The LP Lover's thread...

kharp1

SCompRacer wrote: »

K_M wrote: »

.... due to partially the buit in noise floor being relatively somewhat high in comparison to digital
?

You might be amazed at how low the noise floor with vinyl can be. That is no hiss or hum while playing and no hiss or hum when you lift the needle to stop the playing. With a micro-line stylus you get deeper in the groove of a record. This helps with used records where other types of stylus were used and the records and stylus were not kept clean. That means no tics and pops and a quiet back ground. Darn amazing.

I put a lot of money into a DIY DAC with discrete balanced output (no op amps) and it sounds fantastic, yet everyone prefers the vinyl playback here. My vinyl has incredible bass, midrange and highs. Goosebump type stuff.

I kind of have the same question running through my head. Seems to me that I recall from back in the 80's, when I was working in hifi, that studies/literature showed that CD's had a considerably higher dynamic range. I'm not quoting any particular study, nor am I throwing out statements as fact with nothing to back it up, simply questioning what's what. Kind of along the line of what K_M posted I was always under the impression that CD's had a greater dynamic range and less noise. I also know that some recordings inherently have more noise than others, and, that I do like vinyl for some recordings.

K_M

SCompRacer wrote: »

K_M wrote: »

.... due to partially the buit in noise floor being relatively somewhat high in comparison to digital
?

You might be amazed at how low the noise floor with vinyl can be. That is no hiss or hum while playing and no hiss or hum when you lift the needle to stop the playing. With a micro-line stylus you get deeper in the groove of a record. This helps with used records where other types of stylus were used and the records and stylus were not kept clean. That means no tics and pops and a quiet back ground. Darn amazing.

I put a lot of money into a DIY DAC with discrete balanced output (no op amps) and it sounds fantastic, yet everyone prefers the vinyl playback here. My vinyl has incredible bass, midrange and highs. Goosebump type stuff.

You may be misunderstanding my comment. I think vinyl on our good table, is relatively quiet.
Even on our older Dual table it is not bad.

I said in comparison TO digital, with the comment about resolution.
Something that is at even -80 db noise level is still not as quiet as -100 decibels or less.

K_M

mikeyb128 wrote: »

I think clean records help with noise floor ALOT! Just because they are new doesn't mean they are clean either. I couldn't believe how quiet vinyl can be until I heard a Nottingham. And most recently transrotor. Stylus shape as other have already mentioned Is huge, my Carmen is very quiet, and pulls incredible details from a record. I feel most people haven't heard a good anolog setup before.

My first TT (a teac TN300) was utterly disappointing.

Some of our quietest records were very old ones from the 60's if you can believe that.
We inherited a huge collection, and some were barely or never played. Not all the best genres of music, but great sounding and very quiet.

"Jesus christ superstar" we got still in its shrinkwrap, and it was the original one!

FestYboy

K_M wrote: »

mikeyb128 wrote: »

I think clean records help with noise floor ALOT! Just because they are new doesn't mean they are clean either. I couldn't believe how quiet vinyl can be until I heard a Nottingham. And most recently transrotor. Stylus shape as other have already mentioned Is huge, my Carmen is very quiet, and pulls incredible details from a record. I feel most people haven't heard a good anolog setup before.

My first TT (a teac TN300) was utterly disappointing.

Some of our quietest records were very old ones from the 60's if you can believe that.
We inherited a huge collection, and some were barely or never played. Not all the best genres of music, but great sounding and very quiet.

"Jesus christ superstar" we got still in its shrinkwrap, and it was the original one!

JCS has got some great dynamic sections. It also happened to be the first marching band show I did as a freshman in high school. Fond memories of that show and we captured quite a few trophies with it too.

mikeyb128

Finally got my my new headshell in, picked up a Yamamoto HS4 (carbon fiber) to accommodate my soundsmith Carmen, weighing in at 10.7 grams, with the super light jelco six 9 OFC litz leads, brings me in around 8 hz on the resonance calculator.

I haven't heard this cartridge sound so good before!

Here's some pics....

msg

[construction worker whistle]

mikeyb128

I'm a little surprised by this head shell. I've got some serious bass going on now, it's nice and tight, not so loose (giggle, giggle!).

mikeyb128

Well.. gotta keep this alive. Just got shipping confirmation, my denon DL103 is making its way back from ZU audio. What a great bunch of guys over there, and the mod was pretty cheap, they even test and grade your cartridge. Decided to leave it to the pros. Can't wait to get this guy back!

[Deleted User]

I was happy w/ dollar Lps and a mid-fi TT before I read this thread.

dromunds

Mikeyb: tell me more about Zu mods to Denon 103's.......

mikeyb128

dromunds wrote: »

Mikeyb: tell me more about Zu mods to Denon 103's.......

A copy and paste from their website:

We have kept the great tone of the original Zu/DL-103 and have significantly improved transparency and resolution. Handling has also been considered and improved, with design elements to help safeguard the pickup from accidental damage—stylus guard being the most obvious feature.

If your system needs a bit more treble energy consider the “R” version. If you are not looking to change the tonality of your system stick with the regular non-R version.

Each pickup is comprehensively tested and graded, the better the grade the better the stereophony, but even the standard is pretty damn fine.

Standard ≤ 2.5% | Grade 1 ≤ 1.0% | Grade 2 ≤ 0.5% | Grade 2 PRIME ≤ 0.1%

The Mk.II update is significant, both in performance and handling. The body is machined from 6061-T6 and hard anodized to aid in the matching of tonearm-mount properties and further reduce pickup stored/reflected energy. The shape of the housing has also been refined to reduce resonance and stress risers resulting in a much stronger design that better supports the motor assembly. We have also changed the epoxy matrix formulation that binds the assembly further reducing noise and increasing stability to the pickup system.

Grade indicates stereophony performance much more so than tone. Zu performs extensive final testing and then grades them. Tolerance is measured between left and right internal impedance, full bandwidth phase, time-domain, and full bandwidth output curves. Tolerance spec’ is not an average of measures but accounts for the lowest of any measurement, thus giving a true tolerance perspective. Final grade is referenced to serial number, marked on the tests and measures sheet, and box label.

dromunds

Excellent! Thanks.

mikeyb128

I'm not sure what mine was graded at, we will see when it gets here. I payed 200 for a new dl103, and 210 for it to be graded, nuded, mounted, and potted in the aluminum body. Shipping via air mail was 15$ both ways. Looking forward to hearing this thing, as reviewers have often preferred them to cartridges such as the koetsu black. It should be good, not one bad review yet.

Dawgfish

I have the Grade 2 Prime, which is highest grade. It's a great cart, one of my all time favs for classic rock. Also have the Koetsu Black, as good as the ZU is, it's not quite as good as the Koetsu Black. At least not in my system with my ears. I must caveat that I have an older Koetsu that was made by the father. These are supposed to be slightly better than the newer production runs. Not trying to rain on any parades. The ZU 103 and 103R (have one of those also) are outstanding, especially for the price. That they are approaching the Koetsu is remarkable. As good as they are, they're not as refined as a Koetsu but they do have a serious get up and boogie factor that is intoxicating.

mikeyb128

Thank you for sharing your opinion Dawgfish. I certainly don't have my hopes up that the ZU will be at the same level as a koetsu, so not raining on anyone's parade I think the review was compared to the gold line. Would love to hear a koetsu one day, I might have to pick up a used one to try out. Right now I have my table dialed right in with my Carmen, and some new tubes in the phono stage, this combo has some serious synergy. So much so, that I've been buying up new albums like crazy. Gotta love it!

Dawgfish

Awesome! You've got a really great setup! I'll be interested on your thoughts on the ZU. Think you'll really like it!

mikeyb128

New toy came today, it was graded a 1, not bad!

Viking64

Holy piles of donkey doody, Batman! I would s-n-a-t-c-h this up if I didn't know it was going to be a mega time sink. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/123446238315299

[Deleted User]

Can someone recommend a good record cleaning brush?
It is about time to get a new one...

mhardy6647

rednedtugent wrote: »

Can someone recommend a good record cleaning brush?
It is about time to get a new one...

... like a dry brush, anti-static or a wet kinda thingy?

[Deleted User]

for a RCM. Good question.

Wardsweb

rednedtugent wrote: »

for a RCM. Good question.

Mobile Fidelity LP Brush - easy to hold, large surface contact, replaceable pad and not expensive.

treitz3

So, almost 5 years later? I am bumping (necroposting) my own thread.

I have been working on the digital end of the rig for so long that digital has well surpassed that of vinyl. That should not be the case IME. As many of you know, I recently acquired a new (to me) Triangle Art TT and am in need of a tonearm/cart.

I have it on good authority through the grapevine that I need to seriously take a look at a Tru-Glide Tonearm. https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa23hi-integrity-hifi-tru-glider-pendulum-tonearm-tonearms?creative=&keyword=

Those that have it? Love it and nothing but high praise with minor setup complaints for it. There are many out there that state that it bests tonearms costing 4 times as much. The theory behind it is cool. It's completely customizable and you don't even need to mount it to your TT. It can be mounted to your plinth or it can sit on the table the TT sits on.

There are many options for the tonearm length as well. Here is a pic of it...



This may be a long shot on this forum but you fellas have surprised me before with your knowledge. Does anyone have any experience with this company/tonearm?

If not, no worries. I'll keep researching and hopefully, I will hear one before I pull the trigger. So far, I like everything about it. No friction, emulates the performance of a linear tracker. No bearings, no azimuth, no anti-skate and no friction.

Dr Vinyl ( https://www.drvinyl.net/services ) can even come to your place to set up, if you need help...although there is a plethora of videos and instructions available at your fingertips. He does come highly recommended though, with many references (based out of MD).

This is currently the direction I am looking at when it comes to tonearms. What say you? I will be getting the base, FWIW and I will most likely go outboard, as to not mess with the TA TT plinth.

Tom

TroyD

Nothing of value to add other than that table is sexy AF.

I

treitz3

So, no one here has any experience with a Tru-guide tonearm?

Tom

Joey_V

No one I know locally has it
It’s nice that you can set it independent of the plinth but that might also open up its own can of worms