What is your TT rig?

TroyD

VPI Scoutmaster w/ Dynavector 20xH cartridge. (Joe's Clamp)
Dodd custom tube phono stage.

I'm pretty happy with it. I'd like to get the outer clamp and perhaps the upgraded platter, we'll see though. I'm not dying for the upgrade and I'm pretty happy with the sound.

BDT

SCompRacer

I've never been out of vinyl; only the investment in it has changed.

Nottingham Space 294
Nottingham Wave Mechanic (speed control)
Boston Audio Mat 1 (graphite record mat)
Moerch DP6 arm
Dynavector 17D3 MK II cartridge
Zu Xaus phono cable
TTWeights periphery ring
TTWeights record weight
ModWright SWLP tube preamp w/built in high gain tube phono stage
Gingko Audio Cloud vibration control platform w/dust cover



Everybody seems to like the vinyl here. I am extremely pleased with it.

vmaxer

SCompRacer wrote: »

I've never been out of vinyl; only the investment in it has changed.

Nottingham Space 294
Nottingham Wave Mechanic (speed control)
Boston Audio Mat 1 (graphite record mat)
Moerch DP6 arm
Dynavector 17D3 MK II cartridge
Zu Xaus phono cable
TTWeights periphery ring
TTWeights record weight
ModWright SWLP tube preamp w/built in high gain tube phono stage
Gingko Audio Cloud vibration control platform w/dust cover



Everybody seems to like the vinyl here. I am extremely pleased with it.

Can I borrow that:biggrin: I promise to listen to it and do a complete review so you will know if it is worth having or not:eek:

We wouldn't want you to have a bad setup

FTGV

Beauty table Scomp.That shiny periphery ring looks interesting.Is it to reduce warpage or some sort of inertia flywheel effect?

steveinaz

awesome!

SCompRacer

vmaxer wrote: »

Can I borrow that:biggrin:

Sure, but the shipping would be kinda pricey.:eek::biggrin:

FTGV wrote: »

Is it to reduce warpage or some sort of inertia flywheel effect?

Thanks for the kind words! The ring does add weight so I guess you could say it adds some inertia. My platter weighs 20 pounds so I don’t think it adds much to mine. For me it just keeps the record tight against the record mat or platter so it drains all vibes out of the LP. It also flattens slightly warped LP’s.

I do have Joe’s clamp, but it exerts so much pressure it forces my graphite record mat into the record label recess in the platter. This caused the 3mm thick mat to lift at the edges. So I took advantage of a ring and weight sale at Audiogon.

I’d love to add the Nottingham Heavy Kit, which is a 10 pound graphite mat. (Even Joe’s clamp wouldn’t bend that). But it lists for $1500. I’ve learned that upgrading audio is like making love in the sand; you don’t want to stop, but you have to.:biggrin:

markmarc

I just jumped back into vinyl about a year ago. Started with a Technics direct drive just to see if my interest was more than a fleeting bit of nostalgia......it wasn't.

I picked up the new Rega RP1 with an Ortofon Super OM 40 cartridge and the Sim LP 5.3 phono pre. I'm definitely happy for a while.

analog97

Several really nice systems on display! Here's my modest bang-for-buck rig:

VPI MKIV w/TNT platter and SAMA
Rega RB-300, Litz-rewired, Heavyweight Balance
Denon 103, nuded and mounted in the ISOKINETIK body
Hagerman PICCOLO MC head amp and Denon SUT
Hagerman Cornet2 phono pre-amp

FTGV

SCompRacer wrote: »

My platter weighs 20 pounds ..

WOW,It looks beefy but 20lbs is massive.The motor must have some serious grunt to get that up to speed.

TSWisla

Can't go wrong with a VPI, you won't be sorry if you get one. I used to own a Pro-Ject Xperience. Save up some money and buy a VPI.

hearingimpared wrote: »

Stevie, go for a VPI you won't buy another table for many, many years.

The VPI Classic is awesome! PM Sent your way.

My TT rig consists of the following;

VPI HW19 Mk IV hot rodded with TNT suspension, platter and a SAMA motor;
SME Series V tonearm;
ZYX Airy 3 Silver Base cartridge;
Spectral DMC 10G phono pre.

SCompRacer

FTGV wrote: »

WOW,It looks beefy but 20lbs is massive.The motor must have some serious grunt to get that up to speed.

Tom Fletcher of Nottingham actually uses ultra low torque motors; Nottingham owners have to push start the platter to get it going. (Some friends do the start-the-lawnmower motion when I do:biggrin:). The motor just maintains the speed. He believes you get less noise, vibration and cogging action with a low torque versus high torque motor. I have a KAB SpeedStrobe Disc (large diameter disc with speed numbers and battery LED strobe) and with the needle in the groove, it maintains a steady speed. Piano notes are also an excellent way to hear if you have problems with your table speed.

hearingimpared

TroyD wrote: »

VPI Scoutmaster w/ Dynavector 20xH cartridge. (Joe's Clamp)
Dodd custom tube phono stage.

I'm pretty happy with it. I'd like to get the outer clamp and perhaps the upgraded platter, we'll see though. I'm not dying for the upgrade and I'm pretty happy with the sound.

BDT

Troy, I'm betting if you call Stephen about the outer ring and platter he takes great care of you again. Funny thing, I was doing an intro of a couple of other Polkies I'm sending to him and we were talking about you. I told him you are out where the sand never ends this time rather than Lil' Kim's backyard.

del44

Another VPI rig.

VPI MK ll w/ Sumiko PT-3 tonearm and Audio Technica OC-9 mc cart. Fed through a Musical Fidelity A5 pre. I also have a Grado Gold mm cart. that I sometimes use.

hearingimpared

del44 wrote: »

Another VPI rig.

VPI MK ll w/ Sumiko PT-3 tonearm and Audio Technica OC-9 mc cart. Fed through a Musical Fidelity A5 pre. I also have a Grado Gold mm cart. that I sometimes use.

Del, is that an HW19 Mk II?

del44

hearingimpared wrote: »

Del, is that an HW19 Mk II?

Yes it is. Forgot to include the HW19.

steveinaz

You guys have some serious vinyl rigs.

hearingimpared

del44 wrote: »

Yes it is. Forgot to include the HW19.

Del, you can hot rod that Mk II up all the way up the ladder to TNT mods.

steveinaz wrote: »

You guys have some serious vinyl rigs.

You will too Bro . . . paitience!

mhardy6647

http://www.flickriver.com/groups/vinyljunkie2/pool/interesting/

Fongolio

Pro-ject 6.9 suspended table with Benz Micro Glider M2 cartridge into a Carver C1 with caps and op amps ugraded. Powered by a Carver TFM-45 amp signed by Bob Carver.
2nd table in that same system is a Technics SL1700 with Audio Technica ATSLa limited edition cart (the best moving magnet cart I've ever heard)

I really like the detail of the Benz cartridge on the Pro-ject table which is great light jazz, female vocals and acoustic music but the Audio Technica and Technics combo is stellar on hard rock and fast jazz. The AT is best on symphony music as it's more three dimensional than the Benz.

TroyD

Joe, thanks man! Yeah, just going to see how the beads and shells stack up when I get home......keeping up two homes and trying to get ready to retire doesn't leave much in the till for audio, but we'll see!

BDT

del44

hearingimpared wrote: »

Del, you can hot rod that Mk II up all the way up the ladder to TNT mods.

Oh yea. Guess it depends how far down the rabbit hole I want to go.:biggrin:

Polkersince85

Here's two of my Micro Seiki collection: DD-40 with MA-505 arm and BL-91L with Max-282 arm. I also have a BL-51 with MA-707 arm in progress. Currently using Denon DL-160 and Sonus carts.

I am building a SUT using vintage UTC transformers to put a DL-103 on the BL-91L. I'm feeding the 91 into the Carver C-11 / TFM-55 / 2.3TL's and the DD-40 into a pair of Heathkit AA-181 25w tubers / Mon 7B Peerless.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40049&d=1241574965

hearingimpared

Polkersince85 wrote: »

Here's two of my Micro Seiki collection: DD-40 with MA-505 arm and BL-91L with Max-282 arm. I also have a BL-51 with MA-707 arm in progress. Currently using Denon DL-160 and Sonus carts.

I am building a SUT using vintage UTC transformers to put a DL-103 on the BL-91L. I'm feeding the 91 into the Carver C-11 / TFM-55 / 2.3TL's and the DD-40 into a pair of Heathkit AA-181 25w tubers / Mon 7B Peerless.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=40049&d=1241574965

Absolutely gorgeous!

dkg999

Steve - I'm running a MH MMF 5.1SE TT in my office rig. I bought it from another Polkie a couple of years ago. I'm running the glass platter with a Herbies TT mat. I installed an Ortofon 2M Blue mm cart and use a SimAudio Moon LP 3.5 phono pre (which for the $349 Music Direct recently had them on sale for is an absolute steal of a deal!). It's a very nice rig.

In my main system I run the Pro-ject RM-5se with the stock Sumiko Blupoint cart and a Pro-ject TubeBox SE phono pre with Sovtek 12ax7lps tubes and Herbies tube dampeners. It sounds fantastic!

steveinaz

I've 99.9% decided on the Pro-ject RM-5SE, with Sumiko Blue point No2 cart ($999). The pre will be the Cambridge 640p. I figure the 640p, at only $179, is a win-win. If I want to upgrade later, not much loss on a used sale of the pre; and it is very well reviewed and constantly compared to sub-$1000 preamps.

I bought my first NEW album in over 24 years today...Black Sabbath "Heaven and Hell." Yeah baby, the cats out of the bag! Bev said "what are you gonna play that on?" I responded "my future turntable." She said "Like this coming Mondays' future turntable....?"...LOL she knows me too well. I told her no, like Feb/Mar's future turntable.

http://www.sumikoaudio.net/project/products/rm5.htm

Quick question, do HO MC's get plugged into the MC input or the MM input?

dkg999

Steve - I have my Sumiko Blue Point No 2 cart on my RM-5SE plugged into the MM input on my Pro-ject TubeBox II SE phono pre. I'm giving up gain for better SQ. I get more gain using the MC input, but the Pro-ject support people were correct that I would get better SQ with that cart using the MM input. With the CA phono pre YMMV.

hearingimpared

steveinaz wrote: »

I've 99.9% decided on the Pro-ject RM-5SE, with Sumiko Blue point No2 cart ($999). The pre will be the Cambridge 640p. I figure the 640p, at only $179, is a win-win. If I want to upgrade later, not much loss on a used sale of the pre; and it is very well reviewed and constantly compared to sub-$1000 preamps.

I bought my first NEW album in over 24 years today...Black Sabbath "Heaven and Hell." Yeah baby, the cats out of the bag! Bev said "what are you gonna play that on?" I responded "my future turntable." She said "Like this coming Mondays' future turntable....?"...LOL she knows me too well. I told her no, like Feb/Mar's future turntable.

http://www.sumikoaudio.net/project/products/rm5.htm

Quick question, do HO MC's get plugged into the MC input or the MM input?

Depends on whether you need special cartridge loading or not. The main thing is to realize that the gain stages are different on the MC and MM stages. MC usually has more gain selection where MM is usually 45 db. My MC stage on my pre has two trim pots for gain that range from 25 db to 70 db, has a myriad of resistive loading and custom loading option where my MM stage has capacitive and resistive loading options. Although usually MM carts just require 47k ohm loading.

When you get your cartridge read the spec sheet to determine which input to use. If you need any help, please don't hesistate to contact me.

steveinaz

Thanks fellers, I appreciate the assistance--it's been awhile since I've owned a TT, and I'm having to re-learn much of it. I use to have all the goodies, stylus protractor, tone arm height adjustment tool, azimuth stuff--etc. Wish I would have kept that stuff.

I remember, just prior to giving up on vinyl for CD, dabbling with my first few MC cartridges; I remember liking the results--and my Yamaha C-85 had very good phono pre section.

steveinaz

Looks like the 640p has a sensitivity (for a 300mV output) of .5-1.0mV for MC, 3-5mV for MM. The Sumiko Blue point No2 has a 2.5mV output--so I'd imagine the MM input would be best, giving up some gain however. Gain is 39dB MM, 55dB MC.

Is this assumption correct?

mhardy6647

Yes, the Blue Point at 2.5 mV is a HOMC and meant to be used with an MM preamp.
Have you listened to one? Not my cup of tea; they're popular though, so take my opinion for exactly what it's worth (nuttin')!