View Full Version : Turntable Torture
As some members may know, I have a very good friend who is selling me one of his SL1210's and a Rega arm with cardas re-wire, I sent him a Nagoaka cartridge that I got from the very nice chap Gary at Analogue Seduction who is a top bloke.
Anyway I ordered some Isonoe feet so they are here at Brook Towers, the torture occurs because Tony has not been able to address the assembly of the arm and cartridge due to his central heating system breaking down and leaving his house freezing, literally. The poor chap took pity on me because I have been phoning him every day for 2 weeks saying how desperate I am to be a Techie owner once again (I had several of them in the years when I was a DJ but sold them all).
Well bless him he phoned me today to say the deck is ready, BUT HOW DO I GET IT FROM SOUTH WALES TO HUDDERSFIELD BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
I phoned UPS, collections from Port Talbot suspended due to bad weather, several other couriers were contacted in desperation, all said no. In the end I have booked TWO different couriers who will hopefully collect the box tomorrow and deliver it to Huddersfield on Christmas Eve morning where the Vinyl I just bought off that very nice Chap Effem is ready and waiting to be played. Fingers crossed my torture will soon be over.
If you are thinking what a saddo, you are right!
Beechwoods
22-12-2010, 17:34
That is some dedication David! Hats off for tenactity!
Vinyleyes
22-12-2010, 19:23
Where there is a will there is a way .. haha! ..
Have you ever tried Shiply !! .. I kjust had a 25 kg Nakamichi power amp delivered HAND CARRIED .. from Worcester to near Scarborough .. the chap also picked up my TR6 hard top and a TV I had bought which were in storage at another house .. and brought all to my place on the 20th. To top it off he took away with him my Castle Howards which he will drop off at Wilslow for refurbishment on his way back home to Bristol ... Great guy, working independantly .. PM me if you need details.
The only Nak power amp I remember was the PA7... Lovely sound when warmed up, but the banks of old-fashioned low power trannies (ten each side from memory) needed a couple of hours to thermally track together and sweeten up.
Vinyleyes
23-12-2010, 06:25
That's the one I got Dave ... all properly serviced and fettled from an enthusiast .. Can't wait to hook er up .. I'm plannning it really for the AV amplification .. keep the Radford for vinyl replay only maybe. At any rate it will be fun doing the comparisons ... and I hear the PA-7 can warm the room too :lol:
If you are thinking what a saddo, you are right!
Not really, but what I am thinking is 'why did you choose to fit a Nagoaka cartridge?'
Lol - because they're VERY good, Mark! I know you don't like MMs, though, but that's just a personal choice :)
Marco.
I found that when "cold," the PA7 sounded bass-lumpy and almost harsh, the lumpy bass went first and the sssssting up top disappears completely after a couple of hours or so (this is with new amps)
Once warmed through, the PA7 was a great amp (I don't remember the mk2 being hugely different, unlike the PA5 which became a (almost) swan in mk2 guise. The thing is, I compared my PA5mk2 with an ARC Classic 60 and the latter with 60W sounded easily as loud as the PA5mk2 at 150W (valve lovers will understand).
The only thing is that the above amps weren't overly happy with low impedance loads and the PA7 could sound a little "fat" into late issue Isobariks for example. Far better than late issue Olive Naims though into "normal" speakers and it totally trounced an early Klout too.
The CA7 may be a cheapo bargain preamp as well, but it'll need some component upgrades I think to come anywhere near a Croft, for example. Beautifully made though and the phono stage was quite good in isolation as I recall.
chris@panteg
23-12-2010, 10:40
Hope it all works out David ' finger's crossed for you , and i'm sure you won't be dissapointed:)
Well the courier collect it an hour ago, fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Not really, but what I am thinking is 'why did you choose to fit a Nagoaka cartridge?'
Cos Marco Polo suggested it??????
Haselsh1
23-12-2010, 14:27
Don't you just know that it's all gonna crash and burn at Christmas...? Every year is the same without a doubt and we just let it happen every time ;)
Here's hoping you all have a fabulous Christmas break and everything you could ever want Hi-Fi wise next year. Let's hope the couriers soon get back on track :)
I sent a Denon midi system to a friend in Germany day before yesterday by UPS, arrived today so what is the problem with the UK's couriers.... so annoying!
Cos Marco Polo suggested it??????
And trust me, you'll LOVE it! ;)
With regard to couriers, snow or no snow, Germans are quite simply much more efficient than we are - and they always will be!
Marco.
Well I set my alarm for 8.30 this morning as I had 2 orders to finish and get to the post office before closing time 12.30. 8.10 a.m the doorbell rang, whoopeee it was my Techie. That was exceptional service I told the bloke, collected from south wales yesterday and here this morning, despite the crap weather!
Put the Isonoe feet on, was not sure to include the black foam bits or take them off, I think I need to modify them myself with a few bits of delrin!
I have not really had chance to give her a good workout yet as I am CERTAIN my vinyl needs a good clean but boy does she sound good. What I am sure about is there is so much more to get out of the TT I am really looking forward to exploring all the tips and tweaks after Christmas, one thing that did annoy me being a mains man is the crappy pice of wire masquerading as a mains lead, that needs addressing asap.
I have even got a smoked/tinted dust cover/ lid which I understand is quite rare, only goes on after listening has finished of course!
Spectral Morn
24-12-2010, 21:59
Excellent David enjoy your Technics journey :)
:cool:
I am still waiting for two of my wife's Christmas presents to arrive. Ordered in plenty of time. In order to avoid any disappointment (and despite a stinking cold which has put the mockers on our normal Christmas[we spend it with her family]....I can't give it to any of my wife's family as her father is seriously ill....a cold could speed him on his way) I ventured out into the bitter cold to buy her extra items.....and yes the majority of the shopping was done in bricks and mortar businesses; rather than on-line.
Its a real shame that the once excellent postal service (it had its faults but imho it was better) we had has let us down. I know the weather is terrible but I am sure they get their post in Siberia and Alaska okay.
Sorry for the slight thread drift.
Regards D S D L
Canetoad
25-12-2010, 12:11
We received a parcel from Germany and one from Holland but are still missing several (ordered earlier) from England. Says it all really! :steam:
Aye, it's the bloody English innit, Bernie? :eyebrows:
;)
Marco.
Ali Tait
25-12-2010, 16:38
Aye those bloody Sassenachs have got a lot to answer for. :lol:
Reid Malenfant
25-12-2010, 16:44
Aye, it's the bloody English innit, Bernie? :eyebrows:
;)
Marco.
OI, we aren't all the same you know! :ner:
:lol:
I have even got a smoked/tinted dust cover/ lid which I understand is quite rare
I think those came with the SL-1200Mk2GLD's... Anyone here know something about this?
So how's the Techie sounding then, Mark? You've been rather quiet..............
I presume that's because you've been too busy listening to music? ;)
Marco.
Mark who dude?..lol...I am listening to it but there is also a lot of other work needs doing to my system go get everything sounding "right". I just swapped all my mains cables after a friend in singapore bought all my remaining Vishnus inc. the one's I use myself! So major re-wiring is being done as I have a Belkin PF30 that I fancied giving a try but the plug sockets are close to each other and only an in-line mains plug will work behind my rack so once I have assembled a new mains loom I can listen in earnest, just need the black stuff cleaning so I will get a few off to you Tuesday if I get time.
Initial impressions with the stock platter and Oyaide Mat and weight are excellent, more to follow.
Mark who dude?..lol...
Hahaha... May I direct you on the right to where it says: "I'm PishedAndLiableToBeTalkingShite" ;)
just need the black stuff cleaning so I will get a few off to you Tuesday if I get time.
Please do, matey - you'll love the results! :cool:
Marco.
If you saw the mouldy state of some of the vinyl I've been spinning the last few days (NOT playing them with the Decca, by the way), you'd be horrified. The discs sounded great too :)
They'd sound even better if they were clean, though! Every serious vinyl addict should have an RCM :)
Marco.
Agreed. Jimmy had a thing about certain inner sleeves supplied, I think from memory, by EMI, which put "water marks" on long term stored LP's; not audible, but certainly visual. he used Hunt P3 and Cantorion cleaning techniques back then and thousands of Nagaoka inner sleeves, which sorted things out (he had thousands of LP's, many in storage apparently that we never saw).
Is a Knosti no good then boss? Can I get a decent one for £200?
Dunno guv. This is where Marco's advice is essential.
Hi David,
Is a Knosti no good then boss? Can I get a decent one for £200?
Unfortunately, the Knosti is not much more than a toy. Personally, I'd save your money and go for an Okki Nokki when you have sufficient funds:
http://www.okkinokki.co.uk/
For £395, it's the entry level for a proper RCM (and a very good machine at that).
When you hear the results with the records I've cleaned for you, it'll give you a taste as to what's possible :)
Marco.
Wakefield Turntables
26-12-2010, 21:43
Is a Knosti no good then boss? Can I get a decent one for £200?
You can pick up a moth record cleaner for about £400 in kit form and its a well respected machine. I'd also love to hear your comments about how your technics responds to your various cables that you try. I intend doing some more upgrading next year with power suppliers, cabels, amongst other things. :eyebrows:
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