[analogsurviver]

  Don't rush on the speed dial
 
1) Average stylus life is around 1000 hours depending on the stylus AND depending on the care of the stylus and the cleanliness of the vinyl played
2) You will NOT just wear out high frequencies on the inner grooves (the myths here are like greek saga's) but if not properly cared for you will wear out all grooves, all frequencies. This also applies to improper setup including
Too light VTF
Too heavy VTF
Misaligned
Poor anti-skate
 
This is how a stylus rides grooves. any dust in those grooves produces heat, friction and thus wear. Diamond stylus's don't WEAR DOWN, the break apart slowly due to microscopic stress factors in the diamond. Heat, friction all serve to cause this. That's why clean stylus, clean vinyl is important
 

 

 
These little bumps are dust

 

 
Stylus magnified - NEVER clean your stylus with alcohol - it can actually loosen the epoxy type bond that connects the diamond to the cantilever
 

Good advices - save for one.
 
That is erasing HF content with a worn stylus. The effect of wear is GRADUAL - we get used to the sound of a particular stylus - and by the time it is glaringly audible, it is all over for the records played with such a stylus. Believe me, guy with a basic but decent MM cart who is caring for cleanliness of the record and stylus and replace the
diamond stylus every 500 hours or so is much better off than say a guy with Koetsu "streeeeetching" maximum out of his investment BEFORE sending it for a retip - which in this case, if sent to Koetsu, will burn a large hole in the pocket. And no, retips from other sources ( Soundsmith, Benz, Expert Stylus - to name but a few) are NOT going to sound exactly the same as Koetsu originally did. If you like your Koetsu just the way it was when new, sending it for retipping someplace else would be false economy - but I admit it hurts the wallet.
 
The only fly in the ointment TODAY is the lack of decent test record to document the record wear. I was mighty glad I could get a new/unplayed/mint? copy of the CBS STR 112 test record two months ago - but will only use it for the top 5% of my already tested and checked carts/styli - and most certainly not to show such next to priceless record before and after shaving off HF content by a worn stylus.
 
I have to get my scanner up and running, for the grim truth about the stylus wear. Quarter of a century ago, when I have been working in a microelectronics plant, Mr. Ernst Benz sent me a few worn out styli to photograph using Scanning Electron Microscope ( some samples of SEM pics shown in your post ) - and since then, I was wondering how to optically confirm the stylus is worn out without access to the SEM ( approx from 500K$ up ) . It can be confirmed by listening, it can be uleashed to wreck havoc with test record(s) - but I finally found the way to show the wear using the very same USB microscope I used for my styli photographs.
 
So, stay tuned ...

 

[analogsurviver]

   
 
For the person desiring advice, you can watch my setup video and will get the basics done right
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnskL8Pe6fk&feature=player_embedded

I apologize for forgetting to mention the protractor - it is a must, before anything else. It can range from say 15 $ http://www.ebay.com/itm/Turntable-Phono-Cartridge-Stylus-Alignment-Protractor-Tool-Mirror-/390506936595?pt=US_Record_Player_Turntable_Parts&hash=item5aec06f913 - up to a Feickert protractor.
 
I also take protractor for granted whenever recommending HFN test record - it is a part of the package, with two additional alignments if for any reason prefered over Baarwald's. I prefer to use the same mirrored protractor as in your video. A "couple of posts back" you can find my take on antiskating - and why I grew to prefer linear tracking arms.
 
Digital vertical tracking force gauges have one common problem - almost all of them do not measure at the correct height. There are a couple of tonearm designs
that require measuring at the actual playing height - determined by the thickness of the record . Most, but hopefully not all, digital gauges are far thicker than LP,
that is why I tend to not use them.
Part of the discrepancy of your VTF set to 1.5 gram measuring 1.6x gram in the video is due to the error in measurement (height...) and not completely attributable to the error inherent to that tonearm
scale dial.
 
I mentioned the TT cable for MMs because I am familiar with the cartridge that should be on the Marantz table - Clearudio Virtuoso of some description. It is an OEM by Audio Technica ( well made, as confirmed by several samples, one of which has been posted about here ) - and it behaves just the same any good MM from Audio Technica ever did. Prefering the lowest capacitance load one can possibly present it with.
 
So, if "OP" needs another RCA cable between phono preamp and headphone amp, perhaps it should be possible to use cable meant from TT to phono for connection between phono and headphone amp - if this cable happens to be on the high(ish) side regarding capacitance. And get low capacitance cable for TT>phono. I am the very last person on the planet to go in the cable debate - UNLESS it really makes the difference due to the electrical parameters. Phono cable for the connection of the MM cartridge most definitely belongs to this exception/category worth mention/debate. 

 

[JamieMcC]

Seem us newbies are very fortunate to have such knowledgeable posters here who are willing to share there own hard won experience.
 
Thanks guys for taking the time to post in such detail it is certainly very educational for me the tips shared have help with my own set up and tweaking has already improved play back quality.
 
I shudder to think that only a few months back I thought a stylus was just a metal needle!

 
 
 Happy New Year.

 

[penmarker]

   
 
For the person desiring advice, you can watch my setup video and will get the basics done right
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnskL8Pe6fk&feature=player_embedded

I set up my previous turntable the first time using your video as a guide, among other help from other people. Such an honor to finally know you personally.

 

[arcorob]

 
I set up my previous turntable the first time using your video as a guide, among other help from other people. Such an honor to finally know you personally.

Penmarker...thank you so much ! I am so glad to hear it helped you. It was my only driver for doing it. So many people would come to the AK board asking the very same questions the video answers. Just some simple basics, visually, so the whole process would not be so daunting. It really isn't hard once you see it (teach a man to fish...lol) and now, with 52,000 + views, it has made me feel like I gave back to all the folks who taught me !!
 
If I had the time to do over(I keep saying I will...) there are one or two things I would change. Also more focus on alignment (better pictures maybe) but even if my video takes them 95% there, it is so much better than "plug it in and hope it sounds good"...
 
Pleasure to meet you and see you on these and other boards !!!
 
Rob

 

[radlyant]

Hi all.....so I purchased the Pro-Ject Carbon TT along with the headbox and phonobox....however with my new Audeze LCD2's I've come to realise that in order to play music at an enjoyable level...I'd have to turn the knob all the way up....now my guess is that the headbox simply can't power my Audeze's. Along with that as the volume is turned up it results in a loud buzzing whenever there is the pause between tracks. Any advice on what I should do? I have always had my eye on upgrading my system anyway and my purchase in mind is the F-117 Nighthawk phono stage amp paired with any decent amp....feel free to comment and advice...I'm extremely new to the vinyl game and please feel free to educate me on this wonderful hobby!

 

[Skylab]

The Headbox isn't a particularly powerful headphone amp, and the output level of the phono box isn't that high either, so that combination driving the LCD-2 is not ideal.  Do you also plan to use your TT (which is a nice one BTW) with a speaker-based stereo, or just for headphones? If just for headphones, I would start by getting a much more powerful headphone amp.  But if the TT will be used in a speaker stereo too, I would start by upgrading the phono preamp.  The Phono Box is okay, but it's at the low end of phono stages, and any investment there will certainly pay sonic dividends.

 

[radlyant]

Thanks Skylab....so any recommendations for an amp to use with my LCD2's currently I have limited space so no speakers yet but I definitely will be upgrading them. 

 

[arcorob]

  Hi all.....so I purchased the Pro-Ject Carbon TT along with the headbox and phonobox....however with my new Audeze LCD2's I've come to realise that in order to play music at an enjoyable level...I'd have to turn the knob all the way up....now my guess is that the headbox simply can't power my Audeze's. Along with that as the volume is turned up it results in a loud buzzing whenever there is the pause between tracks. Any advice on what I should do? I have always had my eye on upgrading my system anyway and my purchase in mind is the F-117 Nighthawk phono stage amp paired with any decent amp....feel free to comment and advice...I'm extremely new to the vinyl game and please feel free to educate me on this wonderful hobby!

Couple of issues
1) Your turntable was not designed to plug in to a LINE LEVEL input. Some amps have a PHONO input but if it doesn't you need a phono stage
2) The Buzzing is most likely your ground because your table is not grounded to a phono stage
 
Read the manual where it says CONNECTION to an amplifier. It will tell you about the RIAA Phono input and the grounding.
 
You can get a pretty decent phono stage without spending a TON (unless you want to go high end.
 
The ART DJ Pre II is highly regarded. DONT let the low price fool you
 
http://www.amazon.com/ART-II-Preamplifier-Output-Switchable/dp/B000AJR482
 
Inside the unit

 

[Skylab]

Acrorob I think you missed the fact that he DOES have a phono stage - the Pro-Ject Phonbox.

Radlyant there are a lot of nice amps for the LCD-2 - in a lot of price ranges. If you want relatively affordable, I'd look at the Schiit Lyr.

 

[arcorob]

Acrorob I think you missed the fact that he DOES have a phono stage - the Pro-Ject Phonbox.

Radlyant there are a lot of nice amps for the LCD-2 - in a lot of price ranges. If you want relatively affordable, I'd look at the Schiit Lyr.

whoops...missed that part...so if it is too underpowered (the amp) then that MAY account for the buzz (a lot of gain on a small signal)
 
Listen to Skylab..I pooched this one...LOL

 

[bbophead]

 

Acrorob I think you missed the fact that he DOES have a phono stage - the Pro-Ject Phonbox.

Radlyant there are a lot of nice amps for the LCD-2 - in a lot of price ranges. If you want relatively affordable, I'd look at the Schiit Lyr.

whoops...missed that part...so if it is too underpowered (the amp) then that MAY account for the buzz (a lot of gain on a small signal)
 
Listen to Skylab..I pooched this one...LOL

Maybe he still didn't hook the ground wire up, or, did I miss that?

 

[radlyant]

@bbophead, I already grounded my turntable to my phonostage as in the grounding wires are attached however I just realised that the mains connector on my turntable does not have a earth wire pin ...if you use a UK pin that means the top one is missing, basically I'm dealing with a euro plug. Is the mains only for the motor or might it account for why it is not grounded. And this humming issue only seems to creep up when I turn up the volume on my headphones it was literally non-existent on my other pair T70's which I am assuming are easier to drive. 
@Skylab any other reccomendations, I've heard good things about Burson as well any experience on this, I would like something that can really smooth out female vocals. 

 

[Skylab]

I liked the Burson a lot with the Audeze, but it's not an amp that smooths out anything. It's neutral to perhaps just a whisker bright.

 

[radlyant]

Skylab alright then.... Is the schitt the best amp I can get for under 600 or in and around the price range. It seems almost any other amp that has been paired of well is well over the 600 budget I'm looking at