you didn't go for the 750L the 12" version of the Jelco, now that really would have matched your 401?

Alex_UK
28-05-2011, 22:31
Hi John, glad your 401 is hitting the spot. I tried an AT95 for a little while with my 401/SME3009II Improved and was really pleased with it. Perhaps I should qualify "a little while" - 22 years! :lol: Look forward to seeing the pictures of the plinth/arm combo - might give me the kick up the butt I need to get mine sorted! :)

JohnM
28-05-2011, 22:54
How come you didn't go for the 750L the 12" version of the Jelco, now that really would have matched your 401?

1) I didn't want a huge plinth.

2) I could barely afford the 9" version...

JohnM
28-05-2011, 22:59
Hi John, glad your 401 is hitting the spot. I tried an AT95 for a little while with my 401/SME3009II Improved and was really pleased with it. Perhaps I should qualify "a little while" - 22 years! :lol: Look forward to seeing the pictures of the plinth/arm combo - might give me the kick up the butt I need to get mine sorted! :)

It definitely is - been listening to records all day, and now have the headphones on :lolsign:

22 years - well I think that says it all :lolsign: Mine must be about 20 years old coming to think of it, which I do. I was never happy with it in my 'yuff', though that's more to do with the cheap Dual CS503 I was using at the time and the energy it threw back into the useless arm. It was only a few months back I remembered I had it after reading about the HE stylus. For the price it's true audiophile bargain - I would still like another 103R at some point - when funds permit - but I'm far happier with this turbo-charged AT95 then I thought possible :)

- J

DSJR
29-05-2011, 09:47
I think the opposite is true, some of my vintage MM/MI cartridges, for examples, the Sonus Gold Blue, Technics 205 mk3/mk4, Empire 2000 mk4, ADC TRX2, Ortofon M20FL Super and Signet TK7E etc. are simply better than most of the modern competitors. :lol:

The Sonus Blue was a very variable cartridge (I have a mint one) with a treble inclined to take off if one isn't careful, although the mid is excellent. The Gold blue was even worse I understand - Colloms did test a number of samples at the time, not just one. The Techie 205 III is one I wrongly maligned in my Flat-Earth days and wish I'd liberated the headshell version we had in the drawer for fifteen years. The M20 FL Super (and the lovely [in an SME "Improved" type E Super) is a firm favourite and I love mine - needs a massy arm IMO.

Which "modern" cartridges are we talking about here? The AT120E isn't thin toned I find, although some may dislike a badly set up AT440MLa possibly, the cheaper Grado's are dull and soporific as ditchwater (the cheapest is the most entertaining), Stantons and Pickerings are great value and I suspect that if the current Ortofons build on the 500/Vinyl master series, they won't be harsh either. Modern moving coils like the AT's and some Dynavectors may be a bit lean for some, but have any of you asked a cutting engineer how many classic records were eq'd when they were made? maybe they took some bass down (they did) because of the fruity pickups that played them.

Me? I'll stick to me Microscanner Decca thanks very much. It's head and shoulders above most others, including the current Gold IMO - I'll be comparing them in the Summer with any luck ;)

chris@panteg
29-05-2011, 10:13
I think the fact that Dave using a Decca and loving it speaks for itself , hardly a modern design ;)

The 205 mk3 is one the best cartridge's I've heard in my own system , i loved the Decca super gold i heard round at Dougie Dunlop's place ! God i do miss that guy :( , thoroughly enjoyed the SPU in Richard Dunn's PL71 .


I must say I'm so pleased that John's loving the AT95HE :)

Marco
29-05-2011, 10:28
I think the fact that Dave using a Decca and loving it speaks for itself , hardly a modern design ;)


:lolsign:

Oh the irony!

Marco.

JohnM
29-05-2011, 10:38
The 205 mk3 is one the best cartridge's I've heard in my own system

I owned the P-mount version of the 205Mk3 and managed to get a NOS Mk4 stylus for it off of Amazon of all places last year for £25!!! It was an utterly sublime sounding cartridge and I would have loved to have heard it on the Jelco/Garrard. Unfortunately I swapped the Technics cart along with my Technics SL-10 linear tracker to get my current Garrard 401 :lol:

chris@panteg
29-05-2011, 10:49
I owned the P-mount version of the 205Mk3 and managed to get a NOS Mk4 stylus for it off of Amazon of all places last year for £25!!! It was an utterly sublime sounding cartridge and I would have loved to have heard it on the Jelco/Garrard. Unfortun me feel ately I swapped the Technics cart along with my Technics SL-10 linear tracker to get my current Garrard 401 :lol:

Oh my , now you're making me feel ill lol , as you may know i have a QL1 in my 2nd system and i guess I'm fortunate enough not to need to sell it , Richard brought a 205 for me to try and well there's no need to say anything really :)

Are you thinking of getting the Shibata for the 95 in the long term then , something i might go for myself as after some poor setting up :rolleyes: I'm starting to like it a lot :)

JohnM
29-05-2011, 11:13
Oh my , now you're making me feel ill lol , as you may know i have a QL1 in my 2nd system and i guess I'm fortunate enough not to need to sell it , Richard brought a 205 for me to try and well there's no need to say anything really :)

Are you thinking of getting the Shibata for the 95 in the long term then , something i might go for myself as after some poor setting up :rolleyes: I'm starting to like it a lot :)

Lovely cart - sigh!

Yes I think I will - If you'd told me I'd be stunned by a AT95 with a different stylus a few weeks back I would have politely told you to stop 'having a giraffe' hahaha! I think I will go for the Shibata in a few more months, yes - it's such an involving & enjoyable sound with the HE I can only imagine that extra few percent of detail which the shibata would excavate would really turn the AT95 into something very special indeed. I love the punch of the AT95HE as well - kick drums on rock really...er... kick! You can feel it as well as hear it?

Image shack is still down - grrrrrrr! Might have to join up with Photo Bucket to get my system pics up.

chris@panteg
29-05-2011, 11:26
John , the thing i like about the 95HE is that is doesn't seem to draw attention to itself like the 1042 for example with that peaky and stingy top end ;) it was incredibly detailed though , and much thanks and gratitude to Strat for lending it to me (top bloke) .

What about phono stage's john , are you happy enough with what you have or considering anything ? I'm thinking in the long term of getting a nice valve stage to go in my other system , either the Croft or the Puresound P10 i feel , good though the onboard Yammy is , its a little shy of gain and i want to hear my P22/Jicosas going into a decent valve phono :)

JohnM
29-05-2011, 11:42
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who didn't get on with the Goldring - most disappointing item of Hi-Fi I ever bought to be honest. The amount of time I wasted trying to get that thing to sing & all along I had the AT95e sitting unloved in a drawer for 20 years :doh:

Due to a pesky long-term illness I'm not currently working, so new items of Hi-Fi are only possible from selling others. I was using a Trichord Dino+ which I was impressed with, but after hearing the built-in phono stage on my vintage Sony TA-F6B amp it just pasted the Trichord. So that went and I'm quite happy using the built-in one for now. The amp was built around 1978-80, when the Japanese were at their zenith of amp design and - I guess - vinyl was the no.1 source, so it's a quality phono stage. Once I'm well and earning full-time again I probably will look into a valve phono stage, but to be honest I'll then be saving in earnest to get onto the property ladder. This system is going to have to be it for a good many years now. Still there's always DIY ;)

chris@panteg
29-05-2011, 11:58
Glad to hear I'm not the only one who didn't get on with the Goldring - most disappointing item of Hi-Fi I ever bought to be honest. The amount of time I wasted trying to get that thing to sing & all along I had the AT95e sitting unloved in a drawer for 20 years :doh:

Due to a pesky long-term illness I'm not currently working, so new items of Hi-Fi are only possible from selling others. I was using a Trichord Dino+ which I was impressed with, but after hearing the built-in phono stage on my vintage Sony TA-F6B amp it just pasted the Trichord. So that went and I'm quite happy using the built-in one for now. The amp was built around 1978-80, when the Japanese were at their zenith of amp design and - I guess - vinyl was the no.1 source, so it's a quality phono stage. Once I'm well and earning full-time again I probably will look into a valve phono stage, but to be honest I'll then be saving in earnest to get onto the property ladder. This system is going to have to be it for a good many years now. Still there's always DIY ;)

I seem to remember reading about your Sony amp on another forum ? Nice find and i think i will keep my eyes on eBay for something like that ;) some of the old Technics amps from the early 80's might be worth a try .

Hope you get back into work soon .

JohnM
29-05-2011, 12:24
It's a lovely amp: http://www.thevintageknob.org/sony-TA-F6B.html

I got VERY lucky - TonyL (Pink Fish Media) kindly offered it to me for the price of postage and a donation to a cause of his choice. It was sold as non-working and I had quite an adventure getting it back into working condition again:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/solid-state/181121-sony-ta-f6b-psu-repair.html

It was well worth the effort and it's not leaving my system anytime soon :lolsign:. I've owned a VTA driver boarded Dynaco ST70 (which I built from scratch); a Greg Ball GB150D (DIY again and quite superb); a Naim 72/140 (plus a DIY clone of a 180 which I made myself); Quad IIs; Various Gainclones and Tripath amps - the Sony beat them all. I still have to recap the audio sections too (PSU sections already done) so it'll sound even better still once that fiddly task is complete.

Can't beat the vintage gear :)

Very happy with my system now - even with its cheap Mission speakers - and the only thing I'd still love to own is a Technics SP-10. That'll have to remain a pipe dream for the time being though ;)

chris@panteg
29-05-2011, 12:33
My mate John had a TA-70 back in the late 70's , not an amp he remembers with much fondness though .

JohnM
29-05-2011, 12:34
Yep not one of their greatest from what I remember :lolsign:

DSJR
29-05-2011, 12:59
Just 'cos it was made in the 70's doesn't guarantee it'll be good. Most of the audio stuff then really was junk and easily bettered by decent modern stuff IMO. There were some true bargains out there though and some of the receivers were superb.

Marco
29-05-2011, 13:36
And many of the speakers and turntables! ;)

Whilst I agree with you about some 70s equipment, experience also tells me that some of it just needs to be used within the framework of modern high quality components, in order to release its full (latent) potential, where it will then shine and be heard like it never was when first made....

Witness the results I've achieved with the Celestions, and cartridges such as the G800. One of the biggest problems back then was (in general) how crap things like preamps and phono stages were, compared to what's available today.

Also, apart from that, one of the things which often makes the biggest difference is how said 70s kit reacts when used with the huge advances these days in the quality of ancillary items, such as cables (mains and signal) and specialist equipment supports, and the judicious upgrading of internal components, thus removing much of the bloat and 'murkiness' which held back its performance in ye good old days...

Marco.

JohnM
29-05-2011, 13:43
DSJR: With all due respect, the TA-F6B wasn't one of those 70s junkers in either build, design or sound quality. It replaced all the amps I mentioned on the last page and after 5+ months of intensive listening to it I'm still over the moon. Often after a month or so the honeymoon period can begin to wain with some equipment, and you start to notice the flaws, but I continue to be impressed with the Sony. Not only is it a superb amp, but it also contains a very nice MM/MC phono stage as well as a headphone amp too. All punch to a similarly high standard.

The rise of the internet and Hi-Fi forums has been a real boon to the enthusiast, as - over time - and due to the sheer millions of people posting their experiences, one can quite easily sort out the wheat from the chaff in terms of vintage equipment. I'd have 'walked on by' the TA-F6B if it wasn't for reading about them on Audio Karma, and then seeing the prices they're being sold for on the German Ebay site (it were always a popular design over there). They never did well here as it was the early 80s and the Hi-Fi press were well into their Linn/Naim 'Jap is crap' mentality.

Anyways I shall shut up about the TA-F6B - I don't want to raise their Ebay prices over here (you can still see them for around £150) and I would like to buy a spare at some point :eyebrows:

- John

Marco
29-05-2011, 13:58
The rise of the internet and Hi-Fi forums has been a real boon to the enthusiast, as - over time - and due to the sheer millions of people posting their experiences, one can quite easily sort out the wheat from the chaff in terms of vintage equipment.


Hear, hear John! It's a main part of the raison d'être of AoS :)

We take no greater pleasure than highlighting and showcasing the potential 'giant-killers' from the vintage audio scene, for the benefit of members (and 'lurkers'), interested in achieving the highest SPPV, much to the chagrin and annoyance of those who, for biased commercial reasons, perpetrate the myth that 'new is automatically best' :rolleyes: :eyebrows:

Marco.

JohnM
29-05-2011, 14:09
Hear, hear John! It's a main part of the raison d'être of AoS :)

We take no greater pleasure than highlighting and showcasing the potential 'giant-killers' from the vintage audio scene, for the benefit of members (and 'lurkers'), interested in achieving the highest SPPV, much to the chagrin and annoyance of those who, for biased commercial reasons, perpetrate the myth that 'new is automatically best' :rolleyes: :eyebrows:

Marco.

Agreed-cubed :lolsign: I've never understood the 'newer is better' mentality. After-all, the ultimate arbiter of whether something sounds good or not is the real thing, a live band or orchestra, or vocalist etc. If something sounded reasonably close to that in the 70s, and assuming it's still working to spec (important point, that! Caps do age badly) it will still sound just as close to the real thing 30+ years later. Of course modern manufacturers need to sell product, and the magazines need to provide a foundation for this in their own ways, but to the enthusiast who is willing to search out, and purchase second(or more!) hand there's bargains to be had that absolutely paste many modern rivals.

Anyways, Image Shack is finally playing ball - huzzahhhh! Here's some pictures of my modest Garrard setup at last:

http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/2103/401ce.th.jpg (http://img41.imageshack.us/i/401ce.jpg/)

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/589/401b.th.jpg (http://img542.imageshack.us/i/401b.jpg/)

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/507/401av.th.jpg (http://img21.imageshack.us/i/401av.jpg/)

Audioman
29-05-2011, 14:48
Can't disagree more re AT95 v Goldring. My experience at the time was with an Audiolab 8000A through which the Goldring was far superior. I would describe it as detailed but certainly not stringy treble. Obviousy some prefer the more coloured presentation of some vintage gear with rounded of treble. Strangely I thought the AT95 treble to be rather course and unrefined. I always remember those late 70's/80's Sony amps as being generaly regarded as pants back in the day. ;)

Marco
29-05-2011, 14:56
Hi Paul,


Obviousy some prefer the more coloured presentation of some vintage gear with rounded of treble...


Who would that be, then? Certainly no-one on here, I wouldn't think! :)

Marco.

JohnM
29-05-2011, 15:12
Can't disagree more re AT95 v Goldring. My experience at the time was with an Audiolab 8000A through which the Goldring was far superior. I would describe it as detailed but certainly not stringy treble. Obviousy some prefer the more coloured presentation of some vintage gear with rounded of treble. Strangely I thought the AT95 treble to be rather course and unrefined. I always remember those late 70's/80's Sony amps as being generaly regarded as pants back in the day. ;)

Thanks for coming into my thread solely to piss on my gear mate - much appreciated :mental:

Marco
29-05-2011, 15:49
Indeed... That was a bit bitchy, Paul!

Marco.

JohnM
29-05-2011, 16:32
Indeed... That was a bit bitchy, Paul!

Marco.

That's the one thing I dislike about Hi-Fi forums - there's often someone lurking who takes delight in putting down whatever gear one might own, because of course theirs is so superior and/or expensive. Some people must have very fragile ego's to want to barge into someone elses thread and put their gear down - C'est le vie.

All that concerns me is good sound - I couldn't care less about status symbols or price tags. Music first, gear second, and whatever works :cool:

In my somewhat brief career as a Hi-Fi reviewer, I listened to a lot of rather pricey gear - much of it left me stone cold in terms of musical enjoyment. It was something of an ear opener to put it mildly. My current system - modest though it is to many - gives me a heck of a lot of bang for the buck, and sod ya if you don't like it :ner:

Marco
29-05-2011, 16:47
I wholeheartedly agree, John, but lets see what Paul's motivation was when making those remarks, which I'm sure he'll give on his next visit. Sometimes people have a rather strange sense of humour! ;)

Marco.

Alex_UK
29-05-2011, 17:32
Looks great John. Did you get the wall mount made specially, or was it the other way round - the plinth to match the shelf? Is that Cherry veneer? And does Russ cut the hole for the Jelco for you? Mine would have to be closed underneath, due to little fingers, and I'm intending on having the plinth recessed so the base of the motor unit is flush, but otherwise I'll be after something similar. Top work all round, just ignore the naysayers... :rolleyes:

DSJR
29-05-2011, 18:20
DSJR: With all due respect, the TA-F6B wasn't one of those 70s junkers in either build, design or sound quality. - John

I don't think I mentioned that the above amp was rubbish and I apologise if you took it that way. I was thinking of some of the earlier ones which had audible crossover(and other) distortion and poor phono stages, although some of these redeemed themselves on their line inputs when CD came along.

What I MEANT to suggest was that if you look at the ranges from the likes of Sony, Technics, Pioneer, Trio, JVC and others, you'll see litterally hundreds of models that changed every year for good and bad, so be selective ;)

Audioman
29-05-2011, 20:10
Indeed... That was a bit bitchy, Paul!

Marco.

Not being bitchy. Just pointing out AT95 is not the ultimate cartridge and that John is unfairly pissing on the Goldring 1042. Of course John's AT95 is an improved version which he is obviously very happy with. So I am very happy for him too. :lolsign: His other choices in equipment are fine by me.

DSJR
29-05-2011, 20:39
I have an AT95E with new standard stylus. I wouldn't say this one's rough, just a bit ballsy and a little soft up top and with slightly iffy tracking if it's pushed. I know that some AT's improve with some running and I haven't done this to be fair. In fact the main thing I hear with it is the slightly crude standard stylus, which I'm sure would dramatically improve with an HE or Shibata style tip. The basic body can obviously take superior stylus profiles and that's great to know IMO.

Audioman
29-05-2011, 21:30
Googled the 95HE and realised it is an upgrade by LP Gear in the states. It is rather more expensive than standard at $70+. A fair comparison would be against AT440mla or Denon 160. With the spec and pricing I wouldn't be surprised if soundwise it wasn't that far behind Goldring 1042. Just I never encountered the treble issues others complain of with the Goldring. It is usualy described as mellow in comparison to the new 2000 series.

John I am not being snobby because I have a better cartridge. I greatly prefer MC to MM (even the 1042). Happy to pay for a decent one but would avoid the mega expensive due to replacement costs. The AT I use was bought from DC when he still had them for £200+ on ebay. I think some of the better MM incl Goldring 1042 are now well overpriced.

JohnM
29-05-2011, 22:38
Looks great John. Did you get the wall mount made specially, or was it the other way round - the plinth to match the shelf? Is that Cherry veneer? And does Russ cut the hole for the Jelco for you? Mine would have to be closed underneath, due to little fingers, and I'm intending on having the plinth recessed so the base of the motor unit is flush, but otherwise I'll be after something similar. Top work all round, just ignore the naysayers... :rolleyes:

Haha it was the other way around ;) As with so much hi-fi it was born of a need to get something that'd work, and work well, BUT fit my miniscule budget. I've had that Sound Organisation wall shelf for about 20 years now (yikes!). Wanted a nice plinth for the 401 but couldn't afford one of the weightier affairs, so decided upon half a weighty plinth, resting atop that rack on four tiny rubber 'decouplers' (he says trying to turn a tiny homebase rubber cupboard door stopper into something fancy ;) ).

Reasoned that for all its fancy-ness, the Loricraft plinth is just a 25mm MDF top plate, resting on 4 yellow-dot squash balls. It only looks solid due to its surround. So I figured a solid 50mm plywood top-plate atop that wall mounted rack would be pretty good also. I'd actually put that to the test a while back when I mounted my 301 (ahhhh I miss ya!) to a 20mm thick IKEA chopping board and put that atop the Sound Organisation rack so I know it worked. It's screwed into the outside wall so it's all very firm/secure and sinks that Garrard energy well.

Yes it's cherry veneer, and Ross cut all the holes for me (sent him a PDF with the measurements). I've designed it so that at a later date another 50mm thick bottom-half can always be added to turn it into a 'stand alone' design so it's pretty versatile. I'd love to try a slate plinth too since if you shop around you can get them for around £250 but that will have to wait until I'm working again.

All that's left to do at the moment is to spray paint that Sound Organistion wall shelf the same colour as the painted parts on the Jelco tonearm - a sort of Quad II grey. Hopefully that should tie the whole kit 'n' caboodle together a little better visually.

JohnM
29-05-2011, 22:43
Googled the 95HE and realised it is an upgrade by LP Gear in the states. It is rather more expensive than standard at $70+. A fair comparison would be against AT440mla or Denon 160. With the spec and pricing I wouldn't be surprised if soundwise it wasn't that far behind Goldring 1042. Just I never encountered the treble issues others complain of with the Goldring. It is usualy described as mellow in comparison to the new 2000 series.

John I am not being snobby because I have a better cartridge. I greatly prefer MC to MM (even the 1042). Happy to pay for a decent one but would avoid the mega expensive due to replacement costs. The AT I use was bought from DC when he still had them for £200+ on ebay. I think some of the better MM incl Goldring 1042 are now well overpriced.

Fair enough - but I never did manage to get the 1042 to sing in my particular setup, and I did try on and off over a 5 year period with it. Again perhaps the RB250 arm wasn't the best match for it, or whatever phono stage I was using at the time (can't remember now) perhaps accentuated that treble. I imagine with a valve phono stage it would have perhaps gelled in my system a little better. Back when it was £90 it was obviously good value, but I think it's something like £250 now? I think there's plenty of carts around now at that price point and below that are just as good/better.

I'm not proclaiming the AT95HE is the be all and end all by any length, but in my system and with my taste in music it's proved to be more subjectively enjoyable that the 1042 by quite a long stretch. It was always meant to be a stop-gap, but I'm enjoying it so much - and that REALLY took me by surprise - that I'm tempted to see how far it can be pushed with a Shibata stylus and perhaps a few little mods. I think one of the Clearaudio carts is based on the AT95 body too?

JohnM
29-05-2011, 22:50
I don't think I mentioned that the above amp was rubbish and I apologise if you took it that way. I was thinking of some of the earlier ones which had audible crossover(and other) distortion and poor phono stages, although some of these redeemed themselves on their line inputs when CD came along.

What I MEANT to suggest was that if you look at the ranges from the likes of Sony, Technics, Pioneer, Trio, JVC and others, you'll see litterally hundreds of models that changed every year for good and bad, so be selective ;)

Oh yeah I agree there was a LOT of dross around then too, but that's always been the case in any Hi-Fi era. What I meant to convey was that at the higher end of the price ranges much of the Japanese stuff of that era was really good, and has passed the test of time. The TA-F6B retailed at $650 in 1978, so in today's notes that's approx. £1400 - not bad for the £25 I got it for ;)

chris@panteg
30-05-2011, 00:28
Oh yeah I agree there was a LOT of dross around then too, but that's always been the case in any Hi-Fi era. What I meant to convey was that at the higher end of the price ranges much of the Japanese stuff of that era was really good, and has passed the test of time. The TA-F6B retailed at $650 in 1978, so in today's notes that's approx. £1400 - not bad for the £25 I got it for ;)

Well John ,you've got me thinking of trying a vintage Jap amp :) There is a Techy SU-7200 for sale here in Banbury , any good ?

JohnM
30-05-2011, 10:19
Howdy Chris!

Might be worth a punt if the price is lowww, but according to a post here it was a the bottom of the line so I'd be inclined to pass it by:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=269121

Nice looking though!

- John

DSJR
30-05-2011, 10:58
Well John ,you've got me thinking of trying a vintage Jap amp :) There is a Techy SU-7200 for sale here in Banbury , any good ?

These SU 7200/7600 came after the VAT hike, which drained the industry for a few years and prevented much of the better stuff coming to the UK. The 7600 wasn't bad I remember and I'm sure the 7200 by now will have run in (:lol:) and sound ok. the feel of these controls etc was very satisfying. "My" Technics amps were the SU-3500, 8800 (or was it 8080, I can't remember)...

Sony V-FET's need some remedial work (to prevent major and costly blowups), but the TA-5650 was and still is a valvey sounding delight. The rare (in the UK) 8650 was amazing and in the US, there was even a 4650 I understand. Wasn't the TAN9 (or similar number) a V-FET too?

Sorry for the thread drift.

JohnM
30-05-2011, 11:14
These SU 7200/7600 came after the VAT hike, which drained the industry for a few years and prevented much of the better stuff coming to the UK. The 7600 wasn't bad I remember and I'm sure the 7200 by now will have run in (:lol:) and sound ok. the feel of these controls etc was very satisfying. "My" Technics amps were the SU-3500, 8800 (or was it 8080, I can't remember)...

Sony V-FET's need some remedial work (to prevent major and costly blowups), but the TA-5650 was and still is a valvey sounding delight. The rare (in the UK) 8650 was amazing and in the US, there was even a 4650 I understand. Wasn't the TAN9 (or similar number) a V-FET too?

Sorry for the thread drift.

You mean this one?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Sony-TA-N7B-Amplifier-V-Fet-/400190471175

Check that price - madness! Especially in that condition...

I'd still like one though :eyebrows:

DSJR
30-05-2011, 11:21
OOOOHHHHHHHH - that pair would have been superb I think..

I think there was a "9" integrated from memory..

5650's tended to go for around a ton in good nick, but fleabay prices have gone berserk in recent times :(

JohnM
30-05-2011, 11:28
fleabay prices have gone berserk in recent times :(

Tell me about it - my dream-deck (a Technics SP-10) is now even more unattainable now thanks to rocketing collector prices :rolleyes:

I love my 401 dearly, but the SP-10 is that one deck which would gladly have me selling it on.

Rare Bird
30-05-2011, 11:29
These SU 7200/7600 came after the VAT hike, which drained the industry for a few years and prevented much of the better stuff coming to the UK. The 7600 wasn't bad I remember and I'm sure the 7200 by now will have run in (:lol:) and sound ok. the feel of these controls etc was very satisfying. "My" Technics amps were the SU-3500, 8800 (or was it 8080, I can't remember)...



'SU-7300'/'SU-7600' for me :eyebrows:

chris@panteg
02-06-2011, 21:53
Tell me about it - my dream-deck (a Technics SP-10) is now even more unattainable now thanks to rocketing collector prices :rolleyes:

I love my 401 dearly, but the SP-10 is that one deck which would gladly have me selling it on.

Hi John

Have you noticed any balance problems with your 95HE ? You see I've got a bit of a problem with mine , at first i thought it was my poor setting up ,azimuth etc , then i checked my cartridge leads and although they are a little the worse for wear but still ok , i swapped the leads over at the cartridge pins and its gone from being stronger in the R/H channel to the L/H channel , so it must be the cartridge , the thing is i could handle a subtle shift , but this is quite a big difference .

Very frustrating and I'm starting to wonder why the feck am i bothering with vinyl for when its like this :scratch: Thank god for my QL1 .

JohnM
03-06-2011, 14:45
Hi John

Have you noticed any balance problems with your 95HE ? You see I've got a bit of a problem with mine , at first i thought it was my poor setting up ,azimuth etc , then i checked my cartridge leads and although they are a little the worse for wear but still ok , i swapped the leads over at the cartridge pins and its gone from being stronger in the R/H channel to the L/H channel , so it must be the cartridge , the thing is i could handle a subtle shift , but this is quite a big difference .

Very frustrating and I'm starting to wonder why the feck am i bothering with vinyl for when its like this :scratch: Thank god for my QL1 .

I sympathise Chris - I was having several 'now I remember why CD is so convenient' moments this week, and was apologising to my Shigaclone CD player for ever considering abandoning it hahaha!

Afraid I haven't got any balance problems with my AT95HE, so I guess it your cartridge. One thing I did notice with the HE stylus though, the fit isn't exactly a tight one. Have you tried taking the stylus out, and back in again? It might be over to one side just enough to create a channel imbalance perhaps. Some have suggested gluing the assembly to the cartridge, but that's a bit too OTT for me.

The problems I had this week were the cartridge suddenly sounding really dull and plodding, after being over the moon with it initially. Got me worrying if it was the cart or the arm or the 401! I tried re-doing the azimuth and VTA and all that to no avail so was starting to think I'd just imagined the good sound. Treble was suddenly quite course and vocals didn't sound great on some material. Today it's all sounding fine again so I guess that's the infamous cartridge burn-in in action? I'd say I've got about 40 hours on it now which I've since read is about right for cartridges to settle down.

Anyway I hope you manage to solve the cartridge problem - I don't recall hearing your samples sounding unbalanced, but might be worth looking at them in a sound editing program?

What are you tracking it at? After experimenting a bit I found the recommended 2gm was optimum, and slightly under that for bias.

- John

chris@panteg
04-06-2011, 08:16
Thanks for the reply John , mine sounded dull and flat ! But after about 50 hours , its not an issue .

It does'nt always seem glaringly obvious , but i can hear the imbalance quite easily , and checking with audacity confirms it , i will refit the stylus like you suggested , and some new cartridge leads , see what happens.

JohnM
04-06-2011, 09:32
P.S. If you have the original AT95 stylus still might be worth checking for channel imbalance with that too.

Hope it's something simple.

- J

chris@panteg
04-06-2011, 10:53
P.S. If you have the original AT95 stylus still might be worth checking for channel imbalance with that too.

Hope it's something simple.

- J

I don't have the original stylus , i bought the cartridge from LPgear with the HE stylus ready to go !

Its the first AT95 i have ever used :) god i hope it is something simple like the leads , although the cartridge hardly broke the bank , at the moment the headshell and cartridge are off the 309 and i won't be able to sort it out this weekend , my mate John is getting married in a few weeks so this afternoon we are going for a jolly in Oxford , in search of fine beverage:cool:

Tomorrow i have 3 doors to sand and paint , but for my vinyl fix i have the SL-QL1 performing brilliantly in my other system , i know most people can just about afford one decent TT but its so handy having a good 2nd deck like this .

DSJR
04-06-2011, 13:57
Cheap AT's do sometimes have channel balance issues, as the cantilever-magnet assembly can be subtly twisted in the plastic mount, thus making the magnets slightly offset. Worth a look and if this appears to be so, send back for exchange. Getting a spare empty 95 body wouldn't hurt either, just in case it is the body after all.

chris@panteg
04-06-2011, 14:12
Cheap AT's do sometimes have channel balance issues, as the cantilever-magnet assembly can be subtly twisted in the plastic mount, thus making the magnets slightly offset. Worth a look and if this appears to be so, send back for exchange. Getting a spare empty 95 body wouldn't hurt either, just in case it is the body after all.

Thanks Dave :)

It does seem most likely and I'm going to refit my DL160 when i get a spare moment , that should be worth trying.

To be honest i don't think i will send it back to the states (LPgear) i don't fancy the hassle , just hold out for while and buy something more ambitious :)

DSJR
04-06-2011, 19:18
There's basically nowt wrong with the generator, I mean, Linn used an adapted version in the K5, 9 and 18 models and these didn't even have the PC-OCC wire of the AT110 :)

chris@panteg
05-06-2011, 12:25
There's basically nowt wrong with the generator, I mean, Linn used an adapted version in the K5, 9 and 18 models and these didn't even have the PC-OCC wire of the AT110 :)

Thanks Dave

I've been told off for being too anal about this :eyebrows: and just put up and shut up , its not that bad really , both my mate John and the Wifey lol .

Its something i can tolerate , apologies for being a daftee ;) there are worse things to worry about than a silly cartridge .:)