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re: Audiophile/Vinyl Thread - Post Pics, Advice, Questions, Setups, etc.
Posted on 3/8/15 at 9:22 pm to TheFolker
Posted on 3/8/15 at 9:22 pm to TheFolker
Getting a cart installed right can sometimes be difficult. There are many settings to nail down. The most important is VTF (vertical tracking force) and azimuth.
Azimuth is the angle that the diamond needle tip (a "V" shape) sits into the "V" of the groove. Think of stacking cone shaped water cooler cups--they naturally fall perfectly ino each other's V shape if allowed to fall freely. With a cart though, it is locked into place and if it is cocked to one side, it will ride one side of the groove wall more than the other. There are instruments for testing this--Google "Fozgometer".
The vertical tracking force is the force or "weight" of the needle pushing down. This is adjusted by moving the counterweight at the rear end of the tonearm. Every cartridge will have a tracking force that is ideal for it (usually stated in the manual).
There are test LPs and force gauges that can be purchased from the likes of elusivedisc.com or musicdirect.com. Just go to the vinyl page and look under the set up tools page. The more you spend, the more accurate they are.
Also, make sure your table is level.
Azimuth is the angle that the diamond needle tip (a "V" shape) sits into the "V" of the groove. Think of stacking cone shaped water cooler cups--they naturally fall perfectly ino each other's V shape if allowed to fall freely. With a cart though, it is locked into place and if it is cocked to one side, it will ride one side of the groove wall more than the other. There are instruments for testing this--Google "Fozgometer".
The vertical tracking force is the force or "weight" of the needle pushing down. This is adjusted by moving the counterweight at the rear end of the tonearm. Every cartridge will have a tracking force that is ideal for it (usually stated in the manual).
There are test LPs and force gauges that can be purchased from the likes of elusivedisc.com or musicdirect.com. Just go to the vinyl page and look under the set up tools page. The more you spend, the more accurate they are.
Also, make sure your table is level.
0
Posted on 3/8/15 at 9:27 pm to Marco Esquandolas
I mean the most expensive ones I've seen on amazon are like 400 bucks, what's a happy medium?
This post was edited on 3/8/15 at 9:28 pm
Posted on 3/8/15 at 9:37 pm to TheFolker
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to vastly improve your table is to control vibration.
I see many people's turntable set ups here and cringe when I see a speaker sitting on the same shelf a foot away!! Yikes! These folks just undermined any advantage they hoped to gain by going vinyl.
The easiest and cheapest fix for this is to go to a local stone countertop store and ask to see the discards. You can usually get them to cut and finish a piece that is 2 or 3 cm thick that your table can sit on for about $100. There are isolation cups made by Vibrapod that are weight specific...so take the weight of your slab of granite plus the turntable and buy the correct number of rubber Vibrapods and put under the slab. They are very thin and will probably not be seen. They can be bought from the audio stores I mentioned in the above post.
This is by far the least expensive bang for the buck one can do for a turntable. The difference is more noticeable on less expensive tables than costly ones because the cheaper tables are usually not very massive--so the slab makes a big difference. When you get into tables that are $5k and up, they usually have a good amount of heft to them. My table weighs in at over 100 lbs, and this was done by design.
I see many people's turntable set ups here and cringe when I see a speaker sitting on the same shelf a foot away!! Yikes! These folks just undermined any advantage they hoped to gain by going vinyl.
The easiest and cheapest fix for this is to go to a local stone countertop store and ask to see the discards. You can usually get them to cut and finish a piece that is 2 or 3 cm thick that your table can sit on for about $100. There are isolation cups made by Vibrapod that are weight specific...so take the weight of your slab of granite plus the turntable and buy the correct number of rubber Vibrapods and put under the slab. They are very thin and will probably not be seen. They can be bought from the audio stores I mentioned in the above post.
This is by far the least expensive bang for the buck one can do for a turntable. The difference is more noticeable on less expensive tables than costly ones because the cheaper tables are usually not very massive--so the slab makes a big difference. When you get into tables that are $5k and up, they usually have a good amount of heft to them. My table weighs in at over 100 lbs, and this was done by design.
This post was edited on 3/8/15 at 11:29 pm
Posted on 3/8/15 at 9:44 pm to Tunasntigers92
The Pro-Ject Debut 3 Carbon is nice. The U-Turn is also good as well as the one from Music Hall and Rega. At that price point, I believe they are all neck and neck. The Pro-Ject offers a few upgrades that can be added at a later date.
I like the Ortofon 2M Red cartridge that comes standard in the Pro-Ject table.
Remember, you can always get 10-15% off at all the on line specialty stores--JUST ASK!!
Those stores are:
Elusive Disc
Music Direct
Acoustic Sounds
Audio Advisor
Jerry Raskin's Needle Doctor
I like the Ortofon 2M Red cartridge that comes standard in the Pro-Ject table.
Remember, you can always get 10-15% off at all the on line specialty stores--JUST ASK!!
Those stores are:
Elusive Disc
Music Direct
Acoustic Sounds
Audio Advisor
Jerry Raskin's Needle Doctor
Posted on 3/9/15 at 12:01 am to Marco Esquandolas
And for late night listening...
Linda Ronstadt..."Hasten Down the Wind"
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab 180g
Linda Ronstadt..."Hasten Down the Wind"
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab 180g
Posted on 3/9/15 at 12:11 am to Marco Esquandolas
Preesh
Posted on 3/9/15 at 7:54 am to Marco Esquandolas
Hey guys, I got into vinyl about a year ago, and have been following this thread. There has been some great info in here. Now I need some advice.
My current setup is a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC, a Pioneer SX-850, and JBL CF-100 floor standing speakers that I got when I was in highschool.
I want to upgrade my speakers, but there are so many choices. I will only be using the speakers for music, and I would like to get another set of floor standing speakers. I would like to keep the price under $1000 for a pair.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
My current setup is a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC, a Pioneer SX-850, and JBL CF-100 floor standing speakers that I got when I was in highschool.
I want to upgrade my speakers, but there are so many choices. I will only be using the speakers for music, and I would like to get another set of floor standing speakers. I would like to keep the price under $1000 for a pair.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
Posted on 3/9/15 at 3:35 pm to Steve Meve
I really like Boston Acoustic speakers, but it's really just a personal preference. Everyone is different and what my ears like, yours may not.
I like Boston because they tend to have great, crisp high end and a backed off mid-range(mud-range) sound. Good tight bass, but not too much. They're a great value.
Boston 360 Speakers-Amazon
I like Boston because they tend to have great, crisp high end and a backed off mid-range(mud-range) sound. Good tight bass, but not too much. They're a great value.
Boston 360 Speakers-Amazon
This post was edited on 3/9/15 at 3:37 pm
Posted on 3/9/15 at 4:16 pm to BigOrangeBri
From the recent box set.
Posted on 3/9/15 at 8:59 pm to Steve Meve
Usually Music Direct will have a great deal on Focal loudspeakers at up to 40% off MSRP on their 2 lower lines of speakers (Cobalt and Chorus). They are great speakers and have some of the trickle down technology from their flagship Utopia line ($16k-$195k).
I started out in their Electra series and moved into the Utopia line a few years ago. I am about to change out my speakers in the next few months and will be moving from the Focal Alto Utopia (now the Scala Utopia) to the Maestro Utopia (just one step larger). I like their "house sound".
There is another guy in this thread with a picture of his music room with his guitars and sax and he is using Focal (JM Lab--former name of company) Electra 926--I used to own a pair and they are fantastic. You may be able to pick up a pair of 926/936 on AudioGon used for near your price range as they were $4200/$5800 a pair new about 10 years ago. Don't let the age sway you--they are great speakers and can easily be driven with a 40wpc amp. And they are solid and heavy.
I started out in their Electra series and moved into the Utopia line a few years ago. I am about to change out my speakers in the next few months and will be moving from the Focal Alto Utopia (now the Scala Utopia) to the Maestro Utopia (just one step larger). I like their "house sound".
There is another guy in this thread with a picture of his music room with his guitars and sax and he is using Focal (JM Lab--former name of company) Electra 926--I used to own a pair and they are fantastic. You may be able to pick up a pair of 926/936 on AudioGon used for near your price range as they were $4200/$5800 a pair new about 10 years ago. Don't let the age sway you--they are great speakers and can easily be driven with a 40wpc amp. And they are solid and heavy.
This post was edited on 3/11/15 at 7:17 pm
Posted on 3/9/15 at 9:07 pm to Steve Meve
If you can stretch to $1299/pair, look at THESE FOCAL SPEAKERS
Or THESE FOCAL SPEAKERS for $200 more.
I know they are a bit above your budget, but they are really great speakers.
There are also a pair of Focal bookshelf speakers that are $600--with stands, they will fall into your price point.
I know the Electra line and the Utopia line are made in France. The lower lines may be made there as well, as Focal, unlike most speaker makers, make every component of the speaker in house--the cabinet, crossovers, wiring, and drivers (the actual raw speaker). Most speaker manufacturers outsource the drivers and crossovers.
BTW...your Pioneer SX-850 is conservatively rated at 65wpc, which will easily drive any Focal speaker.
Or THESE FOCAL SPEAKERS for $200 more.
I know they are a bit above your budget, but they are really great speakers.
There are also a pair of Focal bookshelf speakers that are $600--with stands, they will fall into your price point.
I know the Electra line and the Utopia line are made in France. The lower lines may be made there as well, as Focal, unlike most speaker makers, make every component of the speaker in house--the cabinet, crossovers, wiring, and drivers (the actual raw speaker). Most speaker manufacturers outsource the drivers and crossovers.
BTW...your Pioneer SX-850 is conservatively rated at 65wpc, which will easily drive any Focal speaker.
This post was edited on 3/11/15 at 7:16 pm
Posted on 3/9/15 at 9:15 pm to Steve Meve
...or if you have a spare $195,000 laying around, you can give these a test drive...
Enjoy!!
Enjoy!!
Posted on 3/9/15 at 9:21 pm to Marco Esquandolas
Holy shitballs!
Posted on 3/9/15 at 9:35 pm to Steve Meve
...or if you don't mind sacrificing a little bit of low end or bass, check out the Magneplanars from MAGNEPAN LOUDSPEAKERS.
They are flat panel "planar" speakers with tall ribbon tweeters. They make a few models under $1200. Look at the .7 Series and the MMG series. Their 1.7 model ($2200) just won the coveted Audio Product of the Year award from The Absolute Sound magazine.
What you give up in bass you are more than compensated for in the mid section. Their entire line is absolutely astounding in reproducing female vocals and horns.
They do, however, need a crapload of power to drive them properly--like 150wpc minimum.
I have a pair of the 1.7 that I rotate in an out of the system if I happen to be on a jazz or vocal kick.
They are flat panel "planar" speakers with tall ribbon tweeters. They make a few models under $1200. Look at the .7 Series and the MMG series. Their 1.7 model ($2200) just won the coveted Audio Product of the Year award from The Absolute Sound magazine.
What you give up in bass you are more than compensated for in the mid section. Their entire line is absolutely astounding in reproducing female vocals and horns.
They do, however, need a crapload of power to drive them properly--like 150wpc minimum.
I have a pair of the 1.7 that I rotate in an out of the system if I happen to be on a jazz or vocal kick.
This post was edited on 3/11/15 at 7:12 pm
Posted on 3/9/15 at 10:05 pm to Steve Meve
For something of a different flavor, check out ZU AUDIO.
I own a pair of the Omen speakers. I bought them to play around with. They are unique in that they are what's known as a "full range" speaker--meaning that a single 10" drive unit, or speaker, handles the entire music bandwith, from 35Hz to 10kHz. The benefit of this design is that there is no crossover in the chain and no "timing" issues that multiple driver speakers possess.
This type of speaker has a cult like following--you either love them or don't. I bought my Omen's in electric blue stain on Black Friday a couple years ago for $1000 delivered ($1500 MSRP). They are sold direct from Zu Audio in Ogden, UT.
Another benefit is that this type of speaker is crazy efficient--like 99-102db...which means that you can really crank them with as little as 15wpc! A typical speaker is around 90db efficient, thus requiring more power to achieve the same volume.
I own a pair of the Omen speakers. I bought them to play around with. They are unique in that they are what's known as a "full range" speaker--meaning that a single 10" drive unit, or speaker, handles the entire music bandwith, from 35Hz to 10kHz. The benefit of this design is that there is no crossover in the chain and no "timing" issues that multiple driver speakers possess.
This type of speaker has a cult like following--you either love them or don't. I bought my Omen's in electric blue stain on Black Friday a couple years ago for $1000 delivered ($1500 MSRP). They are sold direct from Zu Audio in Ogden, UT.
Another benefit is that this type of speaker is crazy efficient--like 99-102db...which means that you can really crank them with as little as 15wpc! A typical speaker is around 90db efficient, thus requiring more power to achieve the same volume.
Posted on 3/9/15 at 10:17 pm to TheFolker
quote:
The Folker
Check out Michael Fremer's DVD guide to turntable set-up.
It I s my understanding that this DVD has sold near 20,000 copies. It is very thorough.
Posted on 3/10/15 at 8:21 am to Marco Esquandolas
Thanks. I'll check it out.
Posted on 3/10/15 at 8:54 am to Marco Esquandolas
Thank you for all the great recommendations! I am going to look over all your suggestions and decide what will work for me.
The Focal Chorus 826V looks nice, I could probably swing that in the near future.
What do you think of the Klipsch Heresy III?
The Focal Chorus 826V looks nice, I could probably swing that in the near future.
What do you think of the Klipsch Heresy III?
Posted on 3/10/15 at 9:50 am to Steve Meve
A lot of guys in this thread have setups that blow mine out of the water but I have a Denon DP 300F, an Onkyo A-9050 and a pair of Klipsch Reference RF-52 II and I love the sound I get. Everything has surpassed my expectations. I am going to upgrade the cartridge at some point, but other than that I think I'm good. I'd rather put my money into getting the records I want. God knows I've been doing that.
Posted on 3/10/15 at 6:11 pm to Steve Meve
quote:
What do you think of the Klipsch Heresy III?
Not a fan.
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