[tennisets]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aman Whatever, I was told by Audioadvisor that it would sound really good, that this is the only phono stage, and that they perfectly replicate what is given to them specifically by grado cartridges. Thanks for the information everyone! Andrew

But that's the problem. What is given to it will not be nearly as good from a $40 Grado Black as from a nice $$$ cartridge. It's much more cost effective to but a $200 phono stage and a $300 cartridge than a $500 phono stage and a $40 cartridge. Tell whoever you spoke to from Audio Advisor to go f%&k themself because they don't know what they're talking about. People working in the audio business should be shot for giving that kind of advice.

 

[Aman]

I take that back, it was from ToddTheVinylJunkie himself.

Quote:

The Grado PH-1 is an outstanding phono stage. Don't let the nice price fool you - this is the real thing. When teamed with one of the many fine Grado cartridges, this baby sings. Its ability to amplify and deliver the exact signal the cartridge sends it makes it ideal even with the top of the line Statement. The PH-1 has two gain settings to accomodate both high and low output cartridges. Call for special deals that include the PH-1 with a Grado Cartridge and Sota turntable.

Taken from the info page of the product

http://www.toddthevinyljunkie.com/pr...duct.php?id=37

 

[darkclouds]

I don't think it's a bad phono stage. It's just that you may be better served with a lower price phonostage and a better cartridge. It just doesn't seem balanced to be pairing such a nice phonostage with a bottom dollar cart.

 

[marios_mar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tennisets But that's the problem. What is given to it will not be nearly as good from a $40 Grado Black as from a nice $$$ cartridge. It's much more cost effective to but a $200 phono stage and a $300 cartridge than a $500 phono stage and a $40 cartridge. Tell whoever you spoke to from Audio Advisor to go f%&k themself because they don't know what they're talking about. People working in the audio business should be shot for giving that kind of advice.

relax dude. no need to shoot anybody. A good phono stage saves you from the next upgrade wave....

The cartidge will be replaced anyways not too far away in the future. So an upgrade will be possible without replacing the whole system.

I wouldnt advise or do that myself but please be polite dude!

 

[drminky]

Aman, you should try and check out the Audio Technica 440ML (as long as your arm is mediumweight or lightweight). These are heavily discounted at the moment (can get them for like $89 or thereabouts) and they are the top of the line AT MM cart. They will whoop the living hell out of a grado black (unless you are a 'fat' midrange freak who's not bothered about frequency extension - in that case go the grado), without the hum problems that grados have. I've got one now and it also slaughtered my old rega elys, too. Both the rega and the AT have got deep, deep bass, but the AT has the sweetest treble you've ever heard in a MM cart. They've also got a heavily discounted MC cart @$289 or so, the OC9. Both of these are wildly popular on the vinyl asylum right now, and at the prices they're going for at the moment its not hard to see why!

 

[theaudiohobby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marios_mar If the analog thing was nothing but a bunch of romantic anachronistic old fashioned ideas there wouldnt be such a great movement around it. To my ears and brain it is true. Digital just cannot do it for me. Especially cheaper digital. SACD is another story but I dont think if this strory will have a premature ending...

relax mario

,all I was getting across was that under most circumstances digital does deeper bass than vinyl. If TTs do it for you musicwise, that's cool, after all it your ears, your brain and your money not mine

.

 

[saint.panda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marios_mar If the analog thing was nothing but a bunch of romantic anachronistic old fashioned ideas there wouldnt be such a great movement around it. To my ears and brain it is true. Digital just cannot do it for me. Especially cheaper digital. SACD is another story but I dont think if this strory will have a premature ending...

When people talk about CD vs. Vinyl I always wonder whether it just takes a really good cd player to compete with vinyl or whether vinyl is just better no matter what cd player you stack up against it (considering a very good turntable is provided for the competition).
And what about the price-performance ratio of vinyl vs. digital? In order to attain the same sound quality as a $2000 cd player, how much would you need to invest into a vinyl setup? (I hope I'm not crapping the thread.) Thanks.

 

[marios_mar]

If you are willing to live with analogs troubles such as rumble instability of pitch etc etc the other characteristics of a $2000 CDP could probably be topped easily by a $800-$1000 analog combo. Maybe even a cheaper one.

If you want to eliminate analogs problems or at least most of them (noise etc etc) then you have to spend significantly more money. But I am pretty sure that for $3K you can get a TT system that no CDP can touch. Read this review and the part about the $25K compared to the Scout the $3500 table.

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=26454

Quote:

It became apparent almost immediately that the Linn was no match for the VPI rig

 

[theaudiohobby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saint.panda When people talk about CD vs. Vinyl I always wonder whether it just takes a really good cd player to compete with vinyl or whether vinyl is just better no matter what cd player you stack up against it.

It is all in the recording...if a recording is crap

, no playback system can save it

.

 

[lini]

drminky: I fear the arm is more on the medium to heavy side, at least from what I could conclude from the scarce info on the web - that's why I've recommended the AT450E or the good old Denons, instead.

Greetings from Hannover!

Manfred / lini

 

[Aman]

Well I'm visiting a local hifi shop tomorrow and I'm bringing the TT in, so maybe they can show me the best options. They sell a lot of NAD, AT, and Grado stuff - so I'll have some options.

But yes, the arm is medium-heavy.

 

[saint.panda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marios_mar If you are willing to live with analogs troubles such as rumble instability of pitch etc etc the other characteristics of a $2000 CDP could probably be topped easily by a $800-$1000 analog combo. Maybe even a cheaper one. If you want to eliminate analogs problems or at least most of them (noise etc etc) then you have to spend significantly more money. But I am pretty sure that for $3K you can get a TT system that no CDP can touch. Read this review and the part about the $25K compared to the Scout the $3500 table. http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=26454

Thanks for the info and the link.

 

[Aman]

Okay guys. I'm sending the TT into the shop tomorrow for, basically, a full repair and restoration. They charge 75 dollars an hour and I am paying for a new cartridge and belt as well. I am also paying to fix the tonearm, which has become very hard to deal with over the years, and as a result has its weights disorderly. Thusly, when playing music, it comes in too slow.

When I get the TT back, I will report how much the final total is and some impressions on sound quality. All vinyl albums, of course, will be cleaned by a 50-50 isopropyl alcohol and distilled water solution.

Thanks to all that helped me out through this terrible and magical journey of source equipment!

Cheers!
Andrew

 

[marios_mar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aman When I get the TT back, I will report how much the final total is and some impressions on sound quality. All vinyl albums, of course, will be cleaned by a 50-50 isopropyl alcohol and distilled water solution. Thanks to all that helped me out through this terrible and magical journey of source equipment! Cheers! Andrew

I would say 1:3 isopropyl alcohol:water

 

[marios_mar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by theaudiohobby relax mario

hey you stole my line

Aman I think you made a wise choice to recondition your TT. The Micro Seikis are well regarded tables.

Now I wonder how the 70s tables compare to modern equivalently priced ones. Anyone with an opinion?

thanks