Calling All Upgraded Technics Owners

[Dave Cawley]

The regulator is part of the problem. I have never found batteries to be particularly good, their impedance is often quite high and variable and the chemical noise produced is more in my tests than a well designed power supply. In phono stages they can reduce hum and coupling, but this isn't the issue here.

Dave

[Marco]

Hi Dave (DSJR),

I'd also very respectfully suggest that the standard headshell is fine for higher-compliance cartridges...

"Fine" it may be, but what would you prefer: "fine" or excellent? It's about dotting the i's and crossing the t's. In my system (even without using a low-compliance DL-103) I can easily hear the difference a better headshell makes. The stock headshell is flimsily constructed, made from poor quality materials, and quite resonant. None of those are good qualities. After all, the headshell is what you're coupling the cartridge to. Upgrading a detachable headshell may seem like 'small beer', but quite simply, in a genuinely high-resolution system the small details matter

I'd also say that a couple of inches of headshell wire is the last thing you need to worry about when dealing with the standard arm, as the possible resonance problems when using moving coil cartridges would make a FAR bigger difference to the final sound.

I completely agree; hence why I recommend upgrading from the stock arm when going for an MC cartridge. *However*, it's all about those small details again - only this time they're not quite so small...

If one considers that those couple of inches of headshell wire are the first thing that the (delicate) signal sees when outputting from the cartridge pins, then they are very important because any information lost at that point cannot be retrieved further down the chain. Think of it along the lines of how poor quality interconnects can 'hobble' the signal from a CDP or preamp. The length of wire may be different but the effect is the same.

Being the T/T geek that I am, I've experimented with just about every set of detachable headshell wires on the market (and also most headshells), and I can tell you that there is a noticeable difference in my system between the bog standard crap supplied with the Technics headshell and, say, the solid silver Ortofon lead wires I use with my NOS magnesium headshells.

All I'm saying is don't underestimate the importance of dotting the i's and crossing the t's when optimising your system, as it can often mean the difference between hearing the 'full picture' in all its glory, or merely a snap-shot of the real thing. Going the extra mile in this way, in my experience, usually pays dividends.

Marco.

[DSJR]

I suppose it's all relative Marco....

The coil wires inside a cartridge are thinner than a human hair and there's many feet of wound strands on each channel. I suppose my argument was more to do with one tiny strand meeting a short length of multi-strand before the arm-wires. A moving coil cart shouldn't be affected unduly, although a moving magnet design which uses the coils, cable capacitance and inductance to "tune" its frequency responce may be sensitive to bog-standard headshell-leads.

I must admit to not knowing the current techie headshell. The 1970's ones were pretty solid, if not as good as the Sumiko/Nagaoka style. Linn did put forth a comment regarding the flimsy LVV arm, that the flexible "Basik" headshell actually helped absorb vibrations and prevent them from transmission down the arm.. It worked with this arm, more "rigid" shells sounding "mechanical" to my ears. I do appreciate that arms like the Jelco's are rather better in ALL ways yet LVV's fetch stupid money on fleabay

[Tarzan]

Marco, what do you feel are the best headshells and headshell wires and why, as this is my next port of call.

[Tolstoi]

Dave, in your place I wouldn't bother. If you bring out a product of some kind you will always have someone who wants to argue with you. I believe that you are wholeheartedly convinced that your product is good and at the moment the best solution and that's why you build it and sell it. On this planet only you and KAB have this PSU for the SL and you'll always find the one or other person who doesn't hear any difference with or without the external PSU's or thinks one is better than the other. So what? It's only important what you do.
Well, I just wanted to say keep up the good work and don't care about such things if it's not a constructive criticism of your product which could improve it.

Cheers

Joerg

[DSJR]

Hear Hear!

from another Dave (once an extremely popular name, but seems to have died out at present)

[Chivas]

Can Dave C and jfine please stop spoiling every single thread in this Forum? I don't know either of you and find this whole thing absolutely ridiculous.

I honestly don't want to become part of this feud and am not picking sides, but if I may add my 2 cents as a bystander...

I met Dave (I think - it was a guy at the Sound Hifi stand with a grey beard) at the NAS in the UK the other day and found him quite pleasant and was extremely impressed with modded 1200 on display there - or perhaps it was Stevie Ray Vaughan who impressed me, not sure...? I started drawing up my savings plan for the mods, but I am so put off by this whole thing that my std 1210 (with Timestep) sounds better day by day.

It will be great if we can give members some breathing space to air their opinions/questions without being jumped on. What if Jeff is really honest and he is not Kevin? What if he asks questions with good intentions (I have exactly the same questions, because I also have limited funds and won't be sold down the wrong street and have the right to make sure I spend my money wisely). I would be pissed too and would also not defend myself by betting or calling anyone, just out of principle! It seems like he has come up against an AoS/Sound HiFi coalition here. And so what if he is Kevin. Dave punts his products and berates others at every single opportunity he gets and very aggressively questions anyone with a different opinion. How many enemies has he made on this Forum? It will be even better if we can stop shamelessly berating other products, http://www.vinylengine.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=98473 because you not only insult the designer/manufacturer, but also every owner out there. It borders on telling someone he has an ugly wife, the same one who he may love and regard as the prettiest woman in the world!! Not even to mention criticizing someone's life's work!!

As far as I understand there is an area for both private as well as Trade exhibitions in this Forum. Can we keep it there and keep this as a forum for discussion and exchanging ideas and thoughts? This is getting out of control and spoils it for everyone. Every bloody 1200 thread I am interested in I have to read throught this drama to get to any content.

No, I do not have the time to defend every single comment made above, it is my OPINION and more of a request to leave the kids' stuff to the school kids and let's talk music.

PS. For the record:
I am not Kevin, Jeff, Dave or Graham Slee and I do own a Timestep PSU and a GS Solo and a Gram Amp SE and am happy with all of them. I will post a pic if you want me to.

Regards
Chivas

[DSJR]

Yes please! All photo's gratefully received

[Dave Cawley]

I met Dave (I think - it was a guy at the Sound Hifi stand with a grey beard) at the NAS in the UK the other day and found him quite pleasant and was extremely impressed with modded 1200 on display there

That was me! Forget internet poltics and just go with the music!!

Regards

Dave

[Chivas]

I met Dave (I think - it was a guy at the Sound Hifi stand with a grey beard) at the NAS in the UK the other day and found him quite pleasant and was extremely impressed with modded 1200 on display there

That was me! Forget internet poltics and just go with the music!!

Regards

Dave

That's music to my ears!!

Yes please! All photo's gratefully received

Will do ASAP!