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Gerry
14-01-2009, 23:23
A few photos of what I'm using at the moment. There is quite a lot in the attic and other cupboards....mainly TTs but also amps, speakers etc. In fact it is quite scary when I think about how much I have tucked away!

System:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/Gforcegerry/HiFi/DSCF0260.jpg

L-07D with Audiocraft AC3000 & DL-103R. Benz ACE on L-07J arm:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/Gforcegerry/HiFi/DSCF0262.jpg

SP10 MKII/P with FR64fx & Shelter 501MKII:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/Gforcegerry/HiFi/DSCF0264.jpg

I've a number of other cartridges and arms which I use from time to time.


Audio Research LS7:Phono stage is a modified WAD Phono2 and PSU2. The step-ups are (in the Phono2) CineMags with a switchable loading set at 100R on the primary. I've got the ability to have 2 arms plugged in and switch between the & sitch in the required loading for the different cartridges. (I'll take some photos later)
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/Gforcegerry/HiFi/DSCF0269.jpg

Beard P-101: 8x 6550 or KT88s
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/Gforcegerry/HiFi/DSCF0267.jpg

Speakers are Magneplanar MG12 with my own x-overs:
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/Gforcegerry/HiFi/DSCF0266.jpg

Teac VDRS7 cd player with a NOS DAC I made and some other bits an pieces.
I also have various other TTs: Garrard 301, Thorens TD124, Alphason Sonata, JVC TT-71, some Spendor BC1 other valve amps and some Quads I rescued from a skip.

Regards
Gerry

Mike
14-01-2009, 23:31
Oooo... I've gone a bit wobbly! :youtheman:

Where's your 'fly fishing' signature Gerry? ;)

Spectral Morn
14-01-2009, 23:38
Hi Gerry

Nice system. The Alphason Sonata was a great TT, but a real bitch to set up right. But when done right, very nice. Does yours have a HR100 S arm, if so thats a real good one.

Regards D S D L----Neil :)

Gerry
14-01-2009, 23:46
Where's your 'fly fishing' signature Gerry? ;)

I can't load GIFs in my signiture....:confused:

Gerry
14-01-2009, 23:49
Hi Gerry

Nice system. The Alphason Sonata was a great TT, but a real bitch to set up right. But when done right, very nice. Does yours have a HR100 S arm, if so thats a real good one.

Regards D S D L----Neil :)

thanks Neil...yes have a HR100s. I always like the Sonata...bought it new having compared it to Linn, PT, Giro etc and preferred it. I think it was very under-rated. I have one review which accused it of being too analytical and would be appreciated by the Germans and the like who preferred Jap DD TTs...tells you something methinks!.

Regards
Gerry

Spectral Morn
14-01-2009, 23:59
thanks Neil...yes have a HR100s. I always like the Sonata...bought it new having compared it to Linn, PT, Giro etc and preferred it. I think it was very under-rated. I have one review which accused it of being too analytical and would be appreciated by the Germans and the like who preferred Jap DD TTs...tells you something methinks!.

Regards
Gerry

Hi Gerry

Yes ....DEAF, or a system that was not set for the Alphason, or not set up right. I certainly would not have described the Sonata as any of the above. I worked in a shop that sold Alphason kit. I pity those who think that Alphason only means support tables. They made quite a lot of great audio gear back in the late 80's. Its a pity they stopped.

Regards D S D L---Neil:)

Marco
15-01-2009, 00:34
Whoa, Gerry, now *that* is a system and a half - mucho respecto! :smoking:

I'll comment more tomorrow - just had a mate round for a sesh and now about to hit the sack...

Laters,
Marco.

Gerry
06-12-2010, 20:41
Some changes.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/Gforcegerry/P1010172.jpg
The Sp10 MKII/P is on the floor gathering dust and the 301 with a 12" Grace is now in rotation.
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/Gforcegerry/P1010189.jpg
Audio Craft AC3300 is now the second arm on the L-07D. http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/Gforcegerry/P1010174.jpg
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/Gforcegerry/P1010181.jpg
Cartridges come in and out as mood takes but the 103R on a 12" Grace is lovely.

Beard is also in the corner and a pair of Rogue mono blocs have take it's place,
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f304/Gforcegerry/P1010183.jpg
via another Rogue power amp which is on it's side!
I really must sort the gear out.....

Jonboy
06-12-2010, 22:36
Nice stuff Gerry,i have a soft spot for Beards as well

Marco
07-12-2010, 08:25
Hi Gerry,

Some VERY nice bits there, mate! So what's your favourite T/T and how would you (roughly) describe their sonic differences? :)

I must admit, as good as the others are, it's the Kenwood I'd have. If you're ever thinking of selling it, please give me first refusal :cool:

Marco.

John
07-12-2010, 09:28
I still yet to hear a kenwood but just heard so many great things about this TT James (Whest) was telling me he has a friend with nearly all the great direct drives and for him the Great system and like Marco quite interested in what TT you perfer

Gerry
07-12-2010, 11:24
I think (as these are just my observations and really only relate to DDs) that the L-07D is probably the most complete TT package made.

There are others with arms & plinths such as the Sony PS-9X; Denon DP-100M however these are professional machines and were not really aimed at the domestic market place, so I don't view them in quite the same way.

The Technics SP10; Denon DP-80; JVC TT-801 & 101; Marantz TT100; Luxman and many of the others (a lot of which were designed and made by Micro whic was no bad thing), are really transcription units which require arms or in some instances plinths. There were factory arms and plinths for some, but in some instances these were after thoughts.

The Pioneer Exclusive P series and the Yamaha Giant & Tremendous (got to love that name) were complete TTs. And both are excellent, the p3/P3a being suburb.

However they don't allow me to have a second arm which I like and want. Therefore my belief is the L-07D is the the most complete from inception to final product all was designed to work together and no after thought, like the P3 GT2000.

Don't get me wrong, the SP10 MKII/P for example is superb as well, but I have made the plinth (didn't think much of the Obsidian nor their arm) and supplied a FR64 for it.

The L-07D gets a bad wrap b/c of the arm and I think this is wrong. The arm is very good, however likes certain cartridges and is not mad about high complance 1g trackers. I've never really got an Otofon to wrok on it, but put a Shelter on there and it rocks.

As a TT it is fuss free and just plays the music. It is subtle in ways, but when there is bass it produces it...It does not artificially find it.

I have a real soft spot for the Garrard having grown up with one with a MKI SME 3012. There is a real musicality to it, it bounces along with a lovely taught bass which just suits certain music. Jazz, some Blues and female vocals are really well executed. It also works well with the Grace G960 unipivot and the 103R, the combo is a great one...toe tappingly good.

However it is always the L-07D that you go home to.

Marco
08-12-2010, 01:07
Hi Gerry,

Thanks for that summary - most interesting, as is the fact that ultimately you prefer the Kenwood. You're certainly in an ideal position to judge with having all those other superb T/Ts at hand to use as a reference! :)

One of the things I love about the Kenwood, its superb engineering quality aside, is that it is such a 'sorted' solution from the ground up, and so you don't have to fanny about with motor units only, or worry about what plinths are likely to optimise the end result.

Furthermore, it already comes fitted with a high quality (if unfashionable here in the UK) detachable headshell tonearm. The hassle, not to mention money, this would save in the long run for me would be invaluable, compared with entertaining the use of SP10s, Garrards and such like.


The L-07D gets a bad wrap b/c of the arm and I think this is wrong. The arm is very good, however likes certain cartridges and is not mad about high complance 1g trackers. I've never really got an Otofon to wrok on it, but put a Shelter on there and it rocks.


Indeed - and I can confirm that (other Ortofons aside) it positively LOVES the SPU. So if you haven't tried one yet, I can thoroughly recommend it, as the combination absolutely rocks!

Let's face it, those high-compliance 1g trackers were not really at the races, sonically, and were created simply to satisfy one of the many nonsense fads certain people were obsessed with in the 70s! :rolleyes:

The tonearm on the Kenwood is, like the rest of the T/T, superbly well engineered. Feed it a juicy sounding cartridge and it just boogies like a bastard and shows up some of the crap produced nowadays purporting to be so-called 'hi-end' turntables........! :cool:

Marco.

John
08-12-2010, 07:22
Great report
You a lucky man to have so many great TT

Gerry
09-12-2010, 21:14
Many thanks.

An SPU has been on my list but I really can't get my head around alignment on SPUs.

How is it done? I prefer Baerwald which is 18.8mm overhand were as the Jap TT are usually set for 15mm O/H. A slotted headshell or AT with adjustment at the collet allow for this...how would it work with an SPU? What is the O/H?

Marco
10-12-2010, 02:42
Hi Gerry,

The answer to your question is I'm not really sure. All I know is that when my SPU Classic GM is strapped onto the end of the Jelco SA-750 (near-identical in design to Ortofon's TA-100, specially designed for the SPU), the alignment, measured on my Avid protractor, is spot on! :)

I could just be lucky that the tonearm I'm using is an ideal match for an SPU....

However, when I took the SPU to a mate's house, who also owns an L-07D, and popped it on his deck, once we set the correct VTA and VTF (I don't even think we looked at alignment, as neither of us could be arsed buggering about too much because we just wanted to listen to music), it sounded superb and combined to produce one of the best sounds either of us had ever heard from vinyl.

However, now that I have the Mike New Copper Composite platter and Paul Hynes SR5 PSU fitted, I would reserve that remark when playing records on my humble Techie! ;)

Marco.