Schiit Happened: The Story of the World's Most Improbable Start-Up

[jonathan c]

... And how do I drive on a parkway and park in a driveway? Life's mysteries....

'One never knows, do one': Fats Waller. [Nice colour, though! ]

 

[sixergixer]

Obviously 21 year old Balvenie if he knows what is good for him. He just walked across my keyboard as I was typing. It is also fine for humans such as @sam6550a.

Oh and I am in the midst of shopping for a new turntable, I bet @Adam Balm has some good recommendations but all are welcome. Mind you if I try for vintage it might be Luxman but I am talking a new quality table to enjoy for years to come. Let's say $8k or less so as to discourage those showing pictures of $50k tables.

Finnegan is doing final inspection on my record cleaning. The final rinse and drying after the ultrasonic cleaner. My shop ventilation system and air purifier help.

My suggestion fails on a couple of levels (not sure it is available anymore with only 140 units produced, and it costs more than $8k) but based purely on aesthetic considerations and assumed excellent performance, I cannot stop lusting after the Thorens TD 124 DD 140th Anniversary model. It is unbearably gorgeous.

 

[Paladin79]

I cannot recommend SOTA highly enough. In your price range, get one with Vacuum. My Star Sapphire III (Rosewood, w/ vacuum) has been performing flawlessly for me now on 35 years. And, should I wish, I could upgrade all sorts of things, had I the nervosa to do so… Plus… the woodwork.

If you find a decent and used SME arm, you’ll be all set, without too much outlay. That said pick your arm based on your cartridge preferences (esp. wrt. Compliance).

Just noticed Ninja’d by Adam… men of great taste and all…

I know Adam’s history with turntables and we have worked together a bit. I prefer doing my own woodwork but that is not always feasible. I do not want an SME arm, too many local friends have moved on from them. My group is receiving arms on a regular basis so I need to see what I get offered. Same with cartridges. Platters are another matter.

 

[Ripper2860]

Maybe twins...?

There sure has been a lot of Barbie searches and Barbie pic posts by other members lately. Maybe I'm just the only one able to openly admit my Barbie fixation.

 

[Paladin79]

And here I thought I was the only one fixated on Barbie. Maybe I'm just the only one able to openly admit it.

Twins must match. Not that I would know.

 

[33na3rd]

I do not want an SME arm, too many local friends have moved on from them.

Do you know why they moved on?

I do know that their prices have gone up dramatically, and that this was before the pandemic issues.

I've been keeping an eye on the Audiomods Series 6.

http://www.audiomods.co.uk/

 

[AstronomerXI]

Yep, us too… we’re in that darkish red blob in SW New Hampshire… yet more snow (on top of the fresh 4” we got 2 days ago followed by lots of RAIN then back to freezing… everything (even though plowed) is covered in 1+” of ice on our drive and walks. So have current depth on ground of about 12-15” with an ice crust… tonight another 10-12” and then followed by an inch of sleet, finally finishing tomorrow late AM with 0.3” of freezing rain. Plus winds.

Gonna lose power for sure. House propane generator is good for up to 6 or 7 days. Just bought some extra heavy duty extension cords, so I can move the generator power around inside to rooms that aren’t currently hardwired (like my listening room!) so we can just huddle in there with the wood stove so don’t have to run the furnace as much (to save on generator propane). When we lose power, it tends to be several days til recovery. Important stuff like furnace, well pump, refrigerator’s, internet model/router, cooktop in kitchen all on the generator, as is the master bedroom and bath.

Couldn’t find anymore ice melt ANYWHERE this AM.

Stay safe and warm, all. And likely OFF the roads

Stay safe and warm! I hope you make it through without a power outage.

 

[Paladin79]

Do you know why they moved on?

I do know that their prices have gone up dramatically, and that this was before the pandemic issues.

I've been keeping an eye on the Audiomods Series 6.

http://www.audiomods.co.uk/

I believe SME stopped selling arms per se so they could sell their own tables, they are now selling again as best I recall. Other brands are more impressive now from what I can gather but it may have been due to availability as well.

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/sme-exits-oem-and-retail-tone-arm-business

Here is one article I could find.

 

[JamminVMI]

Lol! I've always wondered why their steering wheels are on the right side but they drive on the wrong side. And in the US, our steering wheels are on the wrong side and we drive on the right side. And why do we drive on a parkway and park in a driveway? Life's mysteries....

So you can look beyond the car in front of you for passing!

 

[bagwell359]

I cannot recommend SOTA highly enough. In your price range, get one with Vacuum. My Star Sapphire III (Rosewood, w/ vacuum) has been performing flawlessly for me now on 35 years. And, should I wish, I could upgrade all sorts of things, had I the nervosa to do so… Plus… the woodwork.

If you find a decent and used SME arm, you’ll be all set, without too much outlay. That said pick your arm based on your cartridge preferences (esp. wrt. Compliance).

Just noticed Ninja’d by Adam… men of great taste and all…

SME V were bass champs.

 

[Ripper2860]

Happy Saturday!!

And for the non-Jazz folks...

Tom Petty's band before 'The Heartbreakers'.

 

[Syan25]

....Ripper, you've been ing for in all the wrong places crowds:

Looks like Joan Collins.

 

[Bowmoreman]

I believe SME stopped selling arms per se so they could sell their own tables, they are now selling again as best I recall. Other brands are more impressive now from what I can gather but it may have been due to availability as well.

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/sme-exits-oem-and-retail-tone-arm-business

Here is one article I could find.

Hence why i said used. The 309, IV, and V had, and still has a great synergy with the SOTA’s. Epic bass. They are also outstanding when mounted on Oracle’s, also suspended, belt drivers. I always preferred such to non-suspended, rigid designs. I always found them quieter with better blackground and soundstaging. Hated all direct and idler drives then (which had neither)...

I paid $900 new for my SME309 in London, UK in 1990; and grey market imported it for myself. Don’t know what they go for today used. But it DESTROYED my Rega RB300. And today the RB330 is not cheap.

Souther TriQuartz were excellent and transparent but deep bass lacking. Otherwise it beat my SME. Maybe today’s direct and idler drives no longer suck Ballz, but then at today’s insane prices, they’d better not!

I have no advice on other arms for SOTA or any other table. No experience. Im certain Christian has advice, a very responsive guy. Btw they have epic support; helped me fix my 35 year old vacuum pump at no charge. They’ve got some cool YouTube videos on their new factory/digs and their cabinet/woodwork making, CNC setup, etc.

 

[Paladin79]

Two days ago I did a rough count and figured I had 100 classical records to clean. Turns out it was 104 so my 100 pack of inner record sleeves did not quite make it.

 

[ricksome]

My suggestion fails on a couple of levels (not sure it is available anymore with only 140 units produced, and it costs more than $8k) but based purely on aesthetic considerations and assumed excellent performance, I cannot stop lusting after the Thorens TD 124 DD 140th Anniversary model. It is unbearably gorgeous.

That is a knock out and I am not even into vinyl ........ or tubes lol!