re: Audiophile/Vinyl Thread - Post Pics, Advice, Questions, Setups, etc.

thats insane, yeah they were telling me the hana was an excellent choice they had to change out something for it to work i think thats why it was delayed a day. im just glad they were able to do it there , last think i want to do this early on is destroy a 450ish cart lol. i saw your post a while back messing up back to back carts kinda scary its that easy. this is really first time messing around with turntables and vinyl so i have been trying to read up as much as i can, really can see this as a nice little hobby and something to pass on to my 6 year old son

The carts I was breaking were Lyra, but they have what is called a "nude" cantilever--the tiny Boron rod that sticks out that the diamond needle is attached to. With mine, there is nothing surrounding it (like the body of the cartridge) to protect it. So if a finger hits it--gone!

Most carts under $1k don't have a nude stylus. The least expensive one I know of that does is the Sumiko Blue Point Evo III for $500 and the Sumiko Blackbird at around $1200. The Hana is well protected by the surrounding body.

You probably won't see tables below $3k coming with pre mounted nude styluses as it would be a nightmare for the manufacturer or retail store as inexperienced handlers would be breaking them at an alarming rate, and then expecting the retailer to refund the cost--so they eliminate that problem by not installing them from the factory.

My table has what is known as a uni-pivot tonearm--they are a bitch to set up. It's like trying to ride a unicycle on a beach ball--you change one setting and then knock out two others. You go back to fix those two, and knock out the one you just set. It takes about 4 hours of jimmying to get mine right. But keep in mind that my arm has a few adjustments that aren't available on lesser tables...so that is part of the reason for the PITA of set up.

Your table is good...to do an entry level VPI and then add a good cart, you will be approaching the $2k mark.

Seriously...your table/cart combo is really nice.

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Man.... that's a lick! You going to replace with the same stuff? Also, isn't that last one of those you just had redone?

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My audio tech came out today. All 5 pieces of McIntosh gear are being sent off to McIntosh in Binghamton, NY to be surveyed for a fix or replacement.

Looks like I will be running with one of the other rigs for a little while.

And yes, one of the EICO amps I just had restored lost a transformer. I will hunt down another one and pull the transformer out of it and repair mine.

The Rotel power amp will be replaced with the new version.

just got home and quad was inside waiting on me, 1 more day and rest will be here. vinyl steadily pouring in, gonna have to go grab a good bottle of bourbon tomorrow. might have to ask you guys some questions if anyone is around tomorrow night thanks again

Doc,

It's covered under homeowners, although it may take a while as I have to go through the insurance process. I have enough other gear so I won't be totally down.

The amps with the back story are my pair of McIntosh MC 2105 amps--they were pulled from the attic of Bruno's Bar on Maple St. about 15 years ago. Bruno's and T.J. Quill's across the street both had big "Mac Stacks" that powered the audio in the bars. Those amps were built around 1972 and still work fine--105 watts per channel stereo amps and 105 pounds apiece!

so i have to put counterweight on the table, am i going to have to order a stylus force gauge before trying to play records on this?

daaaaaaaaamn what a bummer lol

$14 for a digital??...get it.

Either one--they are all probably made at the same place.

awesome i was worried , its ordered now back to it