molanglois
09-04-2016, 09:41
I recently made a lot of changes to my system after putting away my old system for a long time. While the new equipment sounds great on so many levels, I am trying to determine whether (1) there is a problem on the phono side or (2) I just need to let the equipment "burn in" a little more for it to improve.
The set up is as follows:
-Dual CS 5000 TT with a Joseph Grado 8MZ cartridge equipped with a new stylus that has been professionally mounted and new Rega phono cables to replace old Audioquest cables that had been installed 25 yrs ago and since broken at the fixation point
-Creek Evolution 50CD (new)
-Croft Phono Integrated (new)
-Auditorium 23 speaker cable (used 3 years)
-Rega RX3 (new)
I have the speaker cables phase reversed as is necessary with Croft amps.
I have been listening to the CD portion of the system for the better part of a month. After a short burn period, the sound is wonderful -- soundstage, tone, detail -- it's all there.
I only got the TT back last weekend. After approximately 20 hours listening, the sound has opened up, the bass is very tight and detailed, the midrange is beautiful in terms of detail and tone. But I feel it is lacking a lot in the top end as compared to what I remember from my old equipment and as compared to the current CD. It is particularly noticeable in the snare and cymbals, which are very much in the background and sound muffled (in contrast, the toms sound great), but also in the vocals.
The tracking force is set at 1.5 as recommended by Grado. I have tried to lower it to 1.4 and 1.3 without any noticeable improvement to the top end (and a perceived worsening of the bass).
Is my memory of my prior setup failing me and I am expecting to much as compared to CDs. Or do I just need play more vinyl and let the cartridge evolve? It has already changed a lot but will more time increase the top end? I would have thought that more time would temper brightness rather than bring out instruments such as cymbals.
Or are the new cables are not a good match? The cables have an integrated ground but I am using the separate ground furnished with the TT.
I guess it could also be the Croft phono section.
This is the problem of changing too much equipment at once ...
Sorry for the very long post but any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.
The set up is as follows:
-Dual CS 5000 TT with a Joseph Grado 8MZ cartridge equipped with a new stylus that has been professionally mounted and new Rega phono cables to replace old Audioquest cables that had been installed 25 yrs ago and since broken at the fixation point
-Creek Evolution 50CD (new)
-Croft Phono Integrated (new)
-Auditorium 23 speaker cable (used 3 years)
-Rega RX3 (new)
I have the speaker cables phase reversed as is necessary with Croft amps.
I have been listening to the CD portion of the system for the better part of a month. After a short burn period, the sound is wonderful -- soundstage, tone, detail -- it's all there.
I only got the TT back last weekend. After approximately 20 hours listening, the sound has opened up, the bass is very tight and detailed, the midrange is beautiful in terms of detail and tone. But I feel it is lacking a lot in the top end as compared to what I remember from my old equipment and as compared to the current CD. It is particularly noticeable in the snare and cymbals, which are very much in the background and sound muffled (in contrast, the toms sound great), but also in the vocals.
The tracking force is set at 1.5 as recommended by Grado. I have tried to lower it to 1.4 and 1.3 without any noticeable improvement to the top end (and a perceived worsening of the bass).
Is my memory of my prior setup failing me and I am expecting to much as compared to CDs. Or do I just need play more vinyl and let the cartridge evolve? It has already changed a lot but will more time increase the top end? I would have thought that more time would temper brightness rather than bring out instruments such as cymbals.
Or are the new cables are not a good match? The cables have an integrated ground but I am using the separate ground furnished with the TT.
I guess it could also be the Croft phono section.
This is the problem of changing too much equipment at once ...
Sorry for the very long post but any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.