T2 - Finally bought one!

[rgs9200m]

Yep, after owning the SR009 for 6 years now (just with a KGSShv though), I think the SR009 was made for vinyl.
Awesome system and setup Mulveling. Great photos and impressions too.

 

[Whitigir]

I have no problems with Digital. That being said, it is another rabbit hole to venture. Unless your pocket is ready for it 0_0. Theoretically speaking, vinyl has a lower dynamic range than PCM isn’t it ?

Also, @mulveling , post more pictures and internal pictures I don’t know why I am craving for it, even though I am looking at mine lol

 

[astrostar59]

Indeed. TechDAS Airforce one anyone?

Seriously, this hobby is truly fantastic, I get so much pleasure out of it. Folk who are not 'into it' think we are nuts, or insane. It can take over as I have experienced to an extent. But as long as it is inside some form of 'control' I am comfortable with, then why not? An amp like this is a lifetime of enjoyment. My Dad had a huge valve gramophone and I listened to that a lot while I was growing up. Led Zeppelin was amazing on that thing.... maybe where I got the bug?

 

[rgs9200m]

The only digital that seems to work well consistently with my SR009 is SACD (DSD), which is much less prone to glare to my ears, which to me has always been the main problem with digital.

(I only have digital --Chord DAVE and EMM sources, but I remember the charms of vinyl and like it at shows. I never ever remember hearing glare with vinyl. But I'm far to lazy to cope with records anymore, so I have gone to the dark side. Or maybe I should say the bright side.)

Ha ha, I think the new SR009S is evidence of the softer side of Stax; it's probably meant to cope with digital.

LOL, envy here for me at Defcon 1 level .

 

[astrostar59]

I have no problems with Digital. That being said, it is another rabbit hole to venture. Unless your pocket is ready for it 0_0. Theoretically speaking, vinyl has a lower dynamic range than PCM isn’t it ?

Also, @mulveling , post more pictures and internal pictures I don’t know why I am craving for it, even though I am looking at mine lol

Huge subject there Whitigir, and one many of the top TT manufacturers say is not true. Resolution in the all important midrange they say is actually much higher in vinyl. The dynamic range thing of CD was a bit of a con IMO, only small part of the story. But digital done really well is IMO as good as top vinyl. I have heard it alongside the TechDAS Airforce 1 at Munich this year. R-2RDACs, with tube gain stage and filterless are a different ballgame entirely to OS and most other DAC types. Mulveling, if you don't mind me being forward, what did you spent on your TT rig? It might be enough to match it with a top R-2R DAC, you may be surprised......
But I do have a soft spot for my old Rega TT.

 

[mulveling]

I have no problems with Digital. That being said, it is another rabbit hole to venture. Unless your pocket is ready for it 0_0. Theoretically speaking, vinyl has a lower dynamic range than PCM isn’t it ?

Also, @mulveling , post more pictures and internal pictures I don’t know why I am craving for it, even though I am looking at mine lol

Yes, technically on paper, vinyl probably cannot hold a candle to any lossless digital format. But of course the listening often paints a very different picture. Digital copies seem more likely to suffer from mastering with severe dynamic range compression, even though Redbook CD has the capacity for much more dynamic range than vinyl. I've heard this a number of times in comparisons.

Of course vinyl isn't immune to bad mastering, either. I got suckered into buying the 2007 MoFi of Megadeth's "Countdown to Extinction", supposedly an "audiophile" pressing (and very expensive and OOP), and boy does that record ever suck! Devoid of all the raw emotion and power of the original. It sounds like a digital copy, honestly. I finally tracked down an original 1991 pressing, and there is literally no comparison!

I also don't like the Rush remasters (DMM on 200g vinyl, no less); the original pressings are much more enjoyable to me. But then, the Alice In Chains reissues by Music on Vinyl are fabulous (they also do some other GREAT stuff) and Nirvana reissues by ORG are absolutely mind-blowing good.

 

[astrostar59]

This is a very interesting topic and totally off the OP, BUT read this summary of the old RIAA standards. It is amazing TBH how something designed back in the 50's kicks butt today Ha Ha.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RIAA_equalization

At Munich I heard some big and amazing systems, the best being the Living Voice setup with Kondo amps and 500K speakers. Wow, amazing. And it used a TT of course. Pity Aries Cerat didn't have a room, next year..... But the Living Voice, even though it was a huge soundstage and massive realism to live music, HPs can get real close to that, if you get on with the headstage.

 

[mulveling]

I have no problems with Digital. That being said, it is another rabbit hole to venture. Unless your pocket is ready for it 0_0. Theoretically speaking, vinyl has a lower dynamic range than PCM isn’t it ?

Also, @mulveling , post more pictures and internal pictures I don’t know why I am craving for it, even though I am looking at mine lol

LOL I'll find my crappy old Nikon D40 at some point and see if it still works (better than my iPhone camera, at least). I'm not really digging the idea of undoing all those screws, but I have my builder's own internal pics for now. Love those sapphire blue boards!

And here's the heat-sink fin ding mine came in with - I think this is thanks to the Department of Homeland security, because they opened & inspected it after the package crossed the Canadian border! I received it at my office yesterday, and had to try hard not to think about the potential internal damage from whatever caused the ding (obviously from a drop when they unpacked it). My anxiety was mitigated by the fact that I couldn't hear any rattling or looseness inside the box - great build quality! And fortunately all is well...

 

[Whitigir]

Thanks! Nice! Dings happens during the chassis handling. It won’t matters, mine has dings too

 

[mulveling]

Huge subject there Whitigir, and one many of the top TT manufacturers say is not true. Resolution in the all important midrange they say is actually much higher in vinyl. The dynamic range thing of CD was a bit of a con IMO, only small part of the story. But digital done really well is IMO as good as top vinyl. I have heard it alongside the TechDAS Airforce 1 at Munich this year. R-2RDACs, with tube gain stage and filterless are a different ballgame entirely to OS and most other DAC types. Mulveling, if you don't mind me being forward, what did you spent on your TT rig? It might be enough to match it with a top R-2R DAC, you may be surprised......
But I do have a soft spot for my old Rega TT.

Well, definitely a fair point. Somehow turntable gear becomes a matter of the heart, my brain shuts off, and wallet flies out the window. It's a totally different mode/mindset for me with digital gear. The SOTA Nova rig currently hooked up to the T2 runs around 10k if you hover close to list prices and add it all up (phono stage, arm, cartridge etc). But will be a bit more than that when I receive my cartridge upgrade to a Shelter Accord. Phono stage there is a Rogue Ares Magnum, with my special selection of NOS tubes - that's the "value for money" piece. In the main rig I run a Clearaudio Master Innovation and VAC phono stage (cartridges on rotation: Koetsu Onyx Signature, Coralstone Platinum, and Shelter Harmony), which cost me an embarrassing amount lol.

 

[astrostar59]

Well, definitely a fair point. Somehow turntable gear becomes a matter of the heart, my brain shuts off, and wallet flies out the window. It's a totally different mode/mindset for me with digital gear. The SOTA Nova rig currently hooked up to the T2 runs around 10k if you hover close to list prices and add it all up (phono stage, arm, cartridge etc). But will be a bit more than that when I receive my cartridge upgrade to a Shelter Accord. Phono stage there is a Rogue Ares Magnum, with my special selection of NOS tubes - that's the "value for money" piece. In the main rig I run a Clearaudio Master Innovation and VAC phono stage (cartridges on rotation: Koetsu Onyx Signature, Coralstone Platinum, and Shelter Harmony), which cost me an embarrassing amount lol.

That sounds like a great TT setup there. along with the TT you have vinyl costs (buying the records). Also as you rightly say, some of the latest vinyl is not so hot, probably poor digital mastering or dodgy lathe cutting. I remember even on my lowish TT I noticed a dip around the mid 80's when they started to sound a bit off. The vinyl also was thinner, so maybe had shifted a bit to mass market and the quality suffered. I have buddies who have gone back to it mind, and know a guy in Brighton with a very busy vinyl shop. I needs to keep going, there is something magic about it IMO. Plus opening those huge sleeve notes - ooh laa laa.....

 

[mulveling]

Yep, after owning the SR009 for 6 years now (just with a KGSShv though), I think the SR009 was made for vinyl.
Awesome system and setup Mulveling. Great photos and impressions too.

Thanks man! Definitely - I should've paired Stax & vinyl sooner. But the big table is tied up in the 2ch rig, and this SOTA (my introduction to vinyl playback 11 years ago) needed work before I was comfortable using it with a quality cartridge - the vacuum hold down wasn't working, and man it makes me nervous seeing an expensive cartridge ride up & down on edge warps. All good now with vacuum clamping on the rebuilt SOTA, and peripheral ring clamp on the Clearaudio.

 

[chinsettawong]

Congrats mulveling and jigster. Both of your amps look beautiful.

 

[Whitigir]

Congrats mulveling and jigster. Both of your amps look beautiful.

I know! And I am still jealous !

 

[mulveling]

Plus opening those huge sleeve notes - ooh laa laa.....

I absolutely adore the large vinyl covers (not to mention liner notes, gatefold insides, etc), and often find myself staring longingly at the cover art during parts of the day when I'm home. Here's the 3 shelves housing the better half (as in quality, not quantity) of my collection: