Dane's Hi-Fi

[Dane]

https://imageshack.com/i/eyelVV4Sj
The Entertainment center :)
https://imageshack.com/i/ey9lkc2Oj
Musical Fidelity X-DAC V 8. An older model, but still going strong, mainly because I don't listen to CD's that often. Very clean sounding with lots of detail. I bought it as an upgrade for my NAD C 542. Audiolab 8200 P. 2 x 150 watt 4 ohm. Quite enough to drive my speakers with grip and headroom. Pro-Ject Speed Box S, a must have with their TT's. It really tighten up the sound, get's the music more snappy and more tight bassline
https://imageshack.com/i/payPqngzj
Audiolab 8200 Q. Pre amp. It has a gain selector and that have proven to be handy, as I am able to fine tune the sound from my TV, DAC etc. And a remarkably good headphone jack. I actually sold my headphone amp after I got the 8200 Q because I could not hear any difference.
https://imageshack.com/i/pdwY2QaFj
Grado RS-1. They're been with me for some years now and I never gonna get rid of them. They just sound excellent.
https://imageshack.com/i/ipnt5dVKj
AVID Pellar. I upgraded it from Musical Fidelity X-LPS V8. Which was a good phono stage. But AVID is much more detailed, better bassline and totally quiet background.
https://imageshack.com/i/exPlZw2pj
JBL LS 80. What can I say? I love horns and I love a good bassline. :fingers: I have had Klipsch standmount and then Snell. Loved Snell's bass, but was missing Klipsch's horn sound. Now I have the best of two worlds
https://imageshack.com/i/eyIPsqtVj
Pro-Ject 2xperience Classic. Before that, it was Debut III. A huge step up from that. The Debut's relaxed sound was hard to forget when I was listing to other tables when looking for a new TT. So It had to be Pro-ject again. I had a Dynavector 10x5 HO MC on my Classic and did not think I could got back to MM again when it was time for a change. It was very groovy and quite detailed. But The Ortofon 2 M Black sounded very tempting on various reviews and forums. And I decided that I would go over my "buying new cartridge budget" and have a go, despite it being an MM. Glad I did. It just took my TT to a whole new level. All you read on the web is true. It really is as good as "they" say: It just kind of give you the information in the groove and hand it to you on a silver platter, so to speak.

My system as a whole have a high degree of details. At high volume the music is powerful and controlled but still kind of relaxed with a hint of warmth. The music is delivered with ease and totally fills the room. I have managed to find my preference in how I like my music and I dare to say that I have a good quality hi-fi system that is not getting in the way of the music. I only hear the music not the system. It might be a cliche, but it's true. But it have taken some years of saving up and upgrading to get there. My interests in getting good hi-fi purely comes from my love for listening to music. Music is food for the soul :yay:

[Jimbo]

Hi Lars,

those headphones look substantial.

[archiesdad]

Hi Lars, nice set up and great write up, welcome.

[Dane]

Thank's both of you:) I just edited a few typos since english isn't my native language. But I'm glad you like my write up. Yes, Grado makes awesome headphones. Mahogany makes them light and quality leather soft on the head. Only thing I did not like was the open ear cushions. It hurts because my ears got pressed against the wood. But shortly after I got them, I replaced it with cushions for Grado sr80 and been using them ever since, I'm on my third pair now, they are quite durable. They fit right on and then you have a comfortable headphone with great sound. The sound difference from the open cushions and the closed was subtle, like speakers with and without grill on.

[southall-1998]

Can't beat a set of Grado's :)

S.

[The Black Adder]

Hi Lars.

Very nice setup... some very nice kit indeed, a well balanced system. Bet it sounds tops! :eek:

Jo

[Idlewithnodrive]

Welcome to AoS Lars.

Great write up, nicely put together system and a great story about why you chose the various components

[RobbieGong]

Welcome Lars, Nice system - glad you are in a good place with your set up. I was too but one thing after the other means I'm still trying to get there again. Congrats on taking a punt on the 2M Black and finding out what a super cart it is. I find it a fussy thing re: set up but then I remember how awesome it is when on song and I cant ever let it go :)

[Dane]

Hi Lars.

Very nice setup... some very nice kit indeed, a well balanced system. Bet it sounds tops! :eek:

Jo Thanks for noticing. It is indeed well balanced. When you don't have loads of money for hi-fi, you have to think about synergy between the components. I read about that on the web: Instead of focusing on a single item, think about how it will interact with either your current components or future components, you're planning to buy. When I bought my DAC, it was totally overkill with my budget stereo. But I knew that I would upgrade the rest later and today it fits right in. I spend almost the same amount on cables that my whole stereo system cost back then. But I still use them today.

Can't beat a set of Grado's :)

S. You're sure can't. Details and pleasant sound is the trademark. I had a Grado Gold cartridge once, really nice analog sound too.

[Dane]

Welcome to AoS Lars.

Great write up, nicely put together system and a great story about why you chose the various components Thanks


Welcome Lars, Nice system - glad you are in a good place with your set up. I was too but one thing after the other means I'm still trying to get there again. Congrats on taking a punt on the 2M Black and finding out what a super cart it is. I find it a fussy thing re: set up but then I remember how awesome it is when on song and I cant ever let it go :) Yes the 2 M Black needs some attention to set up. I had read about it being fussy, so I took my time (about an hour) and got it right the first time. It really pays off to be patient with the set up.

[RobbieGong]

Thanks

Yes the 2 M Black needs some attention to set up. I had read about it being fussy, so I took my time (about an hour) and got it right the first time. It really pays off to be patient with the set up.

Absolutely ! 1hr ? lucky you I've spent weeks, sometimes months on and off setting up that cart, believe you me :( :scratch:

[Dane]

Maybe you have been too critical about your 2 M Black ?:scratch: I've never been too technical about setting up my new cartridges. I've have always used the thin cardboard protractor that came with the TT. My TT's have always been on a shelf and in 100 % level. I start out by loosely mount the cartridge with the screws and set the tonearm floating, dial the counterweight to the recommended tracking force by the numbers on the arm. Then I start with the setup by the proactor. Find where the stylus tip sits on the + on the proactor and the cartridge body follow the lines, again roughly done. Then I tighten the screws just enough to still be able to move the cartridge with a gentle touch with my finger tip. Now I spend the time on gently poking the cartridge a fraction of a millimeter here and there. Looking from all sides with both eyes, one eye closed the other eye closed. When I think it's there, I check with a magnifying glass the see if the stylus tip actually is exactly on the + and if there's more space between the cartridge body and the proactor line on one side than the other. I certainly don't have steady hands like a surgeon:wheniwasaboy:, so it's not easy to move the cartridge just a fraction. It's a case of trial and error, but suddenly it's there. Then I start tighten the screws slowly. Tighten a wee bit, the check on the proactor if the cartridge have been moved: Magnifying glass/ eyes/ one eye/ looking from all sides. Tighten a wee bit again and repeat with the proactor / magnifying glass etc. After a while the screws are tightened and the cartridge are checked one last time on the proactor method as before. If all is good, I put on a record without spinning and lover the cartridge on the record. Then I take a short leveler tool and place it on the plinth next to the tonearm. Looking to see if the bubble are in the middle (it always is, since my shelf / TT is in level) then looking very carefully if the tonearm is following the leveler tool. It always have on my TT's so no VTA altering necessary. When all is good, I set the tonearm floating, dial to zero by the numbers on the counterweight. Then is time for..da daa! The Shure SFG-2 - stylus force gauge to take action! Uuh! :D I start with the recommended tracking force and listen to some well known albums with high pitch tones like vibraphone and female singers who go really high on the C note, some albums with heavy bass and so on. I listen to music from the inner and outer groove (first and last track on a side) And listen closely for any distortion (off cause, distortion is relative depending on the quality of the TT) If there's a hint of distortion, I try with the anti skating until it sounds clean on inner and outer tracks. I my case I have a weight on a string with three settings and the middle always works for me. Now it's only a matter of listen to some music for some days to hear if the tracking force is best on the recommended or need a bit more. In the case of the 2 M Black, I found the sound on 1,5 grams too light footed. So I went for the max at 1,7 grams, which was too grainy and turned it back a wee bit and listened again. After a couple of days it ended on 1,6 grams and sound fine there.
So you see, I do not have test records, fancy aftermarket proactors or NASA equipment. Just a cardboard with some lines and a + printed on, a little screwdriver, leveler tool, magnifying glass, my eyes and not so steady hands. But most important, I'm very patient :) I think the most important about setting up a turntable is: If it sounds good, it is good. Mine do but maybe it would not handle a test record well, I don't know and it really doesn't matter. It's no science to set up a cartridge...just a pain :(

[Us-&-Them]

That's one seriously nice set-up you've got there !! EXCELLENT :D

[Dane]

Thank's :)

[RobbieGong]

Maybe you have been too critical about your 2 M Black ?:scratch: I've never been too technical about setting up my new cartridges. I've have always used the thin cardboard protractor that came with the TT. My TT's have always been on a shelf and in 100 % level. I start out by loosely mount the cartridge with the screws and set the tonearm floating, dial the counterweight to the recommended tracking force by the numbers on the arm. Then I start with the setup by the proactor. Find where the stylus tip sits on the + on the proactor and the cartridge body follow the lines, again roughly done. Then I tighten the screws just enough to still be able to move the cartridge with a gentle touch with my finger tip. Now I spend the time on gently poking the cartridge a fraction of a millimeter here and there. Looking from all sides with both eyes, one eye closed the other eye closed. When I think it's there, I check with a magnifying glass the see if the stylus tip actually is exactly on the + and if there's more space between the cartridge body and the proactor line on one side than the other. I certainly don't have steady hands like a surgeon:wheniwasaboy:, so it's not easy to move the cartridge just a fraction. It's a case of trial and error, but suddenly it's there. Then I start tighten the screws slowly. Tighten a wee bit, the check on the proactor if the cartridge have been moved: Magnifying glass/ eyes/ one eye/ looking from all sides. Tighten a wee bit again and repeat with the proactor / magnifying glass etc. After a while the screws are tightened and the cartridge are checked one last time on the proactor method as before. If all is good, I put on a record without spinning and lover the cartridge on the record. Then I take a short leveler tool and place it on the plinth next to the tonearm. Looking to see if the bubble are in the middle (it always is, since my shelf / TT is in level) then looking very carefully if the tonearm is following the leveler tool. It always have on my TT's so no VTA altering necessary. When all is good, I set the tonearm floating, dial to zero by the numbers on the counterweight. Then is time for..da daa! The Shure SFG-2 - stylus force gauge to take action! Uuh! :D I start with the recommended tracking force and listen to some well known albums with high pitch tones like vibraphone and female singers who go really high on the C note, some albums with heavy bass and so on. I listen to music from the inner and outer groove (first and last track on a side) And listen closely for any distortion (off cause, distortion is relative depending on the quality of the TT) If there's a hint of distortion, I try with the anti skating until it sounds clean on inner and outer tracks. I my case I have a weight on a string with three settings and the middle always works for me. Now it's only a matter of listen to some music for some days to hear if the tracking force is best on the recommended or need a bit more. In the case of the 2 M Black, I found the sound on 1,5 grams too light footed. So I went for the max at 1,7 grams, which was too grainy and turned it back a wee bit and listened again. After a couple of days it ended on 1,6 grams and sound fine there.
So you see, I do not have test records, fancy aftermarket proactors or NASA equipment. Just a cardboard with some lines and a + printed on, a little screwdriver, leveler tool, magnifying glass, my eyes and not so steady hands. But most important, I'm very patient :) I think the most important about setting up a turntable is: If it sounds good, it is good. Mine do but maybe it would not handle a test record well, I don't know and it really doesn't matter. It's no science to set up a cartridge...just a pain :(

:lol: I hear you Dane, i've been in the game a long time. I too have never adopted a scientifically clever or overly technical approach. That said I'm a huge advocate of the importance and benefits of careful, patient set up over all the usual parameters / stages, always using my ears / sound as the ultimate decider. Whilst i've had the Black sounding awesome, this has occurred AFTER thinking it was great and at it's best, then having to go there again for one reason or the other- been there done that.
Other factors may well come into play too, deck, arm etc - no one size fits all in this game. Another member here used the word 'magical' to describe this cart BUT also expressed his frustration whenever he had to re-visit set up. In the end he moved on to another high end MM - The Audio Note IQ3. Whilst reading some stuf recently, on the internet about alignment I came across a post and guess what !?, the poster had decided to give up on his Black after 3 months of trying. May sound extreme but hey ho - that's hi fi. :) I wont be giving up on her, no way - I'm in love, she's worth it ! :D Happy listening ! ;)

[Dane]

I'm sure you know how to set up a cartridge RobbieGong :)And I do agree it allso have something to do with cartridge / arm / TT combo. Since Project Experience TT's also are sold with factory fitted 2 M cartridges, I knew 2 M Black would work on my TT. But I also think that good enough is good enough, meaning I have it playing without distortion and it behaves well with heavy bass, voices etc. I sometimes read about cartridge test, where it's described as very good at playing music. But it have trouble tracking some "torture track" at the test record. But cartridges are designed to play music not test tones. So what's the point using it for setup. Maybe I would never have got it right with a test record as I did with my low tech approach and music. You should definitely not give up on the 2 M Black, but set it up to sound the best, you do know how and leave it there. It's a very revealing cartridge and not all records are perfect, so it can't sound perfect every time, but deliver the best the record have to offer. My 2 M Black is quite new and at the beginning there were no music, just information, but after some hours it started to really swing. I knew that cartridges have to play a bit before sound it's best. So I didn't mess about with the 2 M while breaking in. It still behaves nicely and I'm not gonna do anything but enjoy the sweet music from it until it's time to change the stylus. Hopefully a long time from now.:) But hey, I'm also a "set and forget" type when it comes to hi-fi.

[RobbieGong]

I've never seen or used a test record in my life, dont think i'd know how to use one :lol: Getting back to that rather nice system of yours. Are you looking to stay in that enviable and sensible 'loving it as is' zone or do you have any future plans to upgrade / itches to scratch ? :eek:

[Dane]

The newest upgrades is my phono stage (last year) and my cartridge a few weeks ago. But no, it stays at it is now. I would like the Pro-Ject speed box DS with pitch control to be able to finetune my TT. But right now it's just a thought because I'm quite happy with the sound as it is. So I
it would be kind of silly to spend money on something I don't really feel I need.