[analogsurviver]

 
My wife does not like the mess. The mess is sadly, now gone.
 
The Cubes, while unconventional, are amazing. I went with a Clarity Cap upgrade and I think the cabs are stacked birch. They disappear. I'm going to play around more with placement and some extreme-toe-in soon.
 
current setup, so as not to derail too much here but thanks! It's been a lot of work with a patient family!

Although not familiar with all the gear in your system, the ones I know suggest the rest should be similarly well matched. Congrats - I like DIY absorbers the most !

 

[doctorcilantro]

Thanks, it's a long haul. I was just reading about "too much absorption" on the back wall, and it got me thinking. that back wall is almost 10feet back though and I think the room really needs it. It still has some ambiance, but it is a little eerie how dry the room is. I like it, better than the alternative, way too shrill before.

 

[parbaked]

  2 Clearaudios and a Palmer?

My thoughts exactly! 

 

[parbaked]

  Not familiar with Palmer - what is it ?
 

http://www.palmeraudio.co.uk/
 
I'm interested to know what you think as you are one of the few I would trust to judge a book by it's cover!

 

[snapontom]

The Kuzma guy is calling me later today.  Hope he has a reason to buy.  I need a deal.

 

[parbaked]

 
My wife does not like the mess. The mess is sadly, now gone.
 
The Cubes, while unconventional, are amazing. I went with a Clarity Cap upgrade and I think the cabs are stacked birch. They disappear. I'm going to play around more with placement and some extreme-toe-in soon.
 
current setup, so as not to derail too much here but thanks! It's been a lot of work with a patient family!

I see you had them 'murder' (blacken) the drivers as well. They look great on the maple blocks - better than in Zu's pics.
Interesting link....glad you proudly documented the wallow. Cheers!

 

[analogsurviver]

  http://www.palmeraudio.co.uk/
 
I'm interested to know what you think as you are one of the few I would trust to judge a book by it's cover!

I only googled the link you have provided above (gallery) - NEVER heard of Palmer before ( I am 98,7654321 % of the time at present time & say last 5 years into recording music and upping the ante with recording equipment to the be$t of my abilititie$) , devoting  what little remains to mostly perfecting the Sleeping Beauty . ( And a cartridge I hope will be able to establish itself in the market this time around ).
 
I like the outboard power supply, I like the use of the Syrinx>Audio Origami tonearm, *if* there was an upper model of Lampizator digitalwhatever in the pics, the thing is at least in good company. I like the 3.0 better than the 2.5, assuming the motor is AC of the beefier sort and further reducing any motor vibration reaching the table proper is a good thing. *Assuming* a top notch, preferrably inverted type main bearing, the performance ( wow, flutter, rumble ) should at the very least be good, hopefull much higher than that. 
 
It is a high mass design, from what I could decipher from photos not using any special suspension system, relying for resisting feedback on sheer mass. Its plinth has acres of area, which is susceptible to acoustic coupled feedback - if building a TT from scratch, I would tend to avoid that as much as possible. Repeating the plywood theme towards infinity also goes only so far.
 
The deck uses kork or kork/rubber compound mat. From what I could decipher from photos, WITHOUT the recess below the record label - at prices I *assume* this TT commands, a serious failing IMO. I *hope* the clamp?weight is the former, basically an Oracle knock off type clamp, capable of bringing all but the most stubbornly warped/dished LPs in close contact with the mat across entire playing surface. If it is weight only... -
please fill in the blanks yourself.
 
A decent record/mat/platter interface is the #1 requirement in any TT which aspires to be granted a reson for its very existance in 2014, given the emerging HiRez digital. The pictures provide no hint appropriate measures have been taken in the Palmer design. 

 

[parbaked]

  I only googled the link you have provided above (gallery) - NEVER heard of Palmer before 
 
I like the outboard power supply, I like the use of the Syrinx>Audio Origami tonearm,
I like the 3.0 better than the 2.5, assuming the motor is AC of the beefier sort and further reducing any motor vibration reaching the table proper is a good thing. *Assuming* a top notch, preferrably inverted type main bearing, the performance ( wow, flutter, rumble ) should at the very least be good, hopefull much higher than that. 
 
- at prices I *assume* this TT commands, 

motor is AC
2.5 = $7500
Oragami arm = $3500

 

[analogsurviver]

  motor is AC
2.5 = $7500
Oragami arm = $3500

Something along my expectations.
 
3.0 = $10K ?

 

[parbaked]

  Something along my expectations.
 
3.0 = $10K ?

I have no idea...I can't count that high! 

 

[analogsurviver]

  I have no idea...I can't count that high! 

Oh, I see...
 
I was "dressed" well - by the Stereobest, a yearly "compilation" issued as special issue of Italian Stereoplay in the late 70s (yearly); showcasing usually latest/greatest from the Tokyo fair. After seeing those prices, top Audio Research or Mark Levinson or Threshold or whatever western equipment was mid-fi - at best.  It really did not matter if the first digit with yen price was 1 or 9 - because there were at least TWO zeroes too much at the end for my piggybank. Googleing up Uesugi and similar esoterics from Japan will provide you with a similar "background" 

.
 
Just because I know some of the $$$ stuff does not mean I own an odd (Audionote) Ongaku in one corner and yet more odd Gaku-on in another - I have to resort to squeezing absolute max out from the very limited means available. I am about making the sound/equipment decent enough for a person with above average sensitivity for sound and an average income. And might one day, if everything goes well, design some statement device so $$$$ that even those extremely well to do will experience some anxiety at the bank, not knowing if the bank will approve them that much credit. Regardless, I always value rational decisions that bring the best results within given budget - and if that budget is too low to allow for the safe use of LP records, I am likely to say so and suggest digital instead.
 
Although possible, it is not likely for me to be outdone in say
 
THE LEAST EXPENSIVE QUALITY ANALOG RIG off Ebay, Craiglist & equivalent sources round the globe SWEEPSTAKES
 
for resulting sound, at least. Decades of experience are needed to accomplish that on kind of regular basis, ignoring a one lucky shot option. 
 
But when really good performance of analog is required, there is unfortunately no way around decent styli/carts - and that was, is and will always remain $$$.

 

[dosley01]

New to me VPI Scout.
 

 
Did VPI switch platters somwehere along the way?  The most recent specs show a 1-3/8" platter but this one is closer to 1-3/4" 
 
It seems to me that earlier production had this bigger platter and closer to the end they went with the thinner platter.
 
Anyhow, I was ear to ear grins after seconds.  I really liked my Marantz TT15S1 but have to say I love the VPI.

 

[analogsurviver]

  New to me VPI Scout.
 

 
Did VPI switch platters somwehere along the way?  The most recent specs show a 1-3/8" platter but this one is closer to 1-3/4" 
 
It seems to me that earlier production had this bigger platter and closer to the end they went with the thinner platter.
 
Anyhow, I was ear to ear grins after seconds.  I really liked my Marantz TT15S1 but have to say I love the VPI.

Interesting. Not familiar with Marantz ( I know it is a Clearaudio in disguise ), heard VPI ages ago.
 
Same cart on both ? What did improve for you the most ?

 

[dosley01]

  Interesting. Not familiar with Marantz ( I know it is a Clearaudio in disguise ), heard VPI ages ago.
 
Same cart on both ? What did improve for you the most ?

Grado Sonata on both.  I literally only have a album played on the Scout but it's one I'm very familiar with on the Marantz.  Right of the bat, the most obvious is the bottom end, much more authoritative.  The second thing is dynamics, as I've read in reviews, its almost like the must jumps out at you.  There is much more "snap" to it.  As we know in audio, especially analog audio, there are certainly diminishing returns and I would say the Marantz offers 90% of the performance of the Scout.  Since the TT15 comes bundled with the Clearaudio Virtuoso I can only guess what it would cost without a cartridge and I'd put it at about $999.  So at half the price of a Scout it really holds it's own.  Had I never bought the Scout, I could have been happy with the Marantz but it's too late for that now.   If there is as much iimprovement with a Classic 1 to the Scout as there was going from the Marantz to the VPI, there very well could be one in my future.  That being said, i promised myself (and the wife) that I'll be keeping this for a long while.  The next level requires way to many other upgrades to go with (cartridge, phono stage, etc...).

 

[analogsurviver]

 
Grado Sonata on both.  I literally only have a album played on the Scout but it's one I'm very familiar with on the Marantz.  Right of the bat, the most obvious is the bottom end, much more authoritative.  The second thing is dynamics, as I've read in reviews, its almost like the must jumps out at you.  There is much more "snap" to it.  As we know in audio, especially analog audio, there are certainly diminishing returns and I would say the Marantz offers 90% of the performance of the Scout.  Since the TT15 comes bundled with the Clearaudio Virtuoso I can only guess what it would cost without a cartridge and I'd put it at about $999.  So at half the price of a Scout it really holds it's own.  Had I never bought the Scout, I could have been happy with the Marantz but it's too late for that now.   If there is as much iimprovement with a Classic 1 to the Scout as there was going from the Marantz to the VPI, there very well could be one in my future.  That being said, i promised myself (and the wife) that I'll be keeping this for a long while.  The next level requires way to many other upgrades to go with (cartridge, phono stage, etc...).

Great reply. I specially like the dynamics bit - in anything musical, from musicians themselves to the last piece of wire:  if it has better dynamics. it IS better.
 
The law of diminishing returns is likely to cause jump from Marantz to Scout larger than from Scout to Classic 1, but that is pure speculation on my part.